AIFF vs WAV: What's the Difference and Which Should You Use?

You bounce a beat in Logic Pro and the export window offers AIFF. You download a sample pack and half the files end in .aif. Your distributor asks for WAV. So are AIFF and WAV different in quality, and does it matter which one you use? Short version: they sound the same, but they are not equally handy everywhere. Here is what the difference actually is, based on what Apple, Image-Line and the distributors say themselves.

Quick answer

• Sound quality: the same. An uncompressed AIFF and a WAV with the same bit depth and sample rate hold the same audio.
• Releasing your music: use WAV. Spotify and the distributors we checked list WAV, not AIFF.
• Working only in Logic Pro or other Apple apps: AIFF is fine. Logic Pro handles both formats the same way.
• Sending files to someone else: WAV is the safe choice, because almost every DAW, app and engineer opens it without thinking.

What is AIFF, and what is WAV?

Both are container formats that usually hold uncompressed PCM audio, the raw samples of your recording. Nothing is thrown away, which is why both are big files compared to MP3.

AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) was developed by Apple. The Library of Congress, which documents file formats for long-term archiving, describes AIFF with a specification dated January 1989. There is also a variant called AIFF-C, where the C stands for its extension to compressed audio.

WAV (WAVE) was developed by Microsoft and IBM. According to the Library of Congress, its core specification dates from August 1991, around the time of Windows 3.1.

So the main difference is history: AIFF grew up on the Mac, WAV on Windows. Today both work on both systems.

Does AIFF sound better than WAV?

No. Apple says it plainly in its list of supported file formats for Logic Pro: WAVE and AIFF files 'are very similar'. In Logic Pro both can be 16, 24 or 32 bit, in mono, stereo or surround, at sample rates up to 192 kHz.

The quality of the audio inside depends on the bit depth and the sample rate, not on whether the file ends in .wav or .aif. A 24-bit, 44.1 kHz AIFF and a 24-bit, 44.1 kHz WAV of the same bounce contain the same samples. If they seem to sound different, check whether they really come from the same mix and play at the same volume.

One exception: an AIFF-C file can contain compressed audio. You will not run into that often, but if a file ends in .aifc, it is not automatically lossless.

AIFF vs WAV side by side

File size

About the same. Both store uncompressed audio, so a minute of 24-bit stereo takes up roughly the same space in either format. Want smaller lossless files? That is what FLAC is for. Read FLAC vs WAV.

Logic Pro

Logic Pro opens both. When you bounce to an uncompressed PCM file, Apple's Logic Pro bounce help lists AIFF, Broadcast Wave and CAF as the file formats to pick from. Broadcast Wave files end in .wav and, according to Apple, can be read by any app that supports the standard WAVE format. So if you need a WAV from Logic, pick Broadcast Wave.

FL Studio

The FL Studio export manual lists .wav, .mp3, .ogg, .flac and .m4a as audio export formats. AIFF is not in that list. Image-Line's knowledge base does list AIFF among the formats FL Studio for Windows can read, so loading AIFF samples is usually not a problem. Exporting from FL Studio gives you a WAV anyway.

Metadata

Both formats can carry some extra information. AIFF has text chunks for things like name, author, copyright and annotations. WAV has an INFO chunk, and Broadcast Wave adds more, like the timestamp information Logic Pro uses. How well tags show up depends on the app you open the file in, so do not count on either format for neat title and cover art in a music library. FLAC and MP3 are better at that.

Very long recordings

A standard WAV file tops out at 4 GB. The Library of Congress notes that extensions like RF64 exist to go beyond that. For a beat, a vocal take or a master you will never get close, so this only matters for hours of multitrack recording.

AIFF or WAV for Spotify and your distributor?

This is where the choice actually matters. Spotify's own page on audio file formats says it strongly prefers FLAC and also accepts WAV if it meets the same technical requirements. AIFF is not mentioned.

You do not upload to Spotify directly though, you go through a distributor. A few examples of what they list:

• AWAL accepts WAV, FLAC and Apple Lossless. AIFF is not on the list.
• CD Baby prefers WAV or FLAC and accepts MP3. AIFF is not mentioned.
• Bandcamp, where you sell directly to fans, does accept WAV, AIFF and FLAC.

So for a release, WAV is the safe choice: every distributor we checked accepts it. Always check the help page of your own distributor before you upload. And keep the same bit depth and sample rate as your master: Spotify asks you not to downgrade a 24-bit master to 16 bit.

When to choose WAV

• You are delivering a release to a distributor.
• You are sending stems, vocals or a beat to a mix engineer, producer or artist.
• You work in FL Studio or switch between different DAWs.
• You are not sure what the other person uses.

When AIFF is fine

• You work in Logic Pro and the files stay on your own Mac.
• You have a sample pack in AIFF. No need to convert anything just to use it in your project.
• You sell on a platform like Bandcamp that accepts AIFF.

How to convert AIFF to WAV

With the free NameOnTheBeat Audio Converter you do it in your browser. Your audio is not uploaded and you do not need an account.

1. Open the Audio Converter and drop your AIFF in the box (up to 150 MB per file). Anything your browser can open works. If an AIFF will not load, try another browser.
2. Choose WAV as the format.
3. Keep the sample rate the same as your file, usually 44.1 kHz. Not sure? Read 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz.
4. Click Convert. Your WAV downloads right away.

Good to know: the free version makes 16-bit WAV files. That is fine for samples, references and demos. Is your AIFF a 24-bit master you want to release? Then you want a 24-bit WAV, so you do not lose bit depth. Bounce it again from Logic Pro as Broadcast Wave, or use Audio Converter Pro, which adds 24-bit WAV, FLAC and converting a whole folder into one ZIP. It is a one-time purchase, no subscription. More on bit depth in 16-bit vs 24-bit audio.

Before you send your master anywhere, check its loudness and true peak with the free Master Checker.

FAQ

Is AIFF lossless?

A normal AIFF holds uncompressed audio, so nothing is lost. The exception is AIFF-C (.aifc), which can contain compressed audio.

Can I upload AIFF to Spotify?

Spotify's own page names FLAC and WAV, not AIFF, and you upload through a distributor anyway. Convert to WAV with the same bit depth and sample rate, and you are good with most distributors.

Is converting AIFF to WAV lossless?

Yes, as long as you keep the same bit depth and sample rate. The samples just move to a different container. Going from 24 bit to 16 bit is the step that changes the audio, so avoid that for a master.

Can FL Studio open AIFF files?

Image-Line's knowledge base lists AIFF among the formats FL Studio for Windows can read. FL Studio cannot export AIFF, it exports WAV, MP3, OGG, FLAC and M4A.

Why does Logic Pro say Broadcast Wave instead of WAV?

Broadcast Wave is a WAV file with extra information, like a timestamp. It still ends in .wav, and apps that do not use the extra information simply ignore it. For a distributor or engineer, it works as a normal WAV.

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