What happens when you convert WMA to WAV
- The audio is decoded and written as 16-bit PCM, the same sample rate as the source.
- WAV is lossless, but it cannot restore what the WMA encoder already discarded. The WAV will sound identical to the WMA and be several times larger.
How to convert WMA to WAV online
- Press "Choose WMA files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. You can add files of any size your device can hold in memory.
- Adjust the settings if you need to: the bitrate controls quality and size. The defaults suit most people.
- Press "Convert to WAV". The first audio or video conversion downloads the converter engine, about 32 MB, which your browser then keeps for next time.
- Save each WAV with its download button. Close the tab and every trace of the files is gone from memory.
Why convert WMA to WAV?
WMA files usually come from CDs ripped with Windows Media Player and old music stores. People convert them to WAV because WAV opens in every audio editor and is what many phone systems, samplers and broadcast tools require.
In short, WMA is good at what it was made for, and WAV is the more practical choice when the file has to play on another device or app. WMA does not play in browsers; plays in Windows Media Player, while WAV plays in every browser and audio editor.
How to convert WMA to WAV on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your WMA files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each WAV is saved to your Downloads folder. If you prefer a desktop program, VLC can also convert WMA to WAV: choose Media, then Convert / Save.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the WMA files from Finder onto the drop zone and the WAV files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose WMA files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted WAV appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose WMA files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The WAV is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it. Keep the screen on while a long video converts, because Android may pause a tab in the background.
Best settings for WMA to WAV
WAV is lossless, so there is no quality setting: every sample of the decoded WMA is kept. What changes is size. CD-quality stereo, 44.1 kHz at 16 bits, takes about 10 MB per minute as uncompressed PCM.
Since the WMA was lossy, the WAV will sound identical to it, not better. Convert to WAV when a program requires it, not to improve quality.
WMA vs WAV: the differences
| WMA | WAV | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Windows Media Audio | Waveform Audio File Format |
| Type | audio | audio |
| Created by | Microsoft | Microsoft and IBM |
| First released | 1999 | 1991 |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossless |
| Usually contains | WMA Standard, Pro or Lossless | uncompressed PCM, usually 16-bit at 44.1 or 48 kHz |
| In a browser | does not play in browsers; plays in Windows Media Player | plays in every browser and audio editor |
| Common uses | CDs ripped with Windows Media Player and old music stores | recording, editing, sound effects and CD audio |
| MIME type | audio/x-ms-wma | audio/wav |
About WMA and WAV files
What is a WMA file?
WMA was Microsoft's answer to MP3 and was the default for CD ripping on Windows for years. No browser plays it and Apple devices never supported it, which is why old music libraries often need converting.
What is a WAV file?
WAV normally stores raw, uncompressed samples: about 10 MB per minute of CD-quality stereo. Editors prefer it because nothing is lost between saves, and it is why a song is ten times larger than as MP3.
WMA to WAV not working? Common problems
- The conversion is slow. Audio and container changes take seconds, but re-encoding video runs on your own processor. Lower the resolution to 720p, close other tabs, and keep the device plugged in.
- The tab stops or reloads on a very large file. Browsers limit how much memory one tab can use, around 2 GB and less on phones. Split long recordings or convert them on a computer.
- Song titles are missing. Tags such as title and artist are copied when WAV can store them, but cover art is not carried over.
Convert WMA to WAV with ffmpeg
This converter runs ffmpeg inside your browser. If you would rather use the ffmpeg command line on your own computer, this command produces an equivalent WAV with the same kind of settings:
ffmpeg -i input.wma -vn -c:a pcm_s16le output.wavReplace input.wma with the name of your file. For a whole folder of WMA files, run the command in a loop, or drop them all on the converter above, which processes them one after another.
WMA to WAV converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting WMA to WAV?
No further quality is lost, because WAV is written losslessly. Detail the WMA compression already removed does not come back.
Why is the WAV a different size from the WMA?
The WAV is usually larger, because it stores every sample without compression losses, while the WMA was compressed lossily.
Are my WMA files uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion runs inside this browser tab using ffmpeg compiled to WebAssembly, so your files stay on your device. You can disconnect from the internet after the page and converter engine have loaded and it still works.
Can I convert several WMA files to WAV at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open a WAV file?
WAV plays in every browser and audio editor. WAV is common for recording, editing, sound effects and CD audio.
Is this WMA to WAV converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many files you convert. The site is paid for by advertising, and because conversions run on your device there is no server cost per file.
Can I convert WMA to WAV on my phone?
Yes. The converter works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. Converted files are saved to the Downloads folder.