How to use the AAC to WAV converter
- Choose your AAC file or drop it on the box.
- No quality setting needed: WAV is uncompressed.
- Click "Convert to WAV". A progress meter shows how far along it is.
- Download your WAV and listen to it right on the page.
Why convert AAC to WAV?
Raw AAC streams are awkward to edit. AAC to WAV gives you uncompressed audio every editor can open.
- AAC: raw .aac files have limited tag support and seek poorly in some players.
- WAV: no quality loss.
- WAV: accepted by every audio editor.
File size grows a lot; that is expected for uncompressed audio.
AAC vs WAV
| AAC | WAV | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Advanced Audio Coding | Waveform Audio File Format |
| Type | Audio | Audio |
| Created by | Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) (1997) | Microsoft and IBM (1991) |
| Compression | Lossy | Uncompressed |
| Codec | AAC | PCM |
| Best for | Streaming, video soundtracks and some phone recordings | Recording, editing, sound effects and mastering |
| Plays on | Most phones, iTunes and VLC; some players skip raw .aac files | Every computer and audio editor, most phones and browsers |
Does converting AAC to WAV lose quality?
WAV is uncompressed, so nothing further is lost. It cannot restore detail the AAC already lacks, though, so the file gets bigger without sounding better.
How long does it take?
A few seconds for a song, and under a minute for an hour-long recording on most computers.
What is an AAC file?
AAC is the successor to MP3 and the sound inside most MP4 videos, YouTube and Apple Music. A .aac file is a raw AAC stream (ADTS) without the MP4 wrapper, which some apps and players handle less well than M4A.
What is a WAV file?
WAV usually stores raw, uncompressed PCM audio, the same data as an audio CD. Quality is perfect but files are large: about 10 MB per minute of CD-quality stereo.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the AAC to WAV converter cost?
Nothing. It is free with no registration, no watermark and no limit on how many files you convert.
Are my files safe?
Yes. Files are converted locally in your browser and are never uploaded. When you close the page, nothing is left behind.
Will the WAV sound as good as the AAC?
WAV is uncompressed, so nothing further is lost. It cannot restore detail the AAC already lacks, though, so the file gets bigger without sounding better.
Can I convert WAV back to AAC?
Yes, use the WAV to AAC converter.
An AAC file shows the wrong length or will not seek. What should I do?
Convert it to M4A or MP3.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes, in Safari, Chrome and other modern mobile browsers. Short files work best on phones; for long or high-resolution videos a computer is faster.