How to Convert AIFF to WAV — Step by Step
AIFF and WAV both store uncompressed audio. Converting between them changes the container, not the content. This is useful when your Windows-based software or collaborator needs WAV instead of Mac-native AIFF.
What You Need
An AIFF file. A web browser. This conversion is essentially a container swap — both formats store the same PCM audio data. No quality loss occurs. The audio is bit-for-bit identical. File sizes are nearly the same. You are just changing the wrapper so Windows-centric tools recognize the file.
Step-by-Step Conversion
Open the AIFF to WAV converter on AudioUtils. Drop your AIFF on the page. Click Convert. The PCM audio data is extracted from the AIFF container and placed in a WAV container. Download the result. Import it into any Windows DAW, video editor, or audio tool. Bit depth, sample rate, and channel count are preserved exactly.
What to Expect: File Sizes and Quality
File sizes are virtually identical. A 50 MB AIFF becomes a 50 MB WAV. Quality is identical — the same audio data in a different container. Both formats store uncompressed PCM. Think of it as renaming a box — the contents do not change. This is one of the safest and most straightforward audio conversions possible.
Common Issues and Fixes
File is the same size: Expected. Both formats are uncompressed. Metadata differences: AIFF and WAV store metadata differently. Track titles, artist names, and other tags may need to be re-entered. Some tools handle this transfer automatically. 32-bit float AIFF: Should convert to 32-bit float WAV without issues. Verify in your DAW if precision matters.
Alternative Methods
FFmpeg: ffmpeg -i input.aiff output.wav — the simplest possible conversion. Audacity: Open and Export. Any DAW: Import AIFF, then bounce or export as WAV. Sox: sox input.aiff output.wav — another command-line option. The conversion is so simple that virtually any audio tool can do it. AudioUtils makes it instant without installing anything.