# Audio assets

Source: https://docs.arcweave.com/project-items/assets/audio
Section: Project Items > Assets
Description: How to add and use audio in Arcweave projects

Use audio assets in Arcweave to add music, sound effects, or narration to your interactive project. When you [attach an audio asset](https://docs.arcweave.com/project-items/elements#audio-attachments) to an element, it will automatically play when that element is rendered in [Play Mode](https://docs.arcweave.com/project-tools/play-mode/using-play-mode).

## Supported file types

Context: Arcweave docs > Project Items > Assets > Audio assets > Supported file types

Arcweave supports the following audio formats:

- `.mp3`
- `.ogg`
- `.wav`
- `.webm`

You can upload these file types as assets and attach them to elements in your project.

## Preview audio assets

Context: Arcweave docs > Project Items > Assets > Audio assets > Preview audio assets

You can preview audio directly from the **Assets** section and set the asset's default playback settings.

To preview an audio asset:

1. Locate it in the **Assets** section.
2. Click the asset to open its preview.
3. Play the asset, seek through it, and adjust its **volume slider**. Use the speaker icon to mute or unmute it.
4. Optionally, set the asset's **Fade in** and **Fade out** durations in milliseconds.

The volume and fade durations are the asset's defaults. Every [audio reference](https://docs.arcweave.com/project-items/assets/audio#audio-reference-settings) to the asset uses them unless it overrides them, helping you balance audio across your project.

> ℹ️ Note: [Play Mode](https://docs.arcweave.com/project-tools/play-mode/using-play-mode#control-audio-volume) has a volume slider to control the overall playback volume.

## Attach audio assets

Context: Arcweave docs > Project Items > Assets > Audio assets > Attach audio assets

To get the audio assets to play in your story, you need to attach them to elements. See [elements](https://docs.arcweave.com/project-items/elements#audio-attachments) for instructions.

## Audio reference settings

Context: Arcweave docs > Project Items > Assets > Audio assets > Audio reference settings

Each audio asset attached to an element is an **audio reference**. Click an attached audio asset on the element to open its **Audio reference** dialog, which has its own preview and volume slider, followed by its **Play mode settings**.

Changes to a reference affect only that element's attachment, not the asset or its other references.

### Audio behavior

Context: Arcweave docs > Project Items > Assets > Audio assets > Audio reference settings > Audio behavior

Set the reference's playback behavior to one of the following:

- **Play clip once**: Plays the audio a single time when the element is reached in the flow and rendered.
- **Loop clip**: Continuously loops the audio until it is stopped.
- **Stop playing all instances of this clip**: Stops playback of the specified audio asset wherever it is currently playing.

### Delay

Context: Arcweave docs > Project Items > Assets > Audio assets > Audio reference settings > Delay

To fine-tune playback timing, add a **Delay** in milliseconds before the audio starts. This allows you to synchronize sound with other actions or create dramatic timing effects. Each reference has its own delay, which defaults to `0`.

### Fades

Context: Arcweave docs > Project Items > Assets > Audio assets > Audio reference settings > Fades

- **Fade in**: Milliseconds for the audio to fade in from silence when it starts playing.
- **Fade out**: Milliseconds for the audio to fade out when it stops. A **Play clip once** reference also fades out at the end of the clip.

With **Stop playing all instances of this clip**, the reference's **Fade out** sets how the stopped clips fade out; **Delay**, **Fade in**, and **Auto-stop on element exit** don't apply.

### Auto-stop on element exit

Context: Arcweave docs > Project Items > Assets > Audio assets > Audio reference settings > Auto-stop on element exit

Select **Auto-stop on element exit** to stop the audio, using its fade out, when Play Mode moves to another element. Otherwise, the audio keeps playing until it ends or is stopped by another reference.

### Override asset defaults

Context: Arcweave docs > Project Items > Assets > Audio assets > Audio reference settings > Override asset defaults

A reference uses the asset's volume, **Fade in**, and **Fade out** unless you change them in the **Audio reference** dialog. A changed fade field is highlighted. To use the asset's value again, click **Reset to asset default** (the circular arrow icon) next to the volume slider or fade field.