WAV vs AIFF: What's the Difference?
WAV and AIFF are twins — uncompressed, lossless PCM at identical quality. WAV is Microsoft's, AIFF is Apple's. Here's the real (small) difference and which to use.
Working with either format? Convert WAV or AIFF to MP3, FLAC, or M4A — free, no account.
Open the WAV converter →The Short Answer
WAV and AIFF are twins. Both store uncompressed, lossless PCM audio at identical quality — the same raw waveform, just in a different wrapper. WAV came from Microsoft/IBM (the Windows standard); AIFF came from Apple (the Mac standard). For sound quality there's no difference. Choose based on your ecosystem and, if you care, metadata support.
Side by Side
| WAV | AIFF | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Microsoft / IBM (1991) | Apple (1988) |
| Compression | Uncompressed PCM | Uncompressed PCM |
| Quality | Lossless | Lossless — identical to WAV |
| Size (3-min song) | ~30 MB | ~30 MB |
| Byte order | Little-endian | Big-endian |
| Metadata/tags | Limited, inconsistent | Better (ID3-style chunks) |
| Home turf | Windows, most DAWs | macOS, Logic, GarageBand |
Do They Sound Different?
No. Both are raw PCM at the same bit depth and sample rate, so the audio is bit-for-bit equivalent. Converting WAV ↔ AIFF is lossless and reversible — you're just rewrapping the same samples. Any claim that one "sounds warmer" is placebo.
The Real, Minor Differences
- Ecosystem. WAV is the default on Windows and nearly every DAW; AIFF is native to macOS and Apple's Logic/GarageBand. Both work on both platforms today, but each is the path of least resistance on its home OS.
- Metadata. AIFF generally handles tags and artwork a bit better than WAV, whose metadata support is limited and inconsistent. If you want tagged uncompressed files, AIFF has a slight edge — though FLAC beats both for a tagged lossless library.
- Byte order (technical). WAV is little-endian, AIFF is big-endian. This almost never matters to users; modern software reads both transparently.
Which Should You Use?
- On Windows / in most DAWs? → WAV. It's the universal default.
- On a Mac, in Logic or GarageBand? → AIFF is native, but WAV works just as well — pick whichever your project already uses.
- Want lossless but smaller, with reliable tags? → neither — use FLAC (same quality, ~half the size). See WAV vs FLAC.
- Want small files for listening? → MP3 320kbps or AAC.
Bottom Line
WAV vs AIFF is a compatibility and habit choice, not a quality one. Use whichever fits your operating system and tools; convert between them (or to FLAC/MP3) freely with no quality loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AIFF better than WAV?
No — they're the same quality (uncompressed lossless PCM). AIFF has slightly better metadata support; WAV is the Windows/DAW default. Choose by ecosystem.
Do WAV and AIFF sound different?
No. Both store identical raw PCM audio, so they're sonically equivalent.
What's the main difference between WAV and AIFF?
Origin and defaults: WAV is Microsoft's (Windows), AIFF is Apple's (Mac). Technically they differ in byte order, which users never notice.
Can I convert AIFF to WAV without losing quality?
Yes — both are lossless PCM, so the conversion is exact and reversible.
Should I use WAV or AIFF on a Mac?
AIFF is native, but WAV is equally supported. Use whatever your project or DAW already prefers.
Is there a smaller lossless option than WAV or AIFF?
Yes — FLAC is lossless too and roughly half the size, with better tags.