How to open a .wav file?

WAV files can be opened by most music players and audio editors. You can also convert WAV to other formats online using SquishConvert.

How to convert a .wav file?

Upload your .wav file to SquishConvert, select an output format, and click Convert. Your converted file will be ready to download in seconds.

Audio format

.wav

Waveform Audio File Format

WAV is an uncompressed audio format that stores raw audio data at full quality. It's the standard format for professional audio editing, music production, and any application where quality is paramount.

MIME type

audio/wav

Developer

Microsoft / IBM

Introduced

1991

Advantages

Lossless — full audio quality preserved
Industry standard for audio production
Simple format — fast to process
Universal support on all platforms

Limitations

Very large file sizes
No compression
No metadata support in basic format
Not practical for streaming or sharing

When to use WAV

Music production and mixing

Sound design and post-production

Audio archival

Intermediate format during editing

Technical details

WAV is based on the RIFF container format. It stores raw PCM audio data typically at 16 or 24 bits, with sample rates of 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz. A 3-minute song at CD quality is about 30 MB.