AudioKit

WAV compressor

WAV files are uncompressed, about 10 MB per minute, so they shrink dramatically. Go lossless with FLAC (about half the size) or lossy with MP3/M4A (about a tenth).

  • Runs on your device
  • No upload
  • No sign-up
  • Free

Drop a WAV file to compress

Stays on this device: nothing is uploaded. You can also drag a file here or paste it.

How WAV compression works

A WAV file stores raw samples: 44,100 per second, 16 bits each, two channels. That’s 1,411 kbps, which is why a 3-minute song is 30 MB. There is no WAV-specific compression setting; “compressing a WAV” means converting it to a format that compresses.

If you need to keep every bit (masters, recordings you’ll edit later), convert to FLAC: it typically halves the size and decodes back to the identical WAV. If the file only needs to be listened to or sent, MP3 at 192 kbps is about 86% smaller and sounds the same to most people.

Some places insist on WAV (radio stations, some sample libraries). In that case you can still reduce size by switching to mono or to 22.05 kHz for speech, using the converter’s sample rate and channel options.

Other compressors: MP3 compressor · M4A compressor · any audio format. To understand the numbers, see what bitrate means.

Audio file size calculator

≈ 4.8 MB (192 kbps × 210 s ÷ 8)

Questions people ask

How do I compress a WAV file without losing quality?

Convert it to FLAC. FLAC is lossless, so it plays back bit-for-bit identical to the WAV, and is typically 40–60% smaller. Use the WAV to FLAC converter.

How much smaller is MP3 than WAV?

A CD-quality WAV is 1,411 kbps. MP3 at 320 kbps is 77% smaller, at 192 kbps 86% smaller, and at 128 kbps 91% smaller.

Can I keep the file as WAV but make it smaller?

Only by storing less: mono instead of stereo halves it, and 22.05 kHz instead of 44.1 kHz halves it again. That suits speech, not music. Use the converter with WAV output and change sample rate and channels.

Why is my WAV file so big?

Because it’s uncompressed: about 10 MB per minute at CD quality, and 17 MB per minute at 24-bit/48 kHz, which many recorders and DAWs use.

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