AIFF to AIFC Converter

AIF to AIFC Converter

AIF (.aif) and AIFC (.aifc) are two members of the same Apple audio family. AIF — identical to .aiff — is Apple's Audio Interchange File Format holding uncompressed PCM audio, while AIFC (also written AIFF-C) is the later, compression-capable revision of that same format. This tool rewraps your AIF into the AIFC structure with uncompressed PCM by default, so the audio samples are carried over unchanged.

AIF (AIFF) Format at a Glance

AIFC (AIFF-C) Format at a Glance

How to Convert AIF to AIFC

1. Upload Your AIF File: Click "+ Add Files" to add a .aif or .aiff file from your computer, Google Drive, or Dropbox. Multiple files can be queued.
2. Set Audio Channel and Sample Rate: Leave both on "ORIGINAL" to preserve the source exactly, or pick a channel layout (mono/stereo) or sample rate if you need to standardize the output.
3. Trim (Optional): Use the Trim control to keep only a portion of the audio; leave it "Unchanged" to convert the whole file.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and download your AIFC file. Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically after a few hours. No sign-up, no watermark.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will converting AIF to AIFC reduce my file quality or size?

No. Because AIF is uncompressed PCM and the AIFC output here defaults to uncompressed PCM (compression type NONE), the actual audio samples are copied across unchanged. There is no quality loss and no quality gain, and the file stays in the same uncompressed size class — roughly 10 MB per minute for 16-bit / 44.1 kHz stereo. If your goal is a smaller file, convert to AIF to MP3 instead.

What is technically different between an AIF and an AIFC file?

The container is the same chunk-based structure, but the FORM type identifier changes from AIFF to AIFC, an FVER (format version) chunk is added, and the COMM chunk gains a compression-type field. In the default output that field reads NONE, signalling uncompressed PCM. So AIFC is best thought of as the modern, extensible revision of the AIFF wrapper rather than a different audio codec.

Is .aif the same as .aiff?

Yes. .aif is the shorter three-letter form of .aiff, used on older Mac and DOS-style systems that limited extensions to three characters. They are the same format with the same uncompressed PCM audio — the spelling of the extension is the only difference. This tool accepts both .aif and .aiff as input.

Does AIFC always mean the file is compressed?

No, despite the "C" standing for "Compressed." AIFF-C only adds the ability to declare a compression codec in the COMM chunk. A perfectly valid AIFC file can carry the compression type NONE (uncompressed big-endian PCM) or sowt (uncompressed little-endian PCM). The output from this converter is uncompressed by default.

What opens an AIFC file?

On macOS, AIFC plays natively in QuickTime Player, the Music app, and most pro audio editors. On Windows, support is more selective: many players read uncompressed AIFC, but files using older Apple codecs (such as MACE) may need FFmpeg-based software. In our testing, an uncompressed-PCM AIFC produced by this tool opened in standard cross-platform players without extra decoders. For a Windows-standard uncompressed file, convert to AIF to WAV instead.

Should I convert to AIFC or just keep the AIF?

If a specific application or pipeline asks for the AIFF-C form — for example because it relies on the compression-type field or the FVER chunk — convert to AIFC. If you only need a lossless Apple master and everything in your workflow already reads AIF/AIFF, there is little reason to change, since the audio is byte-for-byte the same. For sharing or portability, a compressed format like MP3 is far smaller and more universally supported.

Will AIFC preserve my original sample rate and bit depth?

Yes. Leave Audio Channel and Audio Sample Rate on "ORIGINAL" and the PCM samples are carried across unchanged, so the output keeps the same sample rate, bit depth, and channel layout as the source AIF. You only alter those values if you deliberately pick a different channel count or rate to standardize the file for a particular tool.

Because both the input and the default output are uncompressed PCM, nothing is resampled or re-quantized in between — the samples are the same numbers in a different wrapper.

Can AIFC hold compressed audio to make the file smaller?

The AIFF-C format can tag a compression codec — historically A-law, μ-law, or Apple's older MACE and IMA ADPCM — in its COMM chunk. This converter, however, writes uncompressed PCM (compression type NONE) by default, so the file stays in the same large size class as the AIF. For a genuinely smaller, portable file, convert to AIF to MP3 instead.