How to convert AAC to WAV
- 1
Upload your file
Drag and drop a file or click to select one. Keep this page open while the file uploads and converts.
- 2
Convert AAC to WAV
NexMedia converts AAC to WAV on its own servers. Processing time depends on the file size and how busy the queue is.
- 3
Download the converted file
When the conversion finishes, the download appears on this page. Your converted file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
About AAC
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is the lossy audio codec standardised in MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 as the successor to MP3; at the same bitrate it generally sounds better than MP3.
It is the audio in most MP4 videos, in Apple Music and on YouTube; a .aac file is a bare AAC stream without a container.
A bare .aac stream has only limited room for tags and cover art, so music players usually expect AAC inside an M4A file.
Convert AAC to WAV online free, no account required — WAV is an uncompressed audio format.
Change AAC to WAV without losing quality — convert AAC to WAV free in your browser.
Why won't my old MP3 player or car stereo play AAC files? Older hardware was built before AAC became common and often only decodes MP3, so a conversion keeps the music playable anywhere.
About WAV
WAV (Waveform Audio File Format) is a Microsoft and IBM container that normally stores uncompressed PCM audio.
Recording, editing and mastering, where every sample has to be kept exactly.
Uncompressed audio is large, about 10 MB per minute of CD-quality stereo, and a classic WAV file is limited to 4 GB.
Why convert audio to WAV? For editing and mastering: uncompressed samples take further processing without new loss, and every audio program reads them.
What changes when you convert AAC to WAV
- The audio is decoded and re-encoded as WAV at the default settings, so the result is close to the AAC but not bit-identical.
- AAC is a lossy format and WAV is not: the WAV keeps the decoded AAC exactly, but it cannot restore detail the AAC compression already removed, and the file is usually larger.
- WAV output is written as 16-bit PCM, so audio with a higher bit depth, such as 24-bit, is reduced to 16 bits.
Settings you can change
Before you convert AAC to WAV, you can adjust: Audio codec, Rate control, Audio bitrate, Quality (VBR), Sample rate, Channels, Normalize loudness, Trim start, Trim duration, and Keep tags.
Limits
Each plan sets a maximum file size and a number of conversions per day, and video and audio files also have a maximum length. Guests can convert files up to 100 megabytes and 5 per day; a free account raises this to 500 megabytes and 25 per day; paid plans go up to 100 gigabytes.
Your converted WAV file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
AAC to WAV: questions and answers
Does converting AAC to WAV reduce quality?
The audio is decoded and re-encoded as WAV at the default settings, so the result is close to the AAC but not bit-identical. AAC is a lossy format and WAV is not: the WAV keeps the decoded AAC exactly, but it cannot restore detail the AAC compression already removed, and the file is usually larger. WAV output is written as 16-bit PCM, so audio with a higher bit depth, such as 24-bit, is reduced to 16 bits.
What is the difference between AAC and WAV?
AAC is the lossy audio codec that succeeded MP3. WAV is an uncompressed audio format.
Can I change the settings when converting AAC to WAV?
Before you convert AAC to WAV, you can adjust: Audio codec, Rate control, Audio bitrate, Quality (VBR), Sample rate, Channels, Normalize loudness, Trim start, Trim duration, and Keep tags.
Do I need an account to convert AAC to WAV?
No. You can convert AAC to WAV without an account; signing in raises the file-size and daily limits.
How long is my converted WAV file kept?
The WAV file you convert from AAC is kept for 2 hours, then deleted automatically.
Will my WAV keep the 24-bit sound of my AAC?
WAV output is written as 16-bit PCM, so audio with a higher bit depth, such as 24-bit, is reduced to 16 bits.
Does converting AAC to WAV restore the quality the AAC lost?
AAC is a lossy format and WAV is not: the WAV keeps the decoded AAC exactly, but it cannot restore detail the AAC compression already removed, and the file is usually larger.