WAV vs AIFF: Which Uncompressed Format?
Compare WAV and AIFF uncompressed audio formats covering quality, compatibility, metadata, and which to choose for your workflow.
WAV and AIFF both store audio without compression. Both deliver bit-perfect quality. So why do two formats exist, and which should you pick?
Origins
WAV was created by Microsoft and IBM in 1991 for Windows. AIFF was created by Apple in 1988 for Macintosh. Each company wanted its own standard. Decades later, both survive.
The underlying audio data is identical. Both use PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) encoding. A 16-bit/44.1 kHz WAV file and a 16-bit/44.1 kHz AIFF file contain the exact same audio samples. The difference is the container wrapping those samples.
File Structure
WAV uses the RIFF (Resource Interchange File Format) container. AIFF uses the IFF (Interchange File Format) container. The key practical difference: byte order.
- WAV stores data in little-endian order (Intel standard)
- AIFF stores data in big-endian order (Motorola standard)
Modern processors handle both transparently. This distinction no longer affects performance.
Metadata
AIFF has a clear advantage here. The format natively supports rich metadata chunks for title, artist, album, and comments. WAV's metadata support is less standardized. Different applications write WAV metadata in different ways, leading to compatibility issues.
If you need embedded metadata in uncompressed files, AIFF is more reliable. For tagged uncompressed audio, many professionals prefer AIFF.
Compatibility
WAV wins on universal support. Every audio application on every platform reads WAV. AIFF is fully supported on macOS and in most professional DAWs, but some Windows utilities and older hardware may not handle it.
- WAV: Windows, macOS, Linux, all DAWs, all media players, all hardware
- AIFF: macOS, most DAWs, most professional hardware, some gaps on Windows
File Size
Identical. A three-minute stereo track at 16-bit/44.1 kHz takes about 30 MB in either format. The container overhead is negligible.
Professional Use
In music production, both formats are equally valid. Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and FL Studio all handle WAV and AIFF natively. Logic Pro defaults to AIFF. Most other DAWs default to WAV.
For film and broadcast, WAV is the standard. BWF (Broadcast Wave Format) extends WAV with timecode and metadata for production workflows.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose WAV when:
Choose AIFF when:
Converting Between Them
Since both formats store identical PCM data, converting between WAV and AIFF is lossless. No audio quality is lost. You can convert AIFF to WAV when you need cross-platform compatibility, or convert WAV to AIFF for Apple workflows.
The Bottom Line
WAV and AIFF are functionally equivalent for audio quality. WAV has broader compatibility. AIFF has better metadata support. Pick the one that fits your platform and workflow. If you are unsure, WAV is the safer default.