FormatDrop
Audio Format

WMA

Windows Media Audio

WMA (Windows Media Audio) is Microsoft's proprietary audio format, introduced in 1999 as a competitor to MP3. You'll find WMA files from old Windows Media Player libraries, downloaded music from early digital stores (like early Zune/MSN Music), and some DRM-protected audio content. While WMA was once common, it's largely been supplanted by MP3 and AAC. Most non-Windows devices have limited or no WMA support.

What is WMA?

WMA was developed by Microsoft as part of the Windows Media framework, alongside WMV (video) and ASF (the underlying container format). WMA files use the ASF (Advanced Systems Format) container, though they carry the .wma extension. There are several WMA variants: WMA Standard (the original, used for compressed audio roughly equivalent to MP3 in quality), WMA Pro (higher quality, supports multichannel and 24-bit audio), WMA Lossless (true lossless compression, similar to FLAC), and WMA Voice (low-bitrate format for voice, now obsolete). Standard WMA uses a proprietary perceptual audio codec. At equivalent bitrates, WMA Standard is generally slightly better quality than MP3 but slightly worse than AAC (which is the other dominant lossy codec). However, the quality differences at common bitrates (128–192 kbps) are minimal and largely academic — most listeners cannot distinguish them in double-blind testing. WMA's main disadvantage is platform support: iOS devices don't play WMA natively. Many Android devices lack WMA support. Most web browsers don't support WMA. Even modern Windows prefers MP3 and AAC through the Windows Media Player and Groove Music apps.

WMA pros and cons

Advantages

  • Widely supported on Windows — native playback without codecs
  • WMA Lossless offers genuine lossless compression
  • WMA Pro supports 5.1 and 7.1 surround and 24-bit depth
  • Slightly better than MP3 at equivalent bitrates
  • Good integration with Windows Media Player and older Xbox

Limitations

  • No native support on iOS or iPhone
  • Limited support on Android (device-dependent)
  • Not supported in web browsers without plugins
  • Proprietary format — limited third-party tool support
  • WMA DRM files are restricted to authorized devices
  • Largely obsolete for new content creation

When should you convert WMA files?

Convert WMA to MP3 when you need to play files on iPhone, non-Windows devices, or any system with broad compatibility requirements. Convert WMA to AAC (M4A) for higher quality at small file sizes while maintaining broad support on modern devices. Convert WMA to FLAC if the source is WMA Lossless and you want a lossless format with better cross-platform support. Most reasons to convert WMA come down to one thing: the file you need to play won't open on your current device.

Convert WMA files

AUDIO-CONVERTER→

All FormatDrop conversions run entirely in your browser — no file upload, no server processing. Your files stay on your device.

WMA FAQ

Can iPhone play WMA files?
No — iOS does not natively support WMA playback. To play WMA on iPhone: (1) Convert WMA to MP3 or AAC using FormatDrop first, then add to Apple Music. (2) Use a third-party player app (VLC for iOS supports WMA). For large WMA libraries, batch converting to AAC (M4A) gives better quality than MP3 at comparable file sizes.
Is WMA or MP3 better quality?
At equivalent bitrates, WMA Standard is marginally better than MP3 in controlled listening tests — but the difference is small and inaudible to most listeners above 128 kbps. AAC is better than both at equivalent bitrates. For practical purposes: convert your WMA files to AAC rather than MP3 if quality is a priority, MP3 if compatibility is the priority.
Can I convert DRM-protected WMA files?
WMA DRM (used in early Microsoft music stores) encrypts the audio and ties it to an authorized device. Converting DRM WMA files is technically restricted — the DRM prevents standard conversion software from reading the audio data. DRM removal may be legally restricted in your jurisdiction. However, most WMA files you'll encounter in personal collections from Zune Pass, Windows Media Player rips, or downloaded from defunct stores are DRM-free and convert freely.

More formats

HEICWebPAVIFEPUBWebMOpusMP3WAVM4AFLACAACMP4AVIMKVMOVJPGPNGGIFSVGTIFFICOBMPEPSARWOGGWMVPPTXPagesPDFDOCXRAWHEVCH.264AIFFM4V3GPDNGRTFPSDOGVTSFLVAIXLSXCSVZIPAPNGMIDIJPEG XLMPG/MPEGVOBM2TSAC3ALACDTSJP2HEIFAPECBZ3G2SRTDOCPPTXLSODTODSM3URAR7ZM4BAMRTXTMOBITARGZJSONXMLYAMLKEYMTSCR2NEFMXFTGACAFASSVTTDSFRMF4VWVASFRMVBORFRW2EAC-3TTAISODMGXZDjVuFB2AUM4RAZW3MKAEXRVCFICSAAXPRCMP2SPXXSPFM3U8