AAC to AIFF Converter

Convert AAC to AIFF Online

This converts your lossy AAC audio into uncompressed AIFF — the PCM format Logic Pro, GarageBand, and hardware samplers import natively. One honesty note up front: AAC is lossy, so the AIFF will not sound better than the AAC. It is a faithful, much larger PCM copy of the same decoded audio; the detail the AAC encoder discarded does not come back. The real reason to do this is workflow, not fidelity — get a stable uncompressed file to edit, sample, or feed to gear that won't read raw AAC.

How to Convert AAC to AIFF

1. Upload Your AAC File: Drag and drop your .aac files onto the page or click "+ Add Files". Queue several to convert them with the same settings.
2. Set Audio Channel and Audio Sample Rate: Leave Audio Channel and Audio Sample Rate on "Original" for a 1:1 decode of the source, or change them only if a target device needs mono or a specific rate.
3. Trim (Optional): Use the Trim control to keep just a section of the clip; leave it "Unchanged" to convert the whole file.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and download your AIFF. No sign-up, no watermark.

AAC vs AIFF — What Actually Changes

Frequently Asked Questions

Will converting AAC to AIFF improve the audio quality?

No. AAC is a lossy codec: the encoder permanently discarded detail to shrink the file, and decoding to uncompressed AIFF cannot bring it back. As the audio-engineering magazine Sound on Sound puts it, "there's no 'up-conversion' process from AAC to AIFF, only a format change" — the AAC decoder rebuilds the audio "as far as it can, but there are still missing frequencies and other artifacts." The AIFF will sound identical to the AAC, just much larger. Anyone promising a fidelity boost from a lossy source is mistaken.

Then why convert AAC to AIFF at all?

Because of workflow, not sound. AIFF is the uncompressed PCM format that Logic Pro, GarageBand, older DAWs, and hardware samplers import directly — many of them would transcode an AAC on import anyway. Decoding to AIFF once also gives you a stable working file you can cut, fade, and process repeatedly without triggering a fresh lossy re-encode each time you save. And some samplers and legacy audio hardware accept AIFF or WAV but won't read raw AAC at all.

Why is my AIFF file so much bigger than the AAC?

Because AIFF stores every sample uncompressed while AAC compresses heavily. CD-quality AIFF (16-bit, 44.1 kHz, stereo) runs around 10 MB per minute, so a 4-minute track lands near 40 MB regardless of how small the source AAC was. A 128 kbps AAC of that same track might be only about 4 MB, so expect a roughly tenfold jump. The extra bytes are uncompressed PCM, not added detail.

Should I output AIFF or WAV for this?

They're close cousins: both are uncompressed PCM and sound identical. AIFF is big-endian and based on Electronic Arts' IFF format; WAV is little-endian and based on RIFF. AIFF is the more natural fit on macOS and in Apple's apps, while WAV is the cross-platform default. If you'd rather output WAV, use AAC to WAV instead — same audio, different container.

What bit depth and sample rate will the AIFF have?

In our testing, leaving Audio Channel and Audio Sample Rate on "Original" produces an AIFF that matches the decoded AAC — commonly 16-bit PCM at 44.1 kHz for a typical music AAC. The converter does not upsample, so a 44.1 kHz source yields a 44.1 kHz AIFF, not a higher-resolution one. To go back the other way later, our AIFF to AAC tool re-encodes it to a compact lossy file.

Is the conversion private?

Yes. Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically a few hours after conversion — no sign-up, no watermark, and never shared or made public.