How to Change M4A to WAV on Mac
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 Mac.
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 Mac
- 1
Open this page in Safari, Chrome or Firefox on your Mac.
- 2
Drag the file out of Finder onto the box above, or click the box to choose it.
- 3
The full track is selected to start with. Only drag the waveform handles if you want to shorten it.
- 4
Pick WAV as the format, then download. Click Download. You'll find the file in your Downloads folder (in Finder or on the Dock).
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.
Mac tips
- It runs the same on Apple silicon and Intel Macs, with nothing to get from the App Store.
- Decoding uses your browser's own audio support. If one browser can't open the file, try Chrome or Firefox.
M4A vs WAV
| M4A | WAV | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy (AAC) or lossless (ALAC) | None (PCM) |
| Ideal for | Voice memos and Apple devices | Editing, mixing and sound effects |
| Works on | Apple devices and most browsers; uneven on older players | Everywhere 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 Mac?
Click Download. You'll find the file in your Downloads folder (in Finder or on the Dock).
Need more options? Open the full Audio Trimmer tool →