How to convert WAV to Apple Lossless (ALAC)
- 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 WAV to Apple Lossless (ALAC)
NexMedia converts WAV to Apple Lossless (ALAC) 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 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.
Convert WAV to ALAC online free, no account required — ALAC is Apple's lossless audio codec.
Change WAV to ALAC without losing quality — convert WAV to ALAC free in your browser.
Why is my WAV file 10 MB per minute of audio? WAV stores every sample uncompressed, so a three-minute song is around 30 MB — lossless or lossy compression shrinks it dramatically without audibly changing the music.
About Apple Lossless (ALAC)
Apple Lossless (ALAC) is Apple's lossless audio codec, usually stored in an .m4a file; Apple released it as open source in 2011.
Lossless music in iTunes, Apple Music and on iPhones.
ALAC files are smaller than WAV but several times larger than AAC, and many devices outside Apple's prefer FLAC.
Why convert a CD to ALAC? You keep every sample of the original at half the WAV size, and it syncs and plays inside the Apple ecosystem untouched.
What changes when you convert WAV to ALAC
- WAV and ALAC both store audio without lossy compression, so no lossy encoder discards detail on the way.
Settings you can change
Before you convert WAV to ALAC, 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 ALAC file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
WAV to ALAC: questions and answers
Does converting WAV to ALAC reduce quality?
WAV and ALAC both store audio without lossy compression, so no lossy encoder discards detail on the way.
What is the difference between WAV and ALAC?
WAV is an uncompressed audio format. ALAC is Apple's lossless audio codec.
Can I change the settings when converting WAV to ALAC?
Before you convert WAV to ALAC, 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 WAV to ALAC?
No. You can convert WAV to ALAC without an account; signing in raises the file-size and daily limits.
How long is my converted ALAC file kept?
The ALAC file you convert from WAV is kept for 2 hours, then deleted automatically.
Is converting WAV to ALAC a truly lossless copy?
WAV and ALAC both store audio without lossy compression, so no lossy encoder discards detail on the way.
Will converting WAV to ALAC change my original file?
No. The conversion reads your WAV and writes a new ALAC file, leaving your original WAV file untouched.