Audio
What is a WAV file?
Updated Jul 2026
WAV (Waveform Audio File Format) is an uncompressed audio format developed by Microsoft and IBM, commonly used for recording and editing sound. It stores audio data exactly as captured, with no quality loss. The tradeoff is size: a few minutes of WAV audio can take up hundreds of megabytes, far more than a compressed format like MP3.
- Extension
- .wav
- Type
- Audio
- Typically
- Uncompressed audio, recording
Why WAV exists
WAV dates back to 1991, when Microsoft and IBM introduced it alongside early Windows multimedia tools. It became the standard format for storing raw, uncompressed audio on PCs, and it has stayed that way ever since because it's simple and universally recognized.
The format works by saving audio as a direct digital copy of the sound wave, sample by sample, with no compression squeezing the data down. That's why it sounds identical to the original recording. It's also why files get large fast: a few minutes of stereo audio at CD quality can easily run over 50 megabytes.
People run into WAV files most often from recording equipment, voice memos, microphones, and audio editing software, since it's the format most tools default to when capturing raw sound. It's rarely how music gets distributed or shared, which is why WAV files often need converting to something smaller like MP3 before they get emailed, uploaded, or put on a phone.
The trade-offs
Strengths
- No compression, so no loss in audio quality
- Widely supported by recording and editing software
- Simple format that's easy for tools to read and write reliably
Watch-outs
- Very large files compared to compressed formats
- Impractical for streaming, sharing, or storing large libraries
- Not ideal for final distribution, since most listeners can't hear the difference
A note on privacy
WAV files can carry embedded metadata, like timestamps or notes added by recording software, though it's typically less identifying than photo metadata. Uploading a WAV file to an online converter still sends the raw audio itself to someone else's server, which matters if the recording is personal or confidential. Converting it on your own computer keeps the audio, and anything embedded in it, on your machine the whole time.
Convert a WAV file
- Convert WAV to MP3
- Convert WAV to FLAC
- Convert WAV to AAC
- Convert WAV to M4A
- Convert WAV to OGG
- Convert WAV to WMA
Questions
How do I open a WAV file?
Almost any media player on Mac or Windows opens WAV files by default, including the built-in players that ship with each operating system.
Is WAV better than MP3?
For quality, yes: WAV has no compression loss. For everyday use, MP3 is usually more practical, since it sounds close enough for most listening while taking up a fraction of the space.
Why does my recording save as a WAV file?
Recording software and hardware default to WAV because it captures audio with no quality loss, which is useful while you're still editing. Once you're done, it's common to convert to a smaller format for sharing.
Can I convert WAV without uploading it?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts WAV files on your own computer, so the audio never has to travel over the internet to a server you don't control.
Why is my WAV file so much bigger than an MP3 of the same song?
WAV stores every sample of the original recording with no compression, while MP3 discards data that's harder to hear to shrink the file. That's the main tradeoff between the two.
Morphjet opens and converts WAV and 1,800+ other formats, all on your own computer. Launching this July.