Select File > New > Audio File.
Last updated on
Apr 13, 2026
Learn how to set up a custom startup configuration in Adobe Audition to save time and ensure a consistent project setup.
A quick tutorial on creating, opening, and importing files to start working on your Audition project.
Create a new blank audio file
A new blank audio file is perfect for recording new audio or combining pasted audio.
Note
To quickly create a file from selected audio in an open file, select Edit > Copy to New.
Enter a filename, and set the following options:
- Sample Rate: Determines the frequency range of the file. To reproduce a given frequency, the sample rate must be at least twice that frequency.
- Channels: Determines if the waveform is mono, stereo, or 5.1 surround. Adobe Audition saves the last five custom audio channel layouts that you have used for quick access.
- Bit Depth: Determines the amplitude range of the file. The 32‑bit level provides maximum processing flexibility in Audition. For compatibility with common applications, however, convert to a lower bit depth when editing is complete.
Note
For voice-only recordings, the mono option is a good choice that results in quicker processing and smaller files.
Create a multitrack session
Session (*.sesx) files contain no audio data themselves. Instead, they are small XML-based files that point to other audio and video files on the hard drive. A session file tracks the following:
- Files which are a part of the session.
- Location of these files.
- Envelopes and effects that are applied.
To examine settings in detail, .sesx files can be opened in text editors or stored in version control systems. You can use Perforce or Git, which are popular in the gaming industry.
Select File > New > Multitrack Session.
Enter a filename and location, and set the following
options:
- Template: Specifies either a default template or one you've created. Session templates specify source files and settings such as Sample Rate and Bit Depth.
- Sample Rate: Determines the frequency range of the session. To reproduce a given frequency, the sample rate must be at least twice that frequency.
- Bit Depth: Determines the amplitude range of the session, including recordings and files created with the Multitrack > Mixdown Session to New File command.
- Mix: Determines whether tracks are mixed down to a mono, stereo, or 5.1 Mix track.
Note
- All files added to a session must share the sample rate. If you attempt to import files with different sample rates, Audition prompts you to resample them, which can reduce audio quality. To change resampling quality, adjust the Sample Rate Conversion settings in the Data preferences.
- Choose a bit depth carefully, because it cannot be changed after you create a session. Ideally, work at the 32-bit level with fast systems. If your system performs slowly, try a lower bit depth.
Open existing audio files and multitrack mixes
The following file types open in the Multitrack Editor: Adobe Audition Session, Adobe Audition 3.0 XML, Adobe Premiere Sequence XML, Final Cut Pro XML Interchange, and OMF.
All other supported file types open in the Waveform Editor, including the audio portion of video files.
Note
SES session files from Adobe Audition 3.0 and earlier are unsupported. If you have Adobe Audition 3.0, save sessions to XML format to open them in later versions.
Select File > Open. Select a supported audio or video file.
If you don’t see the file that you want, choose All Supported Media from the menu at the bottom of the dialog box.
Append audio files to another
In Waveform Editor, do either of the following:
- To add to the active file, select File > Open Append > To Current.
- To add to a new file, select File > Open Append > To New.
In the Open Append dialog box, select one or more files.
Note
If the files have different sample rates, bit depth, or channel type, Audition converts the selected files to match the open file. For the best results, append files with the same sample type as the original file.
After your selection is made, select Open.
Import a file as raw data
You cannot open files which do not have header information that describes the sample type. To manually specify this information, import the file as raw data.
Select File > Import > Raw Data.
Select the file, and click Open.
Set the following options:
Sample Rate
- Sample Rate: Match the rate of the file, if possible. Audition can import raw data with rates ranging from 1 Hz to 10,000,000 Hz. Although playback and recording are supported only between 6000 Hz and 192,000 Hz.
- Channels: Enter a number from 1 to 32.
- Encoding: Specifies the data storage scheme for the file. If you are unsure what encoding the file uses, consult the supplier of the file or the documentation for the application that created it.
- Byte Order: Specifies the numerical sequence for bytes of data. The Little-Endian method is common to WAV files, while the Big-Endian method is common to AIFF files. The Default Byte Order automatically applies the default for your system processor and is typically the best option.
- Start Byte Offset: Specifies the data point in the file at which the import process begins.
Insert an audio file into a multitrack session
When you insert an audio file in Multitrack Editor, it appears as a clip on the selected track or the nearest available empty track if needed.
In Multitrack Editor, select a track, and then place the playhead 
at the desired time position.
Select Multitrack > Insert Files.
Select a supported audio or video file.
Note
Drag ranges from the Markers panel to the Multitrack Editor to automatically convert them to clips.
Spot-insert a Broadcast Wave file into a session
When you insert a Broadcast Wave (BWF) file into a multitrack session, Audition can use the embedded timestamp to insert the file at a specific time. The action is commonly called spot-inserting.
Select Edit > Preferences > Multitrack (Windows) or Adobe Audition > Settings > Multitrack Clips (macOS).
Select Use embedded timecode when inserting clips into Multitrack.
In the Multitrack Editor, select a track.
Select Multitrack > Insert Files, and select one or more BWF files.
Audition will insert an audio clip at the designated start time.
Note
To view or edit the timestamp for a BWF clip, open the clip in the Waveform Editor and then select Window > Metadata. On the BWF tab, the timestamp value appears as the Time Reference.
Import sequence from Adobe Premiere
You can directly import Adobe Premiere projects (.prproj) to Adobe Audition. This import method uses the original media and does not require rendering.
Select File > Import > File and choose the Adobe Premiere project to import.
The Import a Premiere Sequence dialogue box opens with the list of sequences the project contains. You can select the specific sequence that you want to open. The selected sequence is directly imported referencing the original media.
Some content and clip-routing setups, such as synthetic content, nested sequences, or incompatible channel configurations, require rendering or they appear offline.
To enable or disable the Render Unsupported Content and Clip Channel Routing check box, use the Import Options dropdown on the Import a Premiere sequence dialogue box.
You can select the location to save the rendered content using the Project Folder and Custom Location radio buttons. Select Browse to select a custom location.
The sequences are imported to Adobe Audition with reference to original media. The imported video from Adobe Premiere is shown as a single flattened layer.
Import ASND files
ASND files are files generated from Soundbooth, an Adobe application that has been discontinued. From Audition 23.0 onwards, you will no longer be able to open .asnd files in Audition directly.
Use the following instructions to open .asnd files on Windows:
Use the following instructions to open .asnd files on macOS:
Edit, mix, and record with Audition
Create and edit audio for podcasts, music, film, and more.
