WMV to WMA Converter

What happens when you convert WMV to WMA

• WMA holds sound only, so the picture is discarded and the soundtrack is encoded as WMA version 2 at 192 kbps.
• If the WMV has several audio tracks, the first one is used.

How to convert WMV to WMA online

1. Press "Choose WMV 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.
2. Adjust the settings if you need to: the bitrate controls quality and size. The defaults suit most people.
3. Press "Convert to WMA". The first audio or video conversion downloads the converter engine, about 32 MB, which your browser then keeps for next time.
4. Save each WMA with its download button. Close the tab and every trace of the files is gone from memory.

Why convert WMV to WMA?

WMV files usually come from Windows Movie Maker exports and older corporate video. People convert them to WMA because WMA is what older Windows software and some in-car systems play.

In short, WMV is good at what it was made for, and WMA is the more practical choice when the file has to play on another device or app. WMV does not play in browsers; plays in Windows Media Player and Films and TV, while WMA does not play in browsers; plays in Windows Media Player.

How to convert WMV to WMA on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android

On Windows

Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your WMV files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each WMA is saved to your Downloads folder. If you prefer a desktop program, VLC can also convert WMV to WMA: choose Media, then Convert / Save.

On a Mac

Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the WMV files from Finder onto the drop zone and the WMA files land in Downloads.

On iPhone and iPad

Open the page in Safari and tap Choose WMV files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted WMA appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.

On Android

Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose WMV files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The WMA 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 WMV to WMA

WMA is a lossy format, so the bitrate decides both the sound quality and the file size. Size grows in a straight line with bitrate: double the bitrate and the file doubles.

The WMV was already compressed, so pick a bitrate at least as high as the original. Going higher does not add quality back, it only makes the file bigger.

WMV vs WMA: the differences

About WMV and WMA files

What is a WMV file?

WMV was the default export of Windows Movie Maker, so many home videos from the 2000s are in it. Macs and iPhones never played it natively.

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.

WMV to WMA 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 WMA can store them, but cover art is not carried over.

Convert WMV to WMA 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 WMA with the same kind of settings:

ffmpeg -i input.wmv -vn -c:a wmav2 -b:a 192k output.wma

Replace input.wmv with the name of your file. For a whole folder of WMV files, run the command in a loop, or drop them all on the converter above, which processes them one after another.