WAV (Waveform Audio File Format)
WAV is an uncompressed audio format used for recording and editing. Learn why WAV files are large and when to convert them to MP3 or FLAC.
- Type
- Audio
- File extensions
- .wav, .wave
- MIME type
- audio/wav
What is WAV?
WAV, introduced by Microsoft and IBM in 1991, usually stores uncompressed PCM audio. CD-quality stereo (44.1 kHz, 16-bit) takes about 10 MB per minute.
Because nothing is discarded, WAV is the standard working format for recording, editing and mastering.
When to use WAV
- Recording and editing
- Sound effects and samples
- Archiving masters (or use FLAC to save space)
Limitations
- Very large files
- Limited support for metadata tags
Compatibility
Supported by all operating systems, audio editors and browsers.
Compared with other formats
- MP3: MP3 is about a tenth of the size for sharing.
Tools for WAV files
Audio Converter
Convert audio between MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC and M4A with bitrate options.
WAV to MP3
Compress large WAV recordings into MP3 at your chosen bitrate.
Audio Compressor
Reduce audio file size by lowering bitrate, sample rate or channels.
Audio Cutter
Remove a section from the middle of an audio file and join the rest.
Audio Merger
Join multiple audio files into one track in the order you choose.
Audio Trimmer
Keep only the part of an audio file between a start and end time, with optional fades.
Audio Volume Changer
Make audio louder or quieter, or normalize loudness to a standard level.
Audio Speed Changer
Change audio playback speed with or without changing pitch.
Audio Metadata Viewer
View ID3 tags, codec, bitrate, sample rate and duration of an audio file.