WAV files from recorders, DAWs and sample libraries are huge: about 10 MB per minute. MP3 gets that down to one or two megabytes a minute so you can email a demo, post a podcast episode or fit an album on a phone. Add any number of WAVs, pick a bitrate and convert them in one batch with the LAME encoder running on your device.
How to convert WAV to MP3
- Click Select WAV files or drag them onto the box above. You can add as many as you like.
- Check that the target says MP3. Click the slider icon next to a file to change its options.
- Press Convert. Each file shows its own progress, and the work happens on your device.
- Download files one by one, or use Download all (ZIP). Press Convert more to start a new batch.
Need a lossless file that is still smaller? Convert WAV to FLAC instead: about half the size, bit-for-bit identical sound.
WAV vs MP3
What is WAV?
WAV stores raw PCM samples with no compression: 44,100 or 48,000 samples per second, per channel, at 16 or 24 bits. It is what audio software records and exports by default because nothing is lost and it is trivial to edit. More about the WAV format.
What is MP3?
MP3 uses a psychoacoustic model to remove detail the ear is unlikely to notice, shrinking audio by about 85–90%. At 192 kbps or higher, most listeners cannot tell it from the WAV on music. It plays on literally everything. More about the MP3 format.
| WAV | MP3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Waveform Audio | MP3 audio |
| Extensions | .wav, .wave | .mp3 |
| MIME type | audio/wav | audio/mpeg |
When to convert WAV to MP3
- You are sharing a mix, demo or rehearsal recording by email or chat.
- A podcast host or audio platform asks for MP3 uploads.
- You want your field recordings or voice memos to take less space.
- An old car stereo or MP3 player only reads MP3.
Quality and settings
This is the one direction where conversion makes sense with no regrets: the WAV is lossless, so the MP3 is the best MP3 possible at the chosen bitrate. 320 kbps is the maximum and practically indistinguishable from the WAV; 192 kbps (the default) is the sweet spot for music; 128 kbps is fine for casual listening. For spoken word, choose Mono and 64–96 kbps. 24-bit and high-sample-rate WAVs are converted correctly; resample to 44.1 kHz if a target device is picky. Keep the WAV as your master: converting MP3 back to WAV does not restore what was removed.