Free online APE to AIFF converter

Logic Pro, GarageBand, some samplers, and other Apple-focused tools may require AIFF instead of Monkey’s Audio files. Converting creates an uncompressed working file for editing or playback, but it does not improve the source recording’s quality.

What the APE format is

APE is the filename extension for Monkey’s Audio, a lossless format that compresses PCM audio without discarding samples. It is used mainly for archived music collections, personal backups, and lossless CD rips, and is created by Monkey’s Audio and compatible ripping applications. APE files can preserve the source’s sample rate, bit depth, and channels, but support is less consistent than for WAV, FLAC, or AIFF.

What the AIFF format is

AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) stores PCM audio and is widely supported by Apple software, digital audio workstations, samplers, and professional editing tools. Standard AIFF is normally uncompressed, so it is much larger than APE, but its PCM data is straightforward for production software to edit and process. AIFF files commonly use the .aiff or .aif extension; AIFF-C is a related variant that can support compression and is not identical to standard uncompressed AIFF.

Converting with 101convert.com

You can convert an APE file on 101convert.com without installing software:

1. Open the converter and upload the .ape file.
2. Select AIFF as the output format.
3. Start the conversion and download the resulting .aiff file.

Use this method only for recordings that are appropriate to upload. Private material, confidential audio, or files whose retention and handling requirements are unknown should be converted locally instead.

Converting with FFmpeg

FFmpeg works on Windows, macOS, and Linux and is suitable for scripted or batch conversion. A basic command is:

ffmpeg -i input.ape -c:a pcm_s16be output.aiff

This creates 16-bit, big-endian PCM AIFF, suitable for CD-quality 44.1 kHz material. Replace the filenames with the actual paths. To create 24-bit AIFF, use:

ffmpeg -i input.ape -c:a pcm_s24be output.aiff

Choose the output bit depth to match the source or the requirements of the destination application. Do not add -ar unless resampling is required; omitting it keeps the source sample rate. For example, -ar 48000 deliberately changes the output to 48 kHz. FFmpeg must have an APE decoder and an AIFF PCM encoder in the installed build; current standard builds normally include both.

Converting with desktop audio software

On macOS, XLD (X Lossless Decoder) can decode APE and export AIFF. Open XLD → Preferences, set the output format to AIFF, choose an output folder, then add the APE files to XLD for conversion. XLD is useful for album images and lossless-library workflows.

On Windows, foobar2000 can convert APE files when Monkey’s Audio input support is installed or available in the build. Add the file to the playlist, right-click it, choose Convert → Quick convert, select AIFF, configure the destination, and start the job. Verify that the selected encoder is uncompressed PCM AIFF rather than a different AIFF-C option if the receiving device specifically requests standard AIFF.

Quality and compatibility limits

APE decoding to PCM-based AIFF is lossless: the audio samples remain unchanged when the sample rate, bit depth, and channel layout are retained. The conversion does not restore quality lost before the APE was created. Because standard AIFF is uncompressed, its approximate size depends on duration, sample rate, bit depth, and channel count and is typically several times larger than the APE source.

Check the converted file in the destination program for sample rate, bit depth, channel count, duration, and playback. Metadata transfer is less predictable than audio transfer: artist, album, artwork, replay-gain data, and custom tags may be lost because AIFF applications implement metadata differently. Keep the original APE files and any associated .cue sheets. If an APE is one complete album image, use the cue sheet to split it into tracks when separate AIFF files are required; converting the image alone produces one large album-length file.