AAC vs WAV
A quick, plain-English comparison of the AAC and WAV file formats — and how to convert between them, free and in your browser.
| AAC | WAV | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | audio | audio |
| Extension | .aac | .wav |
| MIME type | audio/aac | audio/wav |
| Converts to | 17 formats | 17 formats |
| Direction here | read & write | read & write |
Convert between AAC and WAV
AAC vs WAV: frequently asked questions
What's the difference between AAC and WAV?
Advanced Audio Coding (lossy, MP3 successor). Uncompressed PCM audio (Waveform).
Should I use AAC or WAV?
Both are audio formats — the right one depends on compatibility, quality and file size for your use. Whichever you have, you can convert it to the other below in seconds.
How do I convert AAC to WAV?
Open the AAC-to-WAV converter, drop your AAC file in, and download the WAV. We auto-detect the real format from the file's bytes, so a mislabeled file still works.