Free online WAVE to AIFF converter

Source format: wave

WAVE (usually written as WAV) is a widely used audio container format developed by Microsoft and IBM. It is common on Windows systems and in professional audio workflows because it can store uncompressed PCM audio, which preserves full quality. WAV files are often used for recording, editing, mastering, archiving, and exchanging audio between applications.

Because WAV is a container, it may also hold some compressed audio codecs, but the most common use case is lossless, uncompressed audio.

Target format: aiff

AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) is an audio container format developed by Apple. It is especially common in macOS and in professional audio production. Like WAV, AIFF is typically used for uncompressed PCM audio, making it suitable for editing and mastering where quality must be preserved.

AIFF’s main advantages are high compatibility with Apple software, strong support in audio editors and DAWs, and lossless storage when used with PCM audio. It is often chosen when moving audio into Apple-centric workflows or when a project specifically requires AIFF.

How to perform the conversion

The conversion from WAV to AIFF is usually straightforward because both formats commonly store uncompressed PCM audio. The best tool depends on whether you want a simple one-file conversion or batch processing.

Option 1: Use the built-in converter on 101convert.com

1. Open the 101convert.com conversion page for WAV to AIFF.
2. Upload your .wav file.
3. Select AIFF as the output format.
4. Start the conversion and download the resulting .aiff file.

This is the easiest method if you want to convert online for free without installing software.

Option 2: Use Audacity

1. Open the WAV file in Audacity.
2. Go to File → Export → Export Audio.
3. Choose AIFF as the format.
4. Save the file with an .aiff extension.

Option 3: Use FFmpeg

If you prefer command-line conversion, FFmpeg is a reliable choice:

ffmpeg -i input.wav output.aiff

This command reads the WAV file and writes an AIFF file while preserving the audio data when possible.

Option 4: Use Apple Logic Pro or GarageBand

1. Import the WAV file into the project.
2. Use the export or bounce function.
3. Choose AIFF as the output format if available.

Notes on quality, compatibility, and limitations

Quality: Converting WAV to AIFF is usually lossless if both files use PCM audio. In that case, the audio samples are preserved and only the container format changes.

Compatibility: WAV is more common on Windows, while AIFF is more common in Apple and pro-audio environments. Most modern audio editors and players support both formats, but some consumer devices and web tools may prefer WAV.

File size: If the source WAV is uncompressed PCM, the AIFF output will usually be similar in size. If the WAV uses a compressed codec, the conversion may require decoding to PCM, which can increase file size.

Metadata: Some tags and metadata may not transfer perfectly between formats or applications. If metadata matters, verify the output in your target software.

Sample rate and bit depth: These should remain unchanged unless you intentionally resample or re-encode during conversion. For archival or mastering work, keep the original sample rate and bit depth to avoid unnecessary quality changes.