WAV is uncompressed PCM audio — the raw format of CDs and studio work, with perfect quality and correspondingly large files.
Typical use: WAV is required by most video/audio editing tools as the cleanest import format.
About the WAV format
WAV is the simplest possible audio file: PCM samples — the raw digits of the waveform — inside a RIFF container. CD-quality stereo (44.1 kHz, 16-bit) runs about 10 MB per minute, and studio work uses 24-bit/48–96 kHz without blinking. Every DAW, every interface and every phone records to it; nothing about it can be misinterpreted.
That perfection is why WAV remains the format of recording and editing: every sample is bit-exact, so processing, slicing and mixing never fight artifacts. And it is why nobody streams it — ten megabytes a minute is storage money, not delivery.
Strengths
- ✓ Bit-perfect, zero-loss audio
- ✓ The editing and recording standard
- ✓ Supports hi-res depths and sample rates
Limitations
- ✗ Enormous files (~10 MB/minute at CD quality)
- ✗ Tagging is an afterthought (BWF fills the gap)
- ✗ Impractical for streaming or phones-on-the-go libraries
- Compression
- Uncompressed PCM
- Quality
- Bit-exact
- Compatibility
- Universal
- Best for
- Recording and editing masters
Convert WAV to…
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Frequently asked questions
What is a WAV file?
WAV is uncompressed PCM audio — the raw format of CDs and studio work, with perfect quality and correspondingly large files.
How do I convert WAV files online?
Pick a target format from the "Convert WAV 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 WAV 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 WAV convert to?
This page lists all 43 directions across documents, images, audio, video, spreadsheets and archives — each one is its own free converter page.