Use this WAV to AIFF converter when an editor, project, or recipient requests AIFF audio. Upload one .wav, start conversion, and download the completed file. The tool is free, with no account or software installation required.
Output is fixed to uncompressed 16-bit PCM AIFF. A 24-bit or floating-point WAV cannot retain its full numerical precision in this output. Keep the original if further editing or exact archiving requires that precision.
WAV and AIFF: what is different?
WAV and AIFF can both store PCM audio. Common integer PCM WAV uses little-endian byte order, while this AIFF uses big-endian byte order. Apple's audio-format reference describes these formats and byte orders. Changing the byte order alone does not lower audio precision.
| Property | WAV input | This tool's AIFF output |
|---|---|---|
| Extension | .wav | .aiff |
| Audio encoding | Often integer PCM; other encodings exist | Signed 16-bit big-endian PCM |
| Compression | Depends on the audio inside the WAV | Uncompressed PCM |
| Sample format | May be 16-bit integer PCM, 24-bit integer PCM, floating-point PCM, or another format | Fixed 16-bit integer PCM |
| Page display | Input preview depends on browser support | File card with download |
| Additional information | May contain tags, markers, or timing data | Complete transfer is not guaranteed |
The .wav extension does not identify one fixed encoding. Microsoft's WAVE format documentation distinguishes PCM and other audio formats. This page does not guarantee support for every WAV variant. Renaming a file to .aiff does not change its audio encoding or structure.
When a WAV to AIFF conversion helps
Meet a 16-bit AIFF delivery requirement
Use the tool when the recipient requests 16-bit PCM AIFF. Check the required sample rate, channel count, and channel layout separately. An .aiff extension alone does not prove that a file meets every delivery specification, and this tool cannot supply 24-bit or floating-point output.
Import audio into an editor that requests AIFF
Make an AIFF copy if the editor or project specifically requires it. Open the downloaded file there and verify its duration and channels. If the editor already reads your WAV correctly, converting it may add an unnecessary step rather than improve the sound.
Keep audio assets in a consistent format
An individual recording, sound effect, or musical passage can be supplied as AIFF for a compatible project. Keep the WAV when its precision or source information matters. Test the start, end, and transitions of loops or synchronized material instead of assuming every marker or timing detail was transferred.
How to convert WAV to AIFF online
- Upload one WAV. Select or drag in a complete
.wavfile up to 200MB and 30 minutes. Make sure recording, export, or download has finished before uploading. - Start conversion. Once the upload is complete, start the task. AIFF is already selected, and the output uses fixed 16-bit PCM.
- Download and check. Download the AIFF from the completed file card and open it in a compatible editor or player. The result area does not include an inline AIFF player.
Each task handles one file. Batch upload, webpage-link conversion, project import, and automatic splitting are not available. Export the audio you need as an individual file first; the tool does not select regions from a project.
Is converting WAV to AIFF lossless?
For a compatible 16-bit PCM WAV, samples can be preserved if the sample rate, channels, and sample values remain unchanged. Reordering bytes from little-endian to big-endian is different from lowering bit depth. Matching audio samples also does not mean the complete WAV and AIFF files are byte-for-byte identical.
For 24-bit or floating-point WAV, conversion to fixed 16-bit integer PCM cannot preserve the full numerical precision of the source format. This page does not offer 24-bit, floating-point, dither, normalization, sample-rate, or channel controls. If a project needs higher precision, keep the original and use a workflow that meets those requirements.
If the WAV contains audio that was previously compressed with a lossy codec, AIFF cannot restore the discarded detail. Conversion does not remove noise, repair clipping, or reconstruct missing sound. An uncompressed output file is not evidence that the source recording was always lossless.
Listen at a similar volume and inspect the downloaded properties. Listening and matching sample-rate or bit-depth labels alone do not prove sample-for-sample preservation. An exact check compares the decoded audio samples under the same conditions.
File size: PCM data and the complete file
With the same sample rate, channel count, duration, and actual bytes stored per sample per channel, uncompressed PCM contains the same amount of audio data in WAV and AIFF. The overall file sizes can still differ because their headers, metadata, and other chunks differ. AIFF is not inherently smaller or higher quality than WAV.
For 90 seconds of 48kHz stereo PCM, the 16-bit calculation is 48000 × 2 × 2 × 90 ÷ 1,000,000 = 17.28MB; the 24-bit calculation is 48000 × 2 × 3 × 90 ÷ 1,000,000 = 25.92MB. Here, 48000 is the sample rate in Hz, the first 2 is the channel count, and 90 is the duration in seconds. These examples use 2 bytes per sample per channel for 16-bit PCM and 3 bytes for 24-bit PCM.
These are decimal-MB calculations excluding headers and metadata, not measured conversion results. The 24-bit figure describes a possible source for comparison, not an output option. A higher-bit-depth or floating-point WAV can become smaller after conversion because it is reduced to 16 bits; that size change comes with a precision limit.
A WAV with compressed audio may instead grow when decoded to PCM. The 200MB limit applies to the upload, and the output can exceed it. Duration is a separate limit: a small file can still be longer than 30 minutes. Check the actual downloaded size against the recipient's requirements.
If the source or result does not open
WAV input reading depends on the browser and the encoding inside the file. If the page cannot read its duration, try a compatible browser or inspect the source in the application that created it. A valid .wav extension does not guarantee that the recording is complete or decodable.
If conversion fails, check for an unfinished export, damaged headers, or an unsupported audio encoding. Export a compatible copy from the original application when possible. This converter does not repair the recording by changing its container.
An AIFF result card without a player is expected. Download the file and test it in a compatible application. Check duration, channels, and loop or synchronization behavior there. Tags, artwork, cue markers, and Broadcast WAV timing information are not guaranteed to transfer completely; preserve the original when the project depends on them.
Frequently asked questions
Is this WAV to AIFF converter free?
Yes. No account or credits are required. Each task processes one WAV file up to 200MB and 30 minutes. Batch upload, project import, and automatic splitting are not supported.
Can a 16-bit WAV become AIFF without losing audio samples?
A compatible 16-bit PCM WAV can retain its samples if sample rate, channels, and sample values remain unchanged. Changing byte order alone does not lower precision. This does not guarantee identical complete file bytes or metadata, and it does not restore earlier lossy compression.
Can I keep 24-bit or floating-point audio?
No. The output is fixed to uncompressed, signed 16-bit big-endian PCM AIFF. A 24-bit or floating-point WAV cannot keep its full numerical precision in this output. Keep the higher-precision source if your work requires it.
Why is the AIFF about the same size as my WAV?
Uncompressed PCM with the same sample rate, channel count, duration, and actual bytes stored per sample per channel contains the same amount of audio data. The total files can differ because of headers and metadata. Reducing a higher-bit-depth WAV to 16 bits may make it smaller, but also limits precision.
Why is there a download card without an AIFF player?
That is the expected display for AIFF results. The page offers a file download without requiring the browser to play AIFF. Open the downloaded file in a compatible editor or player; the missing inline player does not itself mean conversion failed.
Can I set the sample rate or channel count?
No. This page uses preset conversion parameters and fixed 16-bit output. It has no manual sample-rate, channel, dither, or normalization controls. Check the downloaded properties before using it for a delivery with exact requirements.
Will tags, markers, and timing information remain intact?
Complete transfer is not guaranteed. Successful audio conversion does not prove that artwork, tags, cue markers, or Broadcast WAV timing information were preserved. Keep the WAV and check the imported AIFF in the destination project if those details matter.