Preferences

To edit Preferences (the appearance and general behavior of MuseScore), go to Edit → Preferences or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + , (Mac: Cmd + ,).

These are divided logically into sections (see below); notice also the three buttons at the bottom of the window:

• Reset preferences: Click on this to reset all preferences to their default values.

• Cancel: Exit preferences without changing anything.

• OK: Exit preferences and apply any user changes.

General

You can specify your language, and autosave interval in “General”. See also Language.

“Program start” allow you to choose what, if any, score you want displayed in the edit window after launching.

“Folders” allows you to customize locations for any user folders (though it’s a good idea to leave them at default to start with if you are a new user).

Appearance

Choose between light and dark options, and specify the accent color; there is also a high contrast option for visually impaired users.

The system font is also the default for the MuseScore UI, but you can alter this if desired—and the font-size.

You can set the score paper/color option and the background. For visually impaired there is an “Invert score” option which inverts the score colors (white to black and vice versa)

Canvas

Specify the default zoom level of the score, and the mouse zoom precision. Also how you want your score pages to scroll, and the degree of precision of mouse selection.

Save & publish

Specify the autosave duration and options relating to generating and publishing audio on MuseScore.com and Audio.com.

Note input

Here you can specify whether to advance to the next note on key release (in MIDI input), whether to color notes outside of an instrument's usable range, whether to play notes when editing (and for how long), and customise how voice assignment for dynamics works.

Score

Customize the default order of instruments for new scores, and default styles for scores and parts.

Audio & MIDI

Specify audio device, buffer size and sample rate, MIDI input and output devices, and customize mixer behaviour.

MIDI mappings

Here you can map certain keys of your external MIDI keyboard to certain actions, for example to start or stop score playback, set note-entry duration, and so on.

Import

Here you can specify a custom style file to use for imported files (MIDI and MusicXML), set the character set for imported binary files, customise MusicXML import, set the shortest note value to use in imported MIDI files, and choose whether to import the layout in MEI files.

For details of the MusicXML options, see Working with MusicXML files.

Shortcuts

See Keyboard shortcuts for more information.

Update

By default MuseScore automatically checks for updates when online. You can turn this off by unchecking the box.

Folders

Specify the default folders for scores, style files, templates, plugins and soundfonts.

Advanced

A number of specialized options can be accessed here, such as voice color, and palette behavior.

Braille

Enable or disable the braille panel, and customize its behavior.