PCM File Format

Raw PCM Audio (16-bit) category

Raw PCM is headerless 16-bit little-endian audio — the universal lowest-level exchange format of audio DSP, telephony and embedded systems.

Typical use: Convert any audio to raw PCM for DSP pipelines, or wrap a PCM dump into WAV/MP3 to make it playable.

About the PCM format

Raw PCM is audio at its most naked: 16-bit little-endian samples, no header, no metadata, no sample-rate label — just the waveform bytes. It is the lowest common denominator every DSP pipeline, telephony stack and embedded system speaks, which is why exports and lab tools keep asking for it.

Because the file carries no sample-rate information, consumers must agree on the rate out of band (8000 Hz telephony and 48000 Hz video are the common conventions). Wrapping PCM into WAV adds the missing header and makes the bytes playable anywhere.

Strengths

✓ Zero overhead — pure sample data
✓ Universally understood by DSP tools
✓ Bit-exact lossless representation

Limitations

✗ No header: sample rate must be known out of band
✗ Unplayable directly in most apps

Compression: None (16-bit LE samples)
Transparency: Not supported
Animation: Not supported
Metadata: None
Best for: DSP pipelines, embedded audio

Convert PCM to…

0 direct directions, sorted A–Z; 🔥 marks popular targets.

Convert other files to PCM…

AAC to PCM Hot AC3 to PCM AIF to PCM AIFF to PCM ALAC to PCM AMB to PCM AMR to PCM APE to PCM AU to PCM AVR to PCM CAF to PCM CVS to PCM CVU to PCM DSS to PCM DTS to PCM E-AC3 to PCM F32 to PCM F4A to PCM F4B to PCM F64 to PCM FAP to PCM FLAC to PCM Hot FSSD to PCM GSM to PCM GSRT to PCM HCOM to PCM HTK to PCM IRCAM to PCM M4A to PCM Hot M4B to PCM M4R to PCM MAUD to PCM MOD to PCM MP2 to PCM MP3 to PCM Hot OGA to PCM OGG to PCM Hot OMA to PCM OPUS to PCM PAF to PCM PVF to PCM QCP to PCM S16 to PCM S24 to PCM S32 to PCM S3M to PCM SD2 to PCM SHN to PCM SMP to PCM SNDR to PCM SNDT to PCM SPX to PCM TAK to PCM TTA to PCM TXW to PCM U8 to PCM VMS to PCM VOC to PCM VQF to PCM W64 to PCM WAV to PCM Hot WAVPCM to PCM WMA to PCM WV to PCM WVE to PCM XI to PCM XM to PCM

Frequently asked questions

What is a PCM file?

Raw PCM is headerless 16-bit little-endian audio — the universal lowest-level exchange format of audio DSP, telephony and embedded systems.

How do I convert PCM files online?

Pick a target format from the "Convert PCM to…" list below, drop your file and hit convert. Everything runs in your browser — no install, no upload, no watermark, no limits.

Is it safe to convert PCM files here?

Yes. Every conversion is performed by your own device inside the browser — files never leave for a server, and the page keeps working even offline.

Which formats can PCM convert to?

This page lists all 0 directions across documents, images, audio, video, spreadsheets and archives — each one is its own free converter page.