How to Change M4A to WAV on Android

M4A is AAC audio wrapped in an MPEG-4 container, used by iPhone Voice Memos and many downloads. Drop your M4A below to save it as a WAV, trimming it on the waveform first if you want. It all happens on your Android phone.

Drop an audio file here

MP3, WAV, M4A, OGG, FLAC… · nothing is uploaded

Trimmed on your device. Your audio is never uploaded.

The steps: Change M4A to WAV on Android

  1. 1

    Open this page in Chrome (or another browser) on your Android phone or tablet.

  2. 2

    Tap the box above. Android's file picker opens – look under Images, Recent or Browse to reach Gallery, Downloads or Google Drive.

  3. 3

    The full track is selected to start with. Only drag the waveform handles if you want to shorten it.

  4. 4

    Pick WAV as the format, then download. Tap Download. The file goes into your Download folder – open it from Files by Google or Chrome's downloads list.

What changes going from M4A to WAV

  • Because WAV is uncompressed, the file will be far larger than the M4A (roughly 10 MB per minute of stereo), and that's expected.
  • A WAV can't add detail the M4A never had, but editors and DAWs open it without any decoding trouble.

M4A and WAV in brief

  • M4A is AAC audio wrapped in an MPEG-4 container, used by iPhone Voice Memos and many downloads. Some Windows programs, older MP3 players, car stereos and upload forms reject it.
  • WAV is raw, uncompressed audio: perfect quality, but around 10 MB for every minute of stereo. Editors, DAWs and some upload forms want WAV.

Android phone tips

  • Once converted audio is in Downloads, music apps can see it. To make an MP3 your ringtone, add it under Settings › Sound › Ringtone › (+).
  • Skipping a Play Store app means no extra permissions, no in-app ads and no storage used up.
  • Decoding uses your browser's own audio support. If one browser can't open the file, try Chrome or Firefox.

M4A vs WAV

M4AWAV
CompressionLossy (AAC) or lossless (ALAC)None (PCM)
Ideal forVoice memos and Apple devicesEditing, mixing and sound effects
Works onApple devices and most browsers; uneven on older playersEverywhere on computers

Questions & answers

Will M4A to WAV make it sound worse?

No. WAV is uncompressed, so nothing more is lost.

Can I trim the audio while I'm at it?

Yes. Drag the start and end handles on the waveform, play it back, and add a fade in or fade out if you like.

Do my recordings get sent anywhere?

No. Your browser does the conversion with your device's own processor, so your recordings stay with you. Once the page has loaded you could even switch off your internet connection.

Where do I find the converted file on my Android phone?

Tap Download. The file goes into your Download folder – open it from Files by Google or Chrome's downloads list.

Need more options? Open the full Audio Trimmer tool →

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