Free tool
WAV converter
Drop any audio or video file into this WAV converter for an uncompressed 16-bit WAV that every editor opens, or drop a WAV and switch Save as to make an MP3, M4A or OGG. Everything happens in your browser.
- Free
- Works on phones
- Nothing is uploaded
Save as
Uncompressed 16-bit, for editing. About 10 MB a minute in stereo.
Drop your audio or video file here, or Choose your audio or video file
Any audio or video file, up to 1 GB and 2 hours. It’s converted in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
MP3 encoding by LAME, open-source software.
Got a WAV of a meeting or a lecture? NoteOwl imports it on your Mac and writes the transcript and notes there, with each speaker told apart.
How it works
How does converting a file to WAV work?
To convert to WAV, leave WAV selected and drop the file. Your browser decodes the sound and the page writes every sample as a 16-bit number. Nothing is compressed, so there is no quality setting, just the sample rate box. A five-minute FLAC took half a second in Chrome.
- 1
Decide on the sample rate
Ticked keeps the source’s rate, from 8 kHz phone audio to 96 kHz studio files. Unticked writes 44.1 kHz, the CD rate.
- 2
Add any file
MP3, M4A, FLAC, OGG, AIFF, a video, or an unusual WAV that another app won’t open. One file at a time, up to 1 GB.
- 3
Save the WAV
Check it in the player, then download it. It takes the original’s name with .wav on the end.
How long does a WAV take to make, and how big is it?
Under two seconds in Chrome for five minutes of sound, since nothing has to be compressed. The size follows sample rate, channels and length only: five minutes of 48 kHz stereo came to 57.6 MB from a 5.11 MB FLAC and a 57.6 MB AIFF alike.
- FLAC, 5 min, 48 kHz stereo (5.11 MB)
- WAV out48 kHz stereo
- Size57.6 MB
- Took (Chrome / WebKit)0.5 s / 1.0 s
- AIFF, 5 min, 48 kHz stereo (57.6 MB)
- WAV out48 kHz stereo
- Size57.6 MB
- Took (Chrome / WebKit)1.8 s / 1.9 s
- M4A voice memo, 5 min, mono (2.35 MB)
- WAV out48 kHz mono
- Size28.8 MB
- Took (Chrome / WebKit)0.7 s / 1.9 s
- OGG voice note, 5 min, mono (0.68 MB)
- WAV out48 kHz mono
- Size28.8 MB
- Took (Chrome / WebKit)0.7 s / 1.6 s
- ADPCM WAV, 1 min, mono (1.45 MB)
- WAV out48 kHz mono, now plain PCM
- Size5.76 MB
- Took (Chrome / WebKit)0.3 s / 0.37 s
- FLAC, 1 min, 24-bit, 96 kHz (4.78 MB)
- WAV out96 kHz stereo, 16-bit
- Size23.0 MB
- Took (Chrome / WebKit)0.24 s / 0.65 s
| Source | WAV out | Size | Took (Chrome / WebKit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLAC, 5 min, 48 kHz stereo (5.11 MB) | 48 kHz stereo | 57.6 MB | 0.5 s / 1.0 s |
| AIFF, 5 min, 48 kHz stereo (57.6 MB) | 48 kHz stereo | 57.6 MB | 1.8 s / 1.9 s |
| M4A voice memo, 5 min, mono (2.35 MB) | 48 kHz mono | 28.8 MB | 0.7 s / 1.9 s |
| OGG voice note, 5 min, mono (0.68 MB) | 48 kHz mono | 28.8 MB | 0.7 s / 1.6 s |
| ADPCM WAV, 1 min, mono (1.45 MB) | 48 kHz mono, now plain PCM | 5.76 MB | 0.3 s / 0.37 s |
| FLAC, 1 min, 24-bit, 96 kHz (4.78 MB) | 96 kHz stereo, 16-bit | 23.0 MB | 0.24 s / 0.65 s |
What is PCM, and why are WAV files so big?
PCM, pulse-code modulation, stores sound as plain numbers: the height of the wave, measured tens of thousands of times a second in each channel. Every WAV made here is 16-bit PCM with nothing compressed, so its size is simply sample rate × 2 bytes × channels × seconds.
- 44.1 kHz stereo
- A minute10.6 MB
- An hour635 MB
- Typical sourceMusic and CD audio
- 48 kHz stereo
- A minute11.5 MB
- An hour691 MB
- Typical sourceVideo sound and studio recordings
- 48 kHz mono
- A minute5.8 MB
- An hour346 MB
- Typical sourceOpus voice notes and mono voice recordings
- 22.05 kHz mono
- A minute2.6 MB
- An hour159 MB
- Typical sourceOlder voice recorders and low-rate MP3s
| Sample rate and channels | A minute | An hour | Typical source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44.1 kHz stereo | 10.6 MB | 635 MB | Music and CD audio |
| 48 kHz stereo | 11.5 MB | 691 MB | Video sound and studio recordings |
| 48 kHz mono | 5.8 MB | 346 MB | Opus voice notes and mono voice recordings |
| 22.05 kHz mono | 2.6 MB | 159 MB | Older voice recorders and low-rate MP3s |
Which WAV do different programs and devices need?
For an audio CD, 44.1 kHz, 16-bit stereo: untick the box. For a video edit, 48 kHz, the video standard, which a 48 kHz source keeps with the box ticked. For Audacity, GarageBand or a DAW, any common rate works, so keep the source’s own and change nothing.
- Burning an audio CD
- What it expects44.1 kHz, 16-bit, stereo
- Setting hereBox unticked
- A video editor’s timeline
- What it expects48 kHz
- Setting hereBox ticked, from a 48 kHz source
- Audacity, GarageBand or a DAW
- What it expectsAny common rate
- Setting hereBox ticked
| Destination | What it expects | Setting here |
|---|---|---|
| Burning an audio CD | 44.1 kHz, 16-bit, stereo | Box unticked |
| A video editor’s timeline | 48 kHz | Box ticked, from a 48 kHz source |
| Audacity, GarageBand or a DAW | Any common rate | Box ticked |
Can it open WAV files that other apps refuse?
Many of them. Besides ordinary PCM it reads μ-law and A-law telephone WAVs, IMA and Microsoft ADPCM, 24-bit and 32-bit files, 32-bit float and AIFF, and rewrites each one as plain 16-bit PCM that any player or editor opens.
ADPCM WAVs and AIFF files are read by the page’s own decoder a piece at a time, so they convert up to the full 1 GB and 2 hours in Chrome and Safari alike, and its output matched ffmpeg’s sample for sample.
- μ-law and A-law WAV (G.711)
- Where it often comes fromPhone systems, voicemail and call recordings
- IMA and Microsoft ADPCM WAV
- Where it often comes fromOlder voice recorders and games
- 24-bit and 32-bit integer WAV
- Where it often comes fromField recorders and studio sessions
- 32-bit float WAV
- Where it often comes fromDAWs, audio editors and 32-bit float field recorders
- AIFF, AIF and AIFC
- Where it often comes fromGarageBand, Logic Pro and other Mac apps
| Kind of file | Where it often comes from |
|---|---|
| μ-law and A-law WAV (G.711) | Phone systems, voicemail and call recordings |
| IMA and Microsoft ADPCM WAV | Older voice recorders and games |
| 24-bit and 32-bit integer WAV | Field recorders and studio sessions |
| 32-bit float WAV | DAWs, audio editors and 32-bit float field recorders |
| AIFF, AIF and AIFC | GarageBand, Logic Pro and other Mac apps |
Can it turn a WAV into an MP3, M4A or OGG?
Yes: switch Save as before dropping the WAV. A five-minute, 52.9 MB WAV became a 7.2 MB MP3 at 192 kbps, a 4.8 MB OGG at 128 kbps, or a 3.6 MB M4A at 128 kbps in Chrome.
The OGG holds Opus sound, not Vorbis, so games and apps that take only Ogg Vorbis won’t accept it. Chrome’s AAC encoder spends fewer bits than asked on speech, so its M4A files are smaller than Safari’s. WAV to MP3 and WAV to M4A have pages of their own.
- MP3, 192 kbps
- Size7.2 MB
- Took (Chrome / WebKit)2.6 s / 3.0 s
- M4A (AAC), 128 kbps
- Size3.6 MB in Chrome, 4.9 MB in WebKit
- Took (Chrome / WebKit)2.2 s / 3.1 s
- OGG (Opus), 128 kbps
- Size4.8 MB
- Took (Chrome / WebKit)2.9 s / 3.1 s
| Saved as | Size | Took (Chrome / WebKit) |
|---|---|---|
| MP3, 192 kbps | 7.2 MB | 2.6 s / 3.0 s |
| M4A (AAC), 128 kbps | 3.6 MB in Chrome, 4.9 MB in WebKit | 2.2 s / 3.1 s |
| OGG (Opus), 128 kbps | 4.8 MB | 2.9 s / 3.1 s |
Can NoteOwl transcribe a WAV recording?
Yes, on a Mac. NoteOwl imports WAV, AIFF, MP3, M4A, FLAC, AAC and MP4 recordings, transcribes them with on-device AI models, tells the speakers apart and keeps every transcript searchable. It stores its own WAV copy of each recording, so any moment can be played back.
Transcripts can be exported as Markdown, PDF or text, or saved as SRT subtitles.
FAQ
Questions about converting files to WAV
Is anything uploaded when converting to WAV?
No. The file is decoded and rewritten as a WAV inside your browser tab, and no request leaves the page while it works. Recordings stay on your computer or phone, and there is no account to create.
Can I get a 24-bit WAV?
No. Every WAV made here is 16-bit PCM, the depth of an audio CD and the one every player, editor and burning app reads. A 24-bit or 32-bit float file comes out as 16-bit, which still covers about 96 dB of dynamic range.
Does a 96 kHz file keep its sample rate?
Yes, with the box ticked: a one-minute 24-bit, 96 kHz FLAC became a 96 kHz, 16-bit WAV of 23 MB in a quarter of a second in Chrome. Untick the box for 44.1 kHz instead.
Does the WAV keep every channel?
Yes. Mono stays mono, stereo stays stereo, and a file with more channels keeps them all in the WAV. An MP3 made from the same file is mixed down to stereo, because a standard MP3 holds one or two channels.
Which files can’t be converted to WAV?
WMA and AMR recordings, and AVI, WMV and FLV videos, can’t be read here. Chrome also can’t read Apple Lossless or AIFC files with Apple’s IMA4 compression, but Safari converts both.
Keep exploring
More audio converters
- Audio converterConvert audio and video files to MP3, WAV, M4A or OGG in your browser: M4A, FLAC, AIFF, OGG, Opus, WebM, MP4 and MOV in; nothing is uploaded
- M4A converterConvert audio and video to M4A in your browser (AAC sound copied without re-encoding), or an M4A to MP3, WAV or OGG; nothing is uploaded
- Video to MP3 converterTurn any video’s sound into an MP3 in your browser: MP4, MOV, MKV, WebM and 3GP, at 128, 192 or 320 kbps; nothing is uploaded
- MP3 to WAV converterConvert MP3 to WAV in your browser: 16-bit PCM at the MP3’s own sample rate or 44.1 kHz, ready for editors and samplers; nothing is uploaded
Related
- WAV to MP3 converterConvert WAV to MP3 in your browser, 16-bit to 32-bit float at any sample rate, and see how much smaller the MP3 is; nothing is uploaded
- Export your notesExport meetings, dictations and notes as Markdown or PDF, imported transcripts as text or SRT, or everything as plain files; nothing is locked in
WAV recordings into searchable transcripts, on your Mac
Free to download. Runs entirely on your Mac.
macOS 26 or later · Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) · 16 GB memory minimum, 24 GB recommended
About NoteOwl
NoteOwl is private AI meeting notes and memory for the Mac. It captures meetings without a bot joining the call, labels every speaker, writes summaries and action items, and builds a memory of every conversation that you can chat with — fully offline, because the speech recognition and the AI run on the Mac itself. Dictation into any app is free; Pro is a one-time purchase.
NoteOwl pricing: what’s free and what Pro adds
Last updated