What is the difference between AIFF and WAV?

Byte order and origin. Both hold uncompressed PCM at the same size and quality, with AIFF writing samples big-endian for Apple tools and WAV writing them little-endian for Microsoft ones. Nothing about the audio differs.

Why choose AIFF over WAV?

Because the software you are feeding prefers it. Apple's production applications have long handled AIFF natively, and the format has carried metadata more coherently than WAV, which never adopted a proper tagging standard.

How big will the file be?

The same as the equivalent WAV: roughly 10 MB per minute of 16-bit stereo at 44.1 kHz, or about 16 MB per minute at 24-bit. With no compression, duration and depth decide the size on their own.

Does converting an MP3 to AIFF improve it?

No. AIFF stores what it receives, so an AIFF made from a lossy file is a large container holding the same audio. Convert from a lossless source when quality is the goal.

Does this need the encoder download?

Not for a plain conversion. AIFF has an in-process writer, so decoding and writing both happen in the page. Only preserving metadata sends the job through the wider encoder path.

AIFF Converter

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AIFF Converter writes uncompressed PCM audio in Apple's interchange format, at 16-bit or 24-bit depth. It is the WAV equivalent for production tools that expect AIFF.

What is AIFF Converter?

Drop a file, choose the bit depth, and write. The result holds the same uncompressed PCM samples a WAV would, arranged the way Apple's software has always expected them.

The controls:

A bit depth of 16-bit or 24-bit, matching the choice the WAV tool offers.
The shared advanced panel for channel mode, sample rate and metadata.
A reported output size, which for uncompressed audio is determined by duration, rate, channels and depth alone.

AIFF and WAV store the same audio at the same size, and the difference between them is byte order and heritage rather than quality. AIFF is Apple's format and writes samples big-endian, while WAV is Microsoft's and writes them little-endian. Sound is identical either way; the reason to pick one is that a particular piece of software prefers it. Logic, GarageBand and older Pro Tools sessions handle AIFF natively, and the format's metadata support has always been tidier than plain WAV's, which never gained a proper tagging standard.

Depth is a range decision rather than a quality label. Sixteen bits give an ideal quantiser around 96 dB of usable range, which is more than any listener will need, while 24 bits give roughly 146 dB and cost half again the space. The extra room exists for repeated processing: every stage that rounds a sample adds a little error, and a deeper file keeps that error far below the quietest detail. Sessions therefore run at 24-bit and delivered masters are usually written at 16-bit. The same reasoning applies to AIFF exactly as it applies to WAV, since both store identical numbers in a different order.

AIFF is also one of the three formats with an in-process writer, so a plain conversion runs entirely in the page: the browser decodes, the writer lays out the samples, and no encoder needs downloading. Bit depth, channel mode and sample rate are all handled on that path, so only metadata preservation escalates to the wider encoder set. Size behaves like WAV's, at roughly 10 MB per minute for 16-bit stereo at 44.1 kHz and around 16 MB per minute at 24-bit, and a six-channel surround mix triples both figures. A mono file halves the first number, which is why single-channel narration at 16-bit is a comfortable file to move around even without compression. Nothing is compressed and nothing is repaired, so converting a lossy source to AIFF makes a large file containing exactly the audio it was given. Converting the other way, from AIFF down to a lossy format, is the sensible way to produce a small copy for a phone.

Where it stops:

No compression, so a long recording is a big file.
No dithering stage when moving from 24-bit down to 16-bit.
Tags and artwork are not the point of the format, and preserve requests route around the in-process writer.
Windows-centric tools may prefer WAV, so check the target before a large conversion.
One file per run.

How to use AIFF Converter

Drop an audio file onto the panel and wait for it to decode.
Choose 16-bit for delivery or 24-bit for material that will be processed again.
Change the channel mode or sample rate in advanced settings if the session needs it.
Convert, check the reported size, and download the AIFF.

When to use AIFF Converter vs related tools

AIFF Converter is for production work in Apple's ecosystem, where a session expects AIFF rather than WAV. WAV Converter stores the identical samples for Windows-centric tools, FLAC Converter keeps the audio intact at roughly half the size, and Bit Depth Calculator explains what choosing 24-bit over 16-bit actually buys in dynamic range before you commit.

Privacy & Security

This tool runs entirely in your browser — no data ever leaves your device. There is no server round-trip, no upload, no logging, and no account required. Your input is processed locally using client-side JavaScript and is never stored, transmitted, or accessible to anyone else. When you close the tab, everything disappears.