How to convert WAV to MP3
- 1
Click Choose files or drop your .wav (or .aiff) files into the box.
- 2
Choose the Audio quality — 192 kbps by default, 320 kbps for music where every detail counts, 128 kbps for speech.
- 3
Click Convert, then download each MP3 or everything with Download all (ZIP).
WAV vs MP3
WAV stores audio uncompressed — every sample exactly as recorded. That’s what recorders, DAWs (Ableton, Logic, FL Studio, Audacity) and CD rips produce, and it’s ideal for editing. But it’s heavy: about 10 MB per minute at CD quality, much more for 24-bit or high-sample-rate recordings.
MP3 uses perceptual compression to drop what the ear is least likely to notice. The result is a file that plays on every phone, car stereo, website and app, at a fraction of the size.
| WAV | MP3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | None (lossless) | Lossy, adjustable |
| Size per minute (CD quality) | ≈ 10 MB | ≈ 1–2.4 MB |
| Best for | Recording, editing, mastering | Sharing, streaming, listening |
| Compatibility | Very good | Universal |
Choosing the bitrate
| Audio quality | Size per minute | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 128 kbps | ≈ 1 MB | Voice memos, podcasts, lectures |
| 192 kbps | ≈ 1.4 MB | Everyday listening (default) |
| 256 kbps | ≈ 1.9 MB | Music |
| 320 kbps | ≈ 2.4 MB | Music demos, DJ sets, archiving for listening |
Typical uses
- Sending demos to a band, a label or a client by email or messaging.
- Publishing podcasts — hosting platforms usually expect MP3.
- Putting recordings on a phone or a USB stick for the car.
- Saving space on a large library of voice recordings or field recordings.
Common problems
- The MP3 sounds slightly different from the WAV. At 128 kbps, cymbals and reverb tails can lose detail. Use 256 or 320 kbps for music.
- Large 24-bit or multichannel WAVs. These are accepted up to 1 GB per file; very long recordings convert faster on a computer.
Related tools
- Need to go back to WAV for an editor? Use MP3 to WAV — but note it can’t restore the detail MP3 removed.
- Other source formats: M4A to MP3, FLAC to MP3, or the all-in-one audio converter.
- Cut silence at the start or end with Trim audio.
The conversion is done by FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly, inside your browser — no upload, no account, no limit on the number of files.