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How-To Guide

How to Convert WAV to AIFF

WAV and AIFF are both uncompressed audio containers — they store raw PCM data with different header formats. WAV was developed by Microsoft; AIFF by Apple. Converting between them is completely lossless. The practical reason: some macOS tools (Logic Pro older versions, certain audio plug-ins) prefer AIFF over WAV.

Open WAV to AIFF Converter

Step-by-step instructions

  1. 1

    FFmpeg (command line, any OS)

    Lossless conversion: `ffmpeg -i input.wav -c:a pcm_s24be output.aiff` (24-bit big-endian PCM, the AIFF standard). For 16-bit: `-c:a pcm_s16be`. Auto bit-depth match: `ffmpeg -i input.wav output.aiff`. Batch: `for f in *.wav; do ffmpeg -i "$f" "${f%.wav}.aiff"; done`.

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  2. 2

    afconvert (Mac built-in tool)

    macOS includes afconvert: `afconvert -f AIFF -d I16LE input.wav output.aiff` (16-bit). For 24-bit: `afconvert -f AIFF -d I24LE input.wav output.aiff`. No installation required on macOS — available in Terminal on any macOS version.

  3. 3

    Audacity (GUI, any OS)

    Open Audacity → Import → Audio → select WAV. File → Export → Export as AIFF. Set sample format to 16-bit or 24-bit PCM. Audacity is useful when you want to edit before converting.

  4. 4

    SoundConverter on Linux

    Install: `sudo apt install soundconverter`. Open SoundConverter → add WAV files → set output to AIFF → Convert. For command-line on Linux: FFmpeg is more reliable for AIFF-specific encoding.

Why convert WAV to AIFF?

WAV and AIFF are both uncompressed audio — perfect quality at any setting. Converting between them changes only the label on the same content.

Your files never leave your device

FormatDrop runs the conversion engine entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly. No file upload. No server. Nothing stored. You can verify this by opening DevTools → Network tab and watching: zero upload requests.

Frequently asked questions

Is WAV or AIFF better?
For practical purposes, they're equivalent — both are uncompressed PCM at the same bit depth and sample rate, just with different container headers. WAV is more universal. AIFF has slightly better metadata support and is preferred by some macOS-native tools. For cross-platform use: WAV. For macOS-centric audio production: either works.
Do WAV metadata tags transfer to AIFF?
WAV uses BWF metadata chunks; AIFF uses its own chunk structure. FFmpeg transfers common tags (title, artist) but may not preserve broadcast WAV-specific metadata (timecode, UMID). For professional broadcast workflows, use specialized tools like BWF MetaEdit or handle conversion within your DAW.
Why does my AIFF play back at wrong pitch after conversion?
Sample rate mismatch — the target tool is interpreting the AIFF at a different sample rate. Verify: `ffprobe output.aiff` should show the same sample rate as the source WAV. If the WAV was at 48 kHz and the project is at 44.1 kHz, resample: `ffmpeg -i input.wav -ar 44100 output.aiff`.
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