Free online WMA to WAVE converter

Source format: WMA

WMA stands for Windows Media Audio, a compressed audio format developed by Microsoft. It is commonly used on Windows systems, in older media libraries, and in files distributed through legacy software or devices. WMA can be either lossy or, in some variants, lossless, and it was designed to provide smaller file sizes than uncompressed audio while keeping acceptable sound quality.

Typical uses include music playback, archived audio collections, and audio files created by older Windows-based applications. Because support for WMA is less universal than for more common formats, users often convert it when they need broader compatibility.

Target format: WAV

WAV is the standard Waveform Audio File Format, usually containing uncompressed PCM audio. It is widely supported by audio editors, operating systems, and hardware devices. The main advantage of WAV is its excellent compatibility and preservation of audio quality, since it typically stores audio without compression.

WAV is commonly used for editing, mastering, archiving source audio, and transferring audio between professional tools. The tradeoff is that WAV files are usually much larger than WMA files.

How to perform the conversion

The easiest way is to use the built-in converter on 101convert.com, which lets you convert WMA to WAV for free without installing any software. Upload the WMA file, choose WAV as the output format, start the conversion, and then download the resulting file.

If you prefer desktop software, VLC media player can convert audio files, and Audacity can import WMA files on supported systems and export them as WAV. In Audacity, open the file with File → Import → Audio, then export with File → Export → Export as WAV. In VLC, use Media → Convert / Save, add the WMA file, choose a WAV profile, and start the conversion.

For command-line workflows, FFmpeg is a reliable option. A typical command is ffmpeg -i input.wma output.wav. This reads the WMA file and writes a WAV file using the default audio settings.

Notes on quality, compatibility, or limitations

Converting WMA to WAV does not improve the original audio quality. If the WMA file is lossy, the converted WAV will still contain the same compressed-source quality, only stored in an uncompressed container. The main benefit is compatibility and easier editing, not restoration of lost detail.

Because WAV files are usually uncompressed, the output can be significantly larger than the source file. If the WMA file uses an uncommon codec variant or is protected by DRM, some tools may not be able to open it. For best results, use a converter that supports the specific WMA file type and verify the output in a standard audio player or editor.