Large eddy simulation is performed for investigating the local and far-field behaviors of free and swirling jets at moderate Reynolds number. By solving compressible boundary layer equations, the inflow profiles with different swirl number are calculated, and then their stability characteristics are analyzed based on linear stability theory. The amplification rates of swirling jets are higher than the free one, particularly for higher or negative azimuthal wavenumber modes. Multiple unstable modes are superimposed to construct inflow forcing. The quantities of flow and acoustic are presented and compared against the results of existed experiments and other computations, besides, the comparisons are also made among themselves. For swirling jets, the spreadings of jet half-width and vorticity thickness at the initial and transition stage are enhanced, but they are surpassed by the free jet at turbulent mixing stage. In all cases, the development of mixing layer initially is greatly influenced by frequencies f0 and f0/2 associated with upstream forcing. As the swirl intensity is increased, the growth rates of fluctuation quantities on the centerline and the nozzle lip line are raised, but the peak levels on the centerline are reduced substantially. In swirling jets, the strength of vortex pairing is decreased, and the pairing noise is weakened correspondingly. The overall sound pressure levels are lower than that of the free jet at all observation angles (ϕ), and about 3 decibels (dB) is reduced at ϕ ≃ 30° in the strong swirling case at a distance of 60 radii. The Fourier analyses of pressure and acoustic sources show that the modes are varied greatly, which suggests that the noise reduction should be corresponding to the change of instability waves.