WAV (Waveform Audio File Format)
Uncompressed, full-quality audio. The format you record and edit in, not the one you email.
| Full name | Waveform Audio File Format |
| Extension | .wav |
| MIME type | audio/wav (also audio/x-wav) |
| Developer | Microsoft and IBM |
| Released | 1991 |
| Type | Uncompressed audio container (RIFF) |
| Common quality | 44.1 kHz / 16-bit (CD), up to 192 kHz / 24-bit |
What is a WAV file?
WAV is what audio sounds like before anyone compresses it. It stores the raw, full-quality waveform, which makes it the format of choice for recording, editing, and mastering. The trade is size: a few minutes of WAV can be as large as a whole album of MP3s.
A WAV file is almost always uncompressed PCM audio, the same raw samples a CD uses, wrapped in Microsoft's RIFF container. Nothing is thrown away, so there is no quality loss and no generational damage when you open, edit, and save it again. The quality is set by two numbers: the sample rate (how many times per second the sound is measured, 44.1 kHz for CD) and the bit depth (how precisely each sample is stored, 16-bit for CD, 24-bit for studio work).
History
Microsoft and IBM introduced WAV in 1991 as part of the RIFF specification for Windows multimedia. Because it was simple and lossless, it became the standard working format for audio on PCs and in recording studios, a role it still holds today alongside AIFF (its Apple equivalent).
How it works
WAV uses the RIFF chunk structure: a header that describes the format (sample rate, bit depth, channels) followed by the raw audio data. It can technically hold compressed codecs, but in practice WAV means uncompressed PCM. There is no widely used tagging standard, so WAV files carry little metadata compared to MP3, which is one reason it is a working format rather than a library format.
What it is used for
- Recording from microphones and instruments
- Editing and mixing in a DAW (Audacity, Logic, Pro Tools)
- Mastering and delivering to pressing plants or distributors
- Archiving audio at full quality
How to open it
Every audio player and editor opens WAV: Windows, macOS, every DAW, VLC, and browsers. The only practical issue is size, not compatibility.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- Lossless and uncompressed, so no quality is ever lost
- Ideal for editing and mastering (no generational loss)
- Simple, well-supported, and decades stable
- Exact, sample-accurate audio for professional work
Trade-offs
- Very large files (roughly 10 MB per minute at CD quality)
- Weak metadata and tagging support
- Overkill and impractical for sharing or streaming
- FLAC gives the same lossless quality at about half the size
Convert WAV files
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From WAV
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WAV FAQ
Is WAV lossless?
Yes. Standard WAV is uncompressed PCM, so it keeps every bit of the original audio with no quality loss. That is exactly why it is so large.
WAV vs MP3?
WAV is uncompressed and perfect quality but big. MP3 is compressed, much smaller, and lossy. Record and edit in WAV, then export to MP3 for sharing.
WAV vs FLAC?
Both are lossless. FLAC compresses the audio so files are roughly half the size of WAV with identical quality, and it supports proper tagging. WAV is simpler and a bit more universal in studios.
Why are WAV files so big?
Because nothing is compressed. The file stores every audio sample at full precision, around 10 MB per minute at CD quality and more at higher sample rates or bit depths.
Should I edit in WAV?
Yes. Editing in a lossless format like WAV means repeated saves never degrade the audio. Convert to MP3 or AAC only at the very end for distribution.