How do I open a .WAV file on Windows or Mac?

You can open .WAV files using Audacity, VLC Media Player, Adobe Audition, Pro Tools, FL Studio. If you do not have native software installed, you can use OpenAnyFile's free File Identifier or convert .WAV to a standard format in your browser.

Is a .WAV file safe to open?

This format carries a safety rating of Low Risk. Industry standard format for uncompressed master audio production

Can I convert a .WAV file to other formats?

Yes! .WAV can be converted to formats such as .MP3, .FLAC, .M4A directly in your web browser.

What should I do if a .WAV file is corrupted or won't open?

If your .WAV file displays an invalid header or signature error, check its magic bytes hex header (Varies) using OpenAnyFile's Magic Byte Detector or follow our step-by-step file repair guide.

How do I open .WAV files?

You can open .WAV files using Audacity, VLC Media Player, Adobe Audition, Pro Tools, FL Studio.

Audio & Video • MIME: audio/wav

.WAV – WAV File Format

Q: What is a .WAV file?

A .WAV file is a WAV File Format associated with Audio & Video. WAV (Waveform Audio) is an uncompressed PCM raw audio file format created by Microsoft and IBM for storing studio-grade audio recordings.

WAV (Waveform Audio) is an uncompressed PCM raw audio file format created by Microsoft and IBM for storing studio-grade audio recordings.

Primary Category Audio & Video

MIME Type audio/wav

Magic Bytes Signature Varies

Security Risk Rating Low Risk

Recommended Software to Open .WAV

Audacity

windows, mac, linux • Free

VLC Media Player

windows, mac, linux • Free

Adobe Audition

windows, mac, linux • Free

Pro Tools

windows, mac, linux • Free

FL Studio

windows, mac, linux • Free