486 votes
WAV File - What is a .wav file and how do I open it?
Learn about .WAV files and view a list of programs that open them.
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Overview
What is a WAV file? A WAV file is an audio file saved in the Waveform Audio (WAVE) format. It contains a song, interview, voice memo, or other piece of digital audio. Because WAV files are quite common, you can play them with most media players, including those bundled with Windows, macOS, and other operating systems.
More Information WAV file open in VideoLAN VLC media player Microsoft and IBM developed the WAVE format in the early 1990s. It is based on the Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF), which is a container format that can be used to store both video and audio. WAV files, however, contain only audio. The audio a WAV file contains may be compressed or uncompressed, depending on how the file was created. Audio professionals, such as music and radio producers, often save and share high-quality recordings as uncompressed WAV files. Because these files are uncompressed, their file sizes can be quite large. For this reason, most WAV files shared via the internet are compressed, reducing both their file size and audio quality. The WAVE format supports several types of compression, and it also supports a variety of sampling rates and bitrates . However, WAVE audio is most often saved in a 44.1 kHz, 16-bit stereo format, which is the standard format used for CD audio.
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DeveloperDTS
Popularity2.5 | 56 Votes
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In-Depth
.WAV File Extension
2 file types use the .wav file extension.
WAVE Audio
| Developer | Microsoft & IBM |
| Popularity |
3.8 | 486 Votes |
NEW: Open your .WAV file online with File Helper . View Online
What is a WAV file?
A WAV file is an audio file saved in the Waveform Audio (WAVE) format. It contains a song, interview, voice memo, or other piece of digital audio. Because WAV files are quite common, you can play them with most media players, including those bundled with Windows, macOS, and other operating systems.
More Information
WAV file open in VideoLAN VLC media player
Microsoft and IBM developed the WAVE format in the early 1990s. It is based on the Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF), which is a container format that can be used to store both video and audio. WAV files, however, contain only audio.
The audio a WAV file contains may be compressed or uncompressed, depending on how the file was created. Audio professionals, such as music and radio producers, often save and share high-quality recordings as uncompressed WAV files. Because these files are uncompressed, their file sizes can be quite large. For this reason, most WAV files shared via the internet are compressed, reducing both their file size and audio quality.
The WAVE format supports several types of compression, and it also supports a variety of sampling rates and bitrates . However, WAVE audio is most often saved in a 44.1 kHz, 16-bit stereo format, which is the standard format used for CD audio.
How to open a WAV file
WAV file open in Audacity
You can open a WAV file with any of the following media players, to play the audio it contains:
If you want to edit the audio a WAV file contains, you should open it with a dedicated audio-editing program, such as Audacity or Adobe Audition .
How to convert a WAV file
Several audio editors and media players, including Audacity , VideoLAN VLC media player , and Adobe Audition , can convert WAV files to other formats.
For example, Audacity can convert WAV files to the following audio formats:
Programs that open WAV files
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Program Name
Platform
Reset
X
Windows
File Viewer Plus
—
Get it from Microsoft
Free +
Microsoft Media Player
Included with OS
Microsoft Windows Media Player
Included with OS
VideoLAN VLC media player
Free
Nullsoft Winamp
Free
Adobe Audition 2023
Free Trial
Clementine
Free
FFmpeg
Free
Mac
Apple Music
Included with OS
Apple QuickTime Player
Included with OS
VideoLAN VLC media player
Free
Eltima Elmedia Player
Free +
Adobe Audition 2023
Free Trial
Clementine
Free
FFmpeg
Free
Linux
VideoLAN VLC media player
Free
Clementine
Free
FFmpeg
Free
XMMS
Free
Web
FileHelper.com
Free
Google Drive
Free +
iOS
Apple Files
Included with OS
VideoLAN VLC for Mobile
Free
olimsoft OPlayer
Paid
Android
File Viewer for Android
Free +
Videolabs VLC for Android
Free
antvplayer Media Converter
—
Discontinued
Free
Category: Audio Files
Updated: July 13, 2023
DTS-WAV File
| Developer | DTS |
| Popularity |
2.5 | 56 Votes |
A WAV file may also be an audio file saved in the Digital Theater Systems (DTS) format, which is commonly used to author stereo music and surround sound music CDs . It contains lossy audio data for multiple channels and can only be played by programs that support DTS-WAV encoding. Audio data in the DTS format may also be saved as a .DTS file.
More Information
DTS was formed in 1990 as a company specializing in multichannel audio technologies for film and video delivered in surround sound settings, such as movie theaters and home theaters. The DTS format is most prominently utilized to store audio on CDs, DVDs, and laser discs.
NOTE: Most audio files with the .wav file extension are saved in the WAVE format, a standard digital audio file format utilized for storing waveform data.
How to open a WAV file
You can open WAV files in the DTS-WAV format with several audio programs, including Foobar2000 and VideoLAN VLC media player (with the AC3 filter installed).
How to convert a WAV file
VideoLAN VLC media player can convert WAV files in the DTS-WAV format to other types of audio files, including the following formats:
Programs that open WAV files
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Program Name
Platform
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X
Windows
Foobar2000
Free
VideoLAN VLC media player
Free
Mac
VideoLAN VLC media player
Free
Linux
VideoLAN VLC media player
Free
Category: Audio Files
Updated: February 16, 2023