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Convert AAC to WAV - Uncompressed Audio for Professional Editing

Transform compressed AAC files into uncompressed WAV format for audio production.

Step 1: Upload your files

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Step 2: Choose format
Step 3: Convert files

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Need Uncompressed Audio for Editing?

You have AAC files from iTunes, Apple Music, or another source, but your audio editing software wants uncompressed files. DAWs like FL Studio, Pro Tools, Ableton, and Logic Pro work best with WAV format because it is the industry standard for audio production.

Converting AAC to WAV takes seconds and gives you uncompressed audio that works seamlessly in any professional workflow. In our testing, WAV files processed through plugins and effects chains with zero compatibility issues across every major DAW.

How to Convert AAC to WAV

  1. Upload your AAC file - Drag and drop or click to select your audio file
  2. Confirm WAV output - WAV is selected for uncompressed, edit-ready audio
  3. Download your WAV - Your uncompressed audio file is ready instantly

No software to install, no account required. Convert directly in your browser on any device.

AAC vs WAV: Understanding the Difference

These two formats serve fundamentally different purposes in the audio world:

  • AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) - A lossy compressed format developed as the successor to MP3. Apple uses AAC at 256kbps for iTunes and Apple Music. Files are small but some audio data is permanently discarded during compression.
  • WAV (Waveform Audio File) - An uncompressed format that preserves all audio data. CD-quality WAV runs at 1,411 kbps, which is over 5 times the bitrate of AAC. This makes WAV ideal for editing but creates larger files.

In our testing, a 3-minute AAC file at 256kbps is roughly 5-6 MB, while the same audio as WAV is approximately 30 MB. The tradeoff is full compatibility with professional audio tools.

Why Convert AAC to WAV?

DAW and Plugin Compatibility

Most digital audio workstations handle WAV natively. While many can import AAC, plugins and effects often work more reliably with uncompressed audio. Converting to WAV before editing eliminates potential decode issues and ensures consistent playback across your session.

Audio Editing Workflows

When you apply effects, EQ, compression, or any processing to audio, you want to start with the best possible source. WAV files give your plugins the complete audio data to work with. If you need more AAC conversion options, we support multiple output formats.

Archival and Preservation

WAV is the standard format for audio archives. While AAC is excellent for distribution and playback, WAV ensures your audio library remains in a universal, widely-supported format for decades to come.

Broadcasting and Professional Delivery

Radio stations, podcast platforms, and video production houses often require WAV files. Converting your AAC audio to WAV meets these professional delivery specifications.

What to Expect: Quality and File Size

An important distinction: converting AAC to WAV does not restore audio quality that was lost during the original AAC encoding. What it does is preserve your current audio quality in an uncompressed container without any additional loss.

Think of it this way: if you have a 256kbps AAC file, the WAV version contains exactly that same audio, just stored in uncompressed form. The conversion itself is lossless, meaning we do not degrade your audio further. In our testing, A/B comparisons between source AAC and converted WAV showed identical audio quality.

File sizes increase significantly. Expect WAV files to be 5-10 times larger than the AAC source. For a typical album, this means going from around 100 MB in AAC to roughly 600-700 MB in WAV.

When to Choose Different Formats

WAV is not always the right choice. Consider these alternatives:

  • AAC to MP3 - If you need maximum compatibility for playback on older devices, MP3 works everywhere. Both are lossy, but MP3 support is universal.
  • AAC to FLAC - If you want lossless audio with smaller file sizes than WAV, FLAC provides compression without quality loss. However, DAW support for FLAC is less consistent than WAV.
  • Keep as AAC - For casual listening on phones, tablets, and streaming, AAC is excellent. Only convert when you specifically need uncompressed audio.

For the best results in professional audio work, WAV remains the industry standard.

Batch Conversion for Large Collections

Have multiple AAC files to convert? Upload your entire collection at once. Our batch processing handles multiple files simultaneously, converting each to WAV without queuing one at a time. This is particularly useful when preparing audio for a DAW session or migrating a library to uncompressed format.

Works on Any Device

Convert AAC to WAV directly in your browser:

  • Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook
  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
  • iPhone, iPad, Android tablets

No downloads or installations required. Processing happens locally in your browser, so your audio files stay on your device throughout the conversion.

Pro Tip

When working in a DAW, convert all your AAC source files to WAV before starting your session. This prevents potential decode issues during playback and ensures consistent behavior when bouncing or freezing tracks with plugins applied.

Common Mistake

Expecting WAV conversion to improve audio quality. If your AAC file sounds compressed or has artifacts, converting to WAV preserves those issues in an uncompressed format. The quality ceiling is set by your original AAC encoding.

Best For

Audio editing workflows where you need to import files into Pro Tools, FL Studio, Ableton, or other DAWs. Also ideal for archiving audio in a universal, future-proof format with no proprietary codec dependencies.

Not Recommended

If you only need to listen to the audio on phones, computers, or streaming devices, keep the AAC file. Converting to WAV creates much larger files with no audible benefit for casual playback.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Converting AAC to WAV preserves your current audio quality but cannot restore data lost during AAC encoding. The conversion itself is lossless, meaning no additional quality is lost, but the audio remains at the quality level of your original AAC file.

WAV is uncompressed audio, storing every sample at full resolution. AAC uses lossy compression that discards audio data to reduce file size. A typical WAV file is 5-10 times larger than AAC at the same duration. CD-quality WAV runs at 1,411 kbps compared to AAC at 256 kbps.

Many DAWs can import AAC, but support varies. Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton handle AAC reasonably well. FL Studio and some other DAWs have inconsistent AAC support. Converting to WAV ensures universal compatibility across all professional audio software.

We convert to standard CD-quality WAV at 44.1 kHz and 16-bit depth. This matches the quality ceiling of most AAC source files and provides full compatibility with all audio software and hardware.

Yes, you can convert any AAC file you own. If the AAC file plays on your device, you can upload and convert it to WAV. Note that DRM-protected files from older iTunes purchases may require removal of protection first.

WAV has broader DAW support and is the industry standard for audio production. FLAC offers lossless compression with smaller files but some audio software has limited FLAC support. For maximum compatibility in professional workflows, WAV is the safer choice.

Conversion is nearly instant for most files. A typical 5-minute song converts in 2-3 seconds. Larger files or batch conversions take proportionally longer, but the process is significantly faster than real-time encoding.

Yes. Upload multiple AAC files and convert them all to WAV in a single batch. This is useful when preparing audio for a DAW session or converting an entire album or playlist.

Absolutely. WAV is Pro Tools' native format. Your converted files will import and play without any compatibility issues. The same applies to Logic Pro, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Cubase, Reaper, and virtually every other DAW.

Yes, if you are editing the audio. Working with WAV files in your editing software provides maximum compatibility with plugins and effects. Convert your final export back to a compressed format like MP3 or AAC for distribution.

Yes. Conversion happens entirely in your browser. Your audio files are not uploaded to any server. They remain on your device throughout the process, ensuring complete privacy and security.

M4A is a container format that typically holds AAC audio. They are essentially the same thing. M4A files from iTunes and Apple devices contain AAC-encoded audio. Both convert to WAV identically.

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