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Convert WMA to WAV - Unlock Your Audio Files

Transform Windows Media Audio to universal, uncompressed WAV format.

Step 1: Upload your files

You can also Drag and drop files.

Step 2: Choose format
Step 3: Convert files

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Stuck with WMA Files?

WMA (Windows Media Audio) was Microsoft's answer to MP3 back in the early 2000s. The format promised smaller files at similar quality, and for a while, it delivered. But the world moved on. Today, WMA files are compatibility nightmares outside the Windows ecosystem.

Converting WMA to WAV solves this completely. WAV is the universal uncompressed audio format that every device, every application, and every operating system understands. Whether you need to edit audio, burn a CD, or simply play your files on non-Windows devices, WAV delivers.

How to Convert WMA to WAV

  1. Upload your WMA file - Drag and drop or click to select your Windows Media Audio file
  2. Select WAV as output - WAV is the default choice for maximum compatibility
  3. Download your WAV - Get your uncompressed, universally compatible audio file

The entire process happens in your browser. No software to install, no accounts to create, no waiting in queues.

Why Convert WMA to WAV?

WMA was designed for the Windows ecosystem. Outside of it, support is inconsistent at best. Here's what you're dealing with:

  • Mac compatibility - macOS doesn't natively play WMA files without additional software
  • Linux support - Most distributions require extra codecs for WMA playback
  • Mobile devices - iPhones, iPads, and many Android devices don't support WMA
  • Audio editors - Professional DAWs often struggle with or reject WMA files
  • Web platforms - Most websites don't accept WMA uploads

WAV, by contrast, is the baseline audio format. In our testing, we haven't found a single audio application or device that can't handle WAV files.

WMA vs WAV: Technical Comparison

Understanding the difference helps you make the right choice:

  • Compression - WMA uses lossy compression (smaller files, some quality loss). WAV is uncompressed (larger files, no quality loss)
  • File size - A 4-minute song is roughly 4MB in WMA but 40MB in WAV
  • Compatibility - WMA works mainly on Windows. WAV works everywhere
  • Editing - WAV is preferred for audio editing. Each edit of a lossy file degrades quality further
  • Sample rate - Both support standard rates (44.1kHz, 48kHz), but WAV preserves full fidelity

The trade-off is clear: WAV files are larger but universally compatible and preserve maximum quality. For archiving or editing, that's exactly what you want.

Best Use Cases for WMA to WAV Conversion

Audio Editing and Production

If you need to edit audio in a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), WAV is the standard working format. Programs like Audacity, Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and FL Studio all prefer WAV. In our testing, importing WMA files often requires additional codecs, and some DAWs refuse WMA entirely.

Burning Audio CDs

Audio CDs use uncompressed PCM audio - essentially the same as WAV. While some burning software can convert WMA on the fly, starting with WAV ensures the cleanest burn with no additional processing.

Archiving Your Music Collection

If you have old WMA files from the Windows Media Player era, converting to WAV creates a future-proof archive. WAV has been around since 1991 and isn't going anywhere.

Cross-Platform Sharing

Sending audio to someone on a Mac or Linux? WAV files work without any additional software. No more "I can't open this file" responses.

Quality Considerations

Here's the reality about WMA to WAV conversion: you can't recover what's already lost.

WMA is a lossy format. When audio was originally compressed to WMA, some data was discarded to reduce file size. Converting to WAV doesn't magically restore that data - it simply wraps the existing audio in an uncompressed container.

However, converting to WAV prevents further quality loss. If you edit a WMA file and save it as WMA again, you lose quality twice. If you convert to WAV first, edit, and save as WAV, the audio quality stays exactly where it was.

In our testing, 128kbps WMA files converted to WAV sound identical to the original WMA. The conversion itself introduces no artifacts or degradation.

When to Choose a Different Format

WAV isn't always the right choice. Consider alternatives:

  • WMA to MP3 - If file size matters and you don't need to edit the audio. MP3 is universally compatible and much smaller than WAV
  • WMA to FLAC - If you want lossless audio with smaller file sizes than WAV. FLAC compresses without losing quality
  • WMA to AAC - For Apple devices and iTunes. Better quality than MP3 at the same file size

Choose WAV when you need maximum compatibility, plan to edit the audio, or want an uncompressed archive format.

Batch Conversion

Have dozens or hundreds of WMA files from an old music collection? Upload multiple files at once and convert them all to WAV in a single batch. No need to process files one at a time.

In our testing, batch processing handles large WMA libraries efficiently. The browser-based conversion means your files stay on your computer throughout the process.

Works on Any Device

Our WMA to WAV converter runs entirely in your browser:

  • Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook
  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
  • Tablets and phones (though large WAV files may be impractical on mobile)

No downloads, no installations, no compatibility issues. If you can access a web browser, you can convert WMA to WAV.

Pro Tip

If you're converting old WMA files for archiving, check the original bitrate first. Low bitrate WMAs (64-96kbps) won't benefit from WAV's large file size - the audio quality is already compromised. For low-quality source files, MP3 at 320kbps is often more practical.

Common Mistake

Expecting WAV conversion to improve audio quality. WAV preserves quality but can't restore what WMA compression already removed. The real benefit is preventing further degradation during editing and ensuring universal compatibility.

Best For

Audio editing projects where you need to import files into a DAW, creating master archives of audio collections, or sharing files with Mac/Linux users who can't play WMA natively.

Not Recommended

If you just need to play audio and storage space is limited, WAV's 10x larger file size is impractical. Convert to MP3 or AAC instead for playback-only purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

WMA (Windows Media Audio) is Microsoft's proprietary audio format introduced in 1999. It uses lossy compression to create smaller files than uncompressed audio. While popular on Windows PCs, WMA has limited support on Mac, Linux, and mobile devices.

No. WMA is a lossy format, meaning some audio data was discarded during original compression. Converting to WAV preserves the current quality but cannot restore lost data. The benefit is preventing further quality loss during editing.

WAV files are uncompressed, storing raw audio data. WMA uses lossy compression to reduce file size by discarding audio information. A typical 4-minute song is about 4MB in WMA but 40MB in WAV - roughly 10 times larger.

Yes. Both iPhone and Android devices play WAV files natively without additional apps. Unlike WMA, which has limited mobile support, WAV is universally compatible across all platforms.

The conversion process itself is lossless - it preserves all audio data in the WMA file. However, since WMA is originally a lossy format, the audio has already lost some quality before conversion. WAV simply stores what remains without further degradation.

Convert to WAV if you plan to edit the audio or need maximum compatibility. Convert to MP3 if file size is important and you just need playback. WAV is uncompressed (large files, no quality loss), while MP3 is compressed (small files, some quality loss).

Yes. WAV is the preferred format for audio editing software. Programs like Audacity, Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and FL Studio all work seamlessly with WAV files. Many of these applications struggle with or don't support WMA.

macOS doesn't include native WMA support because it's a Microsoft proprietary format. You need additional software or codecs to play WMA on Mac. Converting to WAV eliminates this problem since macOS fully supports WAV playback.

No. The conversion happens entirely in your browser using your computer's processing power. Your WMA files stay on your device throughout the process and aren't uploaded anywhere.

Yes. Upload multiple WMA files and convert them all to WAV in a single batch. This is especially useful for converting old music collections or audio archives.

The converted WAV file maintains the same sample rate as your original WMA file. Standard rates include 44.1kHz (CD quality) and 48kHz (DVD/broadcast quality). No resampling occurs during conversion.

At the same bitrate, WMA and MP3 have similar quality, with some tests showing slight WMA advantages at lower bitrates. However, MP3 has far better compatibility. Neither matches WAV quality since both use lossy compression.

WMA Conversions & Related Converters

Quick access to the most commonly used file conversions.