Convert Waveform Audio (.wav) to MPEG-4 Audio (.m4a) online for free. Fast, secure audio conversion with no watermarks or registration.
Conversion settings — add a file to adjust
Upload your .wav file by dragging it into the upload area or clicking to browse.
Choose your output settings. The default settings work great for most files.
Click Convert and download your .m4a file when it's ready.
WAV provides uncompressed PCM audio at roughly 10 MB per minute for CD-quality stereo, stored in Microsoft's RIFF container. M4A (MPEG-4 Audio) is Apple's audio-only container based on the ISO base media file format (MPEG-4 Part 14), typically containing AAC-encoded audio. M4A is the native format for iTunes Store purchases, Apple Music downloads, and iPhone Voice Memos.
Converting WAV to M4A compresses your raw audio using AAC encoding, achieving 10:1 compression ratios while maintaining excellent perceived quality. The M4A container provides rich metadata support including album art, lyrics, chapter markers, and full iTunes-compatible tagging.
M4A with AAC encoding delivers better audio quality than MP3 at the same bitrate, and the container is the native format for the entire Apple ecosystem. iTunes, Apple Music, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, HomePod, and AirPods all handle M4A with hardware-accelerated decoding for optimal battery life.
The M4A container also supports both lossy AAC and lossless ALAC within the same file format, making it versatile. Converting WAV to M4A/AAC is the standard workflow for anyone distributing audio through Apple platforms, while M4A/ALAC is preferred for lossless archiving within the Apple ecosystem.
FFmpeg decodes the WAV PCM data and encodes it using the AAC encoder into an M4A container. The M4A wrapper adds an ftyp box identifying the file as M4A, moov box for metadata and sample tables, and mdat box for the encoded audio data. FFmpeg maps the WAV's PCM properties (sample rate, bit depth, channels) to appropriate AAC encoding parameters. The default output is AAC-LC at the specified bitrate, though HE-AAC can be selected for low-bitrate scenarios. Metadata from the WAV INFO chunk is translated to iTunes-compatible MP4 atom tags.
At 256 kbps AAC-LC in M4A, the output is virtually indistinguishable from the original WAV in blind listening tests. At 192 kbps, quality remains excellent for casual listening. At 128 kbps, AAC in M4A still outperforms MP3 at the same bitrate. For lossless conversion, specify ALAC codec within M4A to preserve every sample from the WAV. The choice between lossy AAC and lossless ALAC within M4A depends on your storage constraints and quality requirements.
| Device | WAV | M4A |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Native | Partial |
| macOS | Partial | Native |
| iPhone/iPad | Partial | Native |
| Android | Partial | Partial |
| Linux | Partial | Partial |
| Web Browser | Native |
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 320 kbps
OGG Vorbis preferred
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 256 kbps
AAC format required
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 128 kbps
Lossless FLAC/WAV for best quality
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 128 kbps
MP3 mono for spoken word
WAV to M4A bridges uncompressed studio audio with the Apple ecosystem. Choose AAC encoding for efficient compression or ALAC encoding for lossless preservation — both live in the same M4A container with full metadata support.
Безпечна передача
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Конфіденційність передусім
Файли автоматично видаляються після обробки
Без реєстрації
Почніть конвертацію миттєво
Працює всюди
Будь-який браузер, будь-який пристрій
| No |
| Характеристика | WAV | M4A |
|---|---|---|
| Повна назва | Waveform Audio File Format | MPEG-4 Audio |
| Розширення | .wav | .m4a |
| Найкраще для | Lossless quality | Better than MP3 |