WMA to WAV Converter

How to Convert WMA to WAV Online

1. Upload Your WMA File: Drag and drop or click "+ Add Files" to select WMA tracks from your computer. Batch upload is supported, and files are processed in-browser without leaving your machine.
2. Pick Audio Channel and Sample Rate: Leave both on "Original" to mirror the source, or pick Mono/Stereo for the channel layout. Sample rate options include 8000, 12000, 16000, 24000, 44100, and 48000 Hz — 44.1 kHz is the CD-audio standard and matches what most WMA9 files were encoded at.
3. Trim (Optional): Set a start time and duration in HH:MM:SS.ms to clip out a specific section instead of converting the whole file. Useful when you only need a sample, voicemail snippet, or one verse from a longer recording.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert" — output is 16-bit signed little-endian PCM (the default WAV codec). No watermark, no sign-up, no file count limit.

Why Convert WMA to WAV?

WMA is Microsoft's lossy audio codec, first released as version 1 in August 1999 and progressively updated through WMA 9 (2003) and WMA 10 Pro. WAV is the uncompressed RIFF container Microsoft and IBM published in 1991 — it stores raw PCM samples with no codec on top, so every audio editor, DAW, broadcast tool, and CD-burning utility can open it without decoding. Converting WMA to WAV lets you edit, restore, or master a file that was originally compressed.

• Editing in a DAW or audio editor — Audacity, Reaper, Pro Tools, Logic, and Adobe Audition all open WAV natively. WMA support is inconsistent (Audacity needs FFmpeg installed; Logic and Pro Tools have no WMA importer at all), so converting first removes the import friction.
• CD burning and broadcast delivery — Red Book audio CDs require 16-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo PCM, which is exactly the WAV default this converter outputs. Most radio station traffic systems and ad delivery networks also accept only WAV or BWF.
• macOS and iOS playback — macOS dropped Windows Media components long ago, and Safari has no built-in WMA codec. WAV plays in QuickTime, Music.app, and every iOS browser without third-party software.
• Voicemail and dictation archives — Older Windows phones, dictaphones, and enterprise voicemail systems exported as WMA. Converting to WAV future-proofs the recordings for archival storage where you don't want to depend on a deprecating decoder.
• Restoring fidelity for re-encoding — If you'll re-encode to a different lossy format (MP3, AAC, Opus), going WMA → WAV → target avoids cascading lossy artifacts inside the converter pipeline. You're not recovering the data WMA already discarded, but you stop additional generation loss.
• Splicing into video projects — Premiere, Final Cut, DaVinci Resolve, and most NLEs prefer uncompressed PCM on the timeline. WAV drops in without a transcode wait.

WMA vs WAV — Format Comparison

Sample Rate and Channel Quick Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Will converting WMA to WAV improve the audio quality?

No — it cannot. Standard WMA is lossy, so whatever was discarded during the original encode is permanently gone. Converting to WAV gives you an uncompressed file that's easier to edit and universally compatible, but the audible quality is bounded by the source WMA. If the source is WMA Lossless, the WAV will be a bit-perfect representation of the original.

Why is my WAV roughly 10x larger than the WMA?

WAV stores raw PCM samples with no compression. A 3-minute 16-bit/44.1 kHz stereo WAV is roughly 31 MB, while the same content at WMA 128 kbps is around 2.8 MB. That ~11x ratio is normal — it's the cost of being uncompressed. If size matters, convert to WMA to FLAC instead for lossless compression (usually 40-60% of WAV size) or WMA to MP3 for lossy.

Can this converter handle WMA Lossless or WMA Pro files?

Yes. The decoder accepts WMA v1, v2, WMA Pro, WMA Lossless, and WMA Voice. Lossless inputs produce a WAV that's bit-identical to the original PCM. WMA Pro at 24-bit/96 kHz will be decoded, but the output here is 16-bit signed little-endian PCM by default — pick a higher sample rate (48 kHz) if you want to preserve the timing resolution.

What about DRM-protected WMA files purchased from old Zune / PlaysForSure stores?

DRM-protected WMA cannot be decoded by any third-party converter, including this one. Microsoft stopped issuing new licenses for DRM-protected Zune tracks in 2017 and the old Zune Marketplace lets users re-download their purchases as DRM-free MP3. If your WMA was bought from a defunct store and is still wrapped in PlaysForSure DRM, you'll need the original authorized player to record it back to analog or unencrypted PCM first.

Does the converter preserve metadata like artist, album, and track number?

ASF/WMA stores metadata in WMA-specific frames; WAV's RIFF container has a much thinner metadata model (the optional LIST/INFO chunk: IART for artist, INAM for title, ICRD for date, etc.). Basic tags are mapped where a clean WAV equivalent exists; rich tags like album art, lyrics, and BPM don't have RIFF equivalents and are dropped. For full metadata retention, FLAC is a better target than WAV.

Which bit depth does the output use, and can I get 24-bit?

The default output is 16-bit signed little-endian PCM (pcm_s16le), which is the universal "CD-quality" WAV every tool understands. WMA Pro at 24-bit will be down-converted on output. If you need 24-bit or 32-bit float for mastering, decode the WMA in a DAW like Reaper or Audacity and export from there.

Why doesn't macOS or my iPhone play my WMA file directly?

Apple platforms have never shipped a WMA codec. Safari, Music.app, QuickTime, and iOS browsers don't recognize the format — you'd need VLC or a third-party decoder. Converting to WAV (or WMA to MP3 / WMA to AAC for smaller files) is the fix.

Is there a file size limit on the converted WAV?

The RIFF/WAV spec uses a 32-bit size field, capping single WAV files at 4 GB. At 16-bit/44.1 kHz stereo, that's roughly 6.7 hours of continuous audio — more than enough for a typical conversion. Files approaching that limit usually need the RF64 or BWF64 variant, which this converter doesn't currently emit; split the source in Trim WMA first if you're near the cap.

What if I want to go the other direction, WAV back to WMA?

Use WAV to WMA — same options, opposite direction. For general WAV downsizing without changing format, Compress WAV lets you drop the bit depth or sample rate to shrink the file in place.