MPEG to AIFF Converter

Extract MPEG Audio to AIFF: What This Covers

An MPEG file (.mpg / .mpeg) is a video container — usually MPEG-2 video with an MP2 audio track. This converter discards the video and writes the audio track out as an AIFF (.aif) file: uncompressed 16-bit big-endian PCM, the lossless format Apple created in 1988 for iTunes, GarageBand, and Logic Pro. If you actually need uncompressed audio for editing on a Mac, this is the right tool — but read the size warning below first, because AIFF will almost always be the bigger file.

How to Convert MPEG to AIF

1. Upload Your MPEG File: Drag and drop your .mpg or .mpeg file onto the page, or click "+ Add Files" to browse. You can queue several files and convert them with the same settings.
2. Choose Audio Channel and Sample Rate: Open Advanced Options. Leave "Audio Channel" and "Audio Sample Rate" on "Original" to keep the source layout, or set Mono / Stereo and a fixed rate (e.g. 44100 Hz) if a target app expects it.
3. Trim (Optional): Use the "Trim" control to set a start time and duration if you only need part of the audio; leave it "Unchanged" to extract the whole track.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and download your .aif file. Files upload over an encrypted connection, are processed on our servers, and are deleted automatically after a few hours. No sign-up, no watermark.

Walk-through: Getting the AIFF You Actually Want

The output codec is fixed at PCM (16-bit big-endian) — that is what makes a file an AIFF, so there is no codec dropdown to set here. The two controls that change the result are channel and sample rate:

• If you're importing into Logic Pro or Pro Tools at 44.1 kHz: set "Audio Sample Rate" to 44100 Hz so the project doesn't resample on import.
• If the source is a mono dialogue or voice recording: set "Audio Channel" to Mono to halve the file size with no audible change.
• If you just want the audio untouched: leave both on "Original" — the extractor copies the source rate and channel layout into the AIFF.
• If you only need a clip: set a Trim start and duration; this also keeps the AIFF small, since uncompressed size scales directly with length.

Why AIFF Will Be Bigger, Not Better

This is the part most converters don't tell you: MP2 audio inside an MPEG is lossy. Decoding it to uncompressed PCM cannot recover any quality that was already discarded — it just stores the same audio in a larger, lossless wrapper. At CD quality (16-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo) AIFF runs about 10 MB per minute, so a few minutes of audio can balloon into tens of megabytes.

So pick AIFF only when an application specifically needs uncompressed PCM — typically Mac audio editing, mastering, or archival where you want a clean, codec-free working file. If your goal is a small file to play, share, or store, convert to MPEG to MP3 instead. To shrink an AIFF you already have, AIFF to MP3 is the reverse trip.

Common Issues and How to Fix Them

• "The AIFF is huge" — Expected. Uncompressed PCM is roughly 10x an MP3. Use Mono for voice, trim to the part you need, or choose MP3/M4A if size matters more than being lossless.
• "It sounds the same as the MPEG, not better" — Also expected. AIFF is lossless storage, not restoration; it preserves the decoded MP2 exactly but can't add back lost detail.
• "My player won't open the .aif" — AIFF is native on macOS and iOS but not universally supported on Windows or older Android players. Convert to MP3 or WAV for broad playback.
• "No audio in the output" — The source MPEG may be video-only (no audio track) or the audio may be in a stream the file doesn't actually carry. Confirm the original plays sound before extracting.

When This Doesn't Work

If your MPEG is DRM-protected (some purchased or broadcast-recorded files are), the audio can't be extracted and the conversion will fail — that protection is by design. Corrupted or partially-downloaded MPEG files may also extract only the readable portion or error out; re-download the source if you can. And if the file is actually an MPEG-4 (.mp4) renamed to .mpeg, results vary by how the audio is stored — try the matching MP4 audio converter instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AIFF higher quality than the MP2 audio inside my MPEG?

No. The MPEG's audio is lossy MP2; converting to AIFF stores that exact decoded audio in an uncompressed PCM wrapper. It is lossless from this point on, but it cannot recover quality that the original encoding already threw away.

Why is the AIFF file so much larger than the MPEG?

Because AIFF is uncompressed. At 16-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo it's about 10 MB per minute, while the MP2 audio in your MPEG was compressed. You're trading file size for a codec-free, editable format — not gaining audio detail.

Is .aif the same thing as .aiff?

Yes. They are the same Apple AIFF format; the three-letter .aif extension is a holdover from older systems with shorter filename limits. Our output is standard uncompressed PCM either way.

Should I use AIFF or MP3 for my extracted audio?

Use AIFF if you're editing or mastering on a Mac (Logic Pro, GarageBand, Pro Tools) and want an uncompressed working file. Use MP3 if you want a small file to listen to, send, or store — it'll be roughly a tenth the size.

Can I keep the original sample rate when extracting?

Yes. Leave "Audio Sample Rate" on "Original" and the extractor copies the source rate into the AIFF unchanged. Only set a fixed rate like 44100 Hz if your target application requires it.

Are my files private during conversion?

Yes. Files upload over an encrypted connection, are processed on our servers, and are deleted automatically after a few hours. There's no sign-up, no watermark, and files are never shared or made public. In our testing, a one-minute stereo MPEG audio track extracted to a roughly 10 MB AIFF at CD quality.