Free online CAFF to AIFF converter

Source format: CAFF

CAFF stands for Core Audio Format File. It is an Apple audio container format designed for storing digital audio with flexible metadata support. CAFF is used mainly in macOS and iOS development workflows, and it is commonly encountered in professional audio tools, system sounds, and applications that rely on Apple’s Core Audio framework. CAFF can store uncompressed or compressed audio, but it is not as widely supported outside the Apple ecosystem as more common formats.

Target format: AIFF

AIFF stands for Audio Interchange File Format. It is a classic uncompressed audio format developed by Apple and widely supported across audio editors, DAWs, and media players. AIFF is valued for its high compatibility, straightforward structure, and preservation of audio quality because it typically stores PCM audio without lossy compression. It is often used for music production, archiving, and interchange between audio applications.

How to perform the conversion

The most reliable way to convert CAFF to AIFF is with a desktop audio tool that understands both Apple audio containers. FFmpeg is usually the best command-line option because it is free, fast, and widely available.

1. Install FFmpeg on your computer.
2. Open a terminal or command prompt in the folder containing your CAFF file.
3. Run a command such as ffmpeg -i input.caff output.aiff.
4. Check the resulting output.aiff file in an audio player or editor.

If you prefer a graphical workflow, you can also use compatible audio editors such as Audacity or Adobe Audition if they can open the CAFF file. In that case, open the source file, then choose File → Export or File → Save As, and select AIFF as the output format.

You can also convert the file on 101convert.com for free, without installing any software.

Notes on quality and compatibility

Converting from CAFF to AIFF is usually lossless if the source audio is already uncompressed PCM, because both formats can store high-quality audio data. However, if the CAFF file contains compressed audio, the conversion may involve decoding and re-encoding depending on the source codec and the chosen AIFF settings.

AIFF is broadly compatible, but file sizes can be large because it commonly stores uncompressed audio. Metadata support may also differ between applications, so some tags or embedded information from CAFF may not carry over perfectly. If the CAFF file contains unusual codecs or Apple-specific metadata, test the output in your target application to confirm full compatibility.