The basic steps to get audio into Reaper

Open Reaper, then go to File > Import media at the top of the window. A file browser will open. Navigate to the folder where your audio file lives, select it, and click Open. Reaper will place that audio on a new track in your project, ready to edit or mix.

That is the fastest route. But Reaper also lets you drag audio files directly from your computer's file explorer into the Reaper window — just click and hold on the audio file, drag it over the track area, and release. This works the same way and skips the menu step.

If you have multiple audio files to import at once, File > Import media lets you select more than one file in the browser before clicking Open. Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) and click each file you want, then open them all together. Reaper will stack them on separate tracks automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • Use File > Import media or drag audio files directly into the Reaper window to add them to your project.
  • Imported audio appears on a new track and is ready to edit, move, or mix when ready after import.
  • You can import multiple audio files at once by holding Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and selecting several files before opening them.
  • Reaper supports common audio formats including WAV, MP3, FLAC, and OGG, so most audio files you encounter will work without conversion.

Where Reaper looks for audio files

Reaper does not care where your audio lives on your computer. You can import from your Downloads folder, your Documents folder, an external drive, or anywhere else. The file browser in File > Import media works like any other file browser — navigate to the location, find the file, and open it.

One thing to know: if you move or delete the original audio file after importing it, Reaper will not be able to find it later. Reaper stores a reference to the file's location, not a copy of the audio itself (unless you explicitly embed it, which is a separate step). Keep your audio files in a stable location while you are working on the project.

Importing audio from different file types

Reaper handles most common audio formats without any extra steps. WAV files, MP3 files, FLAC files, and OGG files all import the same way — through File > Import media. You select the file and it appears on a track.

If you have audio in a less common format, Reaper may not recognize it. The import dialog will straightforward not show that file type in the browser. If that happens, you can convert the audio to WAV or MP3 using free software like Audacity or FFmpeg before importing it into Reaper. This is rare — most audio you encounter will import without any conversion step.

Controlling where imported audio lands on your tracks

By default, imported audio goes on a new track. But you can control this behavior. If you select an existing track before importing, Reaper will place the new audio on that track instead of creating a new one. Click the track you want, then go to File > Import media, and the audio will land there.

If you import multiple files and want them on the same track stacked vertically (one after another), select that track first, then import all the files at once. Reaper will place them in sequence on that single track. If you want them on separate tracks, just import without selecting a track first, and Reaper will create new ones.

What happens to the original audio file

When you import audio into Reaper, the program creates a reference to the file on your hard drive. It does not make a copy inside the project. This means your project file stays small, but it also means you need to keep the original audio file in the same location.

If you want to move your project to another computer or folder, you have two options. First, you can use File > Project settings > Media to embed the audio directly into the project file — this makes the project larger but self-contained. Second, you can move the audio files along with the project and keep the folder structure the same so Reaper can find them.

Fixing audio that does not import

If you try to import an audio file and nothing happens, or you get an error message, the file is likely corrupted or in a format Reaper does not recognize. Try opening the file in another audio player first to confirm it plays. If it does not play anywhere, the file is damaged and cannot be recovered through Reaper.

If the file plays in another player but not in Reaper, convert it to WAV format using Audacity (free, available for Windows and Mac). Open the file in Audacity, then go to File > Export > Export as WAV, save it, and try importing that new WAV file into Reaper instead. This solves most format-related import problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import audio directly from YouTube or Spotify into Reaper?

No. Reaper only imports audio files that exist on your computer or an external drive. To use audio from YouTube or Spotify, you would need to read it first using a separate tool, then import the downloaded file. Be aware that downloading copyrighted music without permission violates the terms of service for those platforms.

What if my audio file is too large to import?

Reaper can handle very large audio files, but extremely large files (several gigabytes) may slow down your computer. If import is slow, try breaking the audio into smaller chunks using Audacity or another editor first, then import the pieces separately. You can also reduce the file size by converting it to a lower sample rate or bit depth before importing.

Does importing audio into Reaper change the original file?

No. Importing creates a reference to the original file, not a copy. The original audio on your hard drive remains unchanged. If you edit the audio in Reaper, those changes only exist in your Reaper project — the original file stays as it was.

Can I import audio from a CD into Reaper?

Not directly. You need to rip the CD to your computer first using software like Audacity or MediaMonkey, which will create audio files you can then import into Reaper. Once you have the files on your hard drive, import them the same way you would any other audio.