# Main Menu Bar

## File Menu

The file menu allows you to load, save, and export projects and import MIDI files and Hydrogen files.

![File menu](https://content.gitbook.com/content/sOyi2widgEtSqcjOGVN2/blobs/r2PSSJkoTrQsPaZyaGEz/Screenshot%202025-01-28%20065934.png)

* **New** creates a new project
  * **New from template** creates a new project from a selected template
* **Open** gives you a dialog to choose an existing project file to open
* **Recently opened projects** opens up a sub-menu listing all the recently opened project files.

{% hint style="info" %}
In LMMS, you can save projects to two formats:

* \<myname.**mmp**> - creates an XML file that can be read in any text editor.&#x20;

* \<myname.**mmpz**> - creates a coded and compressed file (these cannot be read in any text editor).
  {% endhint %}

* **Save** saves the current project. (For a new project, this functions as "**Save As**").

* **Save As** gives you a dialog to choose a location to name and save your project in. (You can also save your project as a **template** by clicking on the file-type drop-down menu within the dialog.)

* **Save as new version** saves the current project to a new file by adding numbers to the end of the original project name, starting with 01.

* **Save as default template** replaces the default template that LMMS opens upon initialization.

* **Import** allows you to import MIDI and [Hydrogen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_\(software\)) files as new instrument and B+B patterns.

* **Export** allows you to record your project to a file. (Currently, only .wav, .ogg, and .mp3 are supported for Audio exports.)
  * **Export Tracks** allows you to export stems of your project file to a selected folder.

* **Export MIDI** allows you to export your project's midi data as a **.mid** file.

* **Quit** exits LMMS. You will be asked if you want to save your project if changes were made since&#x20;

## Edit Menu

![Edit Menu](https://content.gitbook.com/content/sOyi2widgEtSqcjOGVN2/blobs/agQmTdfzCjJCqmYoazBk/Screenshot%202025-01-28%20070112.png)

**Undo/Redo** do exactly as their names imply, they can also be accessed via the keyboard shortcuts `Ctrl+Z` and `Shift+Ctrl+Z`, respectively.

{% hint style="warning" %}
The Undo/Redo feature only works correctly for some forms of editing. \
In particular, in the Piano Roll Editor the bulk move, copy and paste facilities using the selection tool and/or clipboard do not get undone or redone correctly. The developers are aware of this problem.
{% endhint %}

The third option is **Settings**, which opens the [Settings](https://docs.lmms.io/user-manual/getting-started/settings) dialog.

## View Menu

![View Menu](https://content.gitbook.com/content/sOyi2widgEtSqcjOGVN2/blobs/wyaATQjPyvdxd4GIegqd/Screenshot%202025-01-28%20070209.png)

**Song Editor, Beat+Baseline Editor, Piano Roll, Automation Editor, FX Mixer, Project Notes, and Controller Rack** all focus/open their respective windows.

* **Volume as dBFS** toggles between the default LMMS percentage system and the industry standard dBFS system
* **Smooth scroll** toggles between instantly snapping to the playerhead position when playing the project, and a smooth transition
* **Enable note labels in piano roll** toggles labeling notes with their note name in the piano roll

As of 1.3, the window toggles are:

* Song-Editor (Ctrl+1)
* Beat & Bassline Editor (Ctrl+2)
* Piano-Roll (Ctrl+3)
* Automation-Editor (Ctrl+4)
* Mixer (Ctrl+5)
* Project-Notes (Ctrl+7)
* Controller-Rack (Ctrl+6)

## Tools Menu

![Tools Menu](https://content.gitbook.com/content/sOyi2widgEtSqcjOGVN2/blobs/cRzHPwNpO94oUNxJLA6n/Screenshot%20from%202021-01-20%2013-50-58.png)

The only option currently in this menu is the **LADSPA Plugin Browser**. It can be used to view information about available LADSPA Plugins.

## Help Menu

![Help Menu](https://content.gitbook.com/content/sOyi2widgEtSqcjOGVN2/blobs/hpEijvxNYSCsqyevdFf5/Screenshot%20from%202021-01-20%2013-51-17.png)

There are three items:

* **Online Help** opens the manual (you are here).
* **What's This?** changes your cursor into a help cursor that you can use to click on any part of a LMMS window to see its function/purpose.
* **About** gives you a dialog that lists: LMMS program version, its home page, its key developers, translation information if you are using LMMS in a language other than English, and the GNU GPL license that the software is released under.