Time Toolbar

Time Toolbar is a read-only toolbar which displays the current audio position. When Audacity is not Playing or Recording, this will be either the current cursor position or the beginning of the current selection if present. When Playing or Recording, it dynamically shows the current play head or record head position. As this Toolbar is read-only you cannot use it to reset the audio position, to do that you need to use the Selection Toolbar.

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Audio Position

This toolbar displays the current audio position - the current location of the Play/Record head.

Time Toolbar showing the current playback position of 44 seconds

Location

It is located by default in the bottom tooldock next to the Selection Toolbar. By default it is double height for easy readability. You can resize it or or relocate it if you wish, see Customizing Toolbar Layout for help with this.

The Time Toolbar resized and relocated

Format

The default time format for the display is hh:mm:ss. This can be changed by using the context menu available by clicking on the little downward-pointing black triangle to the right of the time display, or by right-clicking on the time display.

Changing this in any project will affect the current project and any subsequent projects that you open. It will not affect any projects that you already have open.

Time Toolbar context menu - default setting

This display format applies only to the Time Toolbar and does not affect any different setting you may have in the Selection Toolbar.