What is a .caf file?
Core Audio Format · Audio · Apple · 2005
A .caf file is Apple's Core Audio Format, a flexible container that can hold many kinds of audio with no practical size limit. It is used on macOS and iOS for high-quality and long recordings.
What is a .caf file used for?
CAF files start with the marker caff. Unlike WAV, which is capped at 4 GB, CAF can store enormous recordings, and it can wrap many codecs, from uncompressed PCM to AAC or Apple Lossless.
It is mostly seen in Apple audio workflows and game sound. VLC and Apple's tools open it; convert to WAV or MP3 for other software.
How to open a .caf file
The .caf format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to open a .caf file.
Windows
- VLC
- foobar2000 (plugin)
macOS
- QuickTime
- Logic Pro
- VLC
Linux
- VLC
- ffmpeg
How to convert a .caf file
You can convert a .caf file to wav, aiff, mp3 using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
.caf file signature (magic bytes)
Programs recognise a .caf file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for CAF. For a full breakdown, see the CAF file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 63 61 66 66 | 0 | 'caff' |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .caf file?
A .caf file is Apple's Core Audio Format, a flexible container that can hold many kinds of audio with no practical size limit. It is used on macOS and iOS for high-quality and long recordings.
How do I open a .caf file?
On a Mac, QuickTime plays it. On any system, VLC opens it; convert to WAV or MP3 with ffmpeg for other apps.
Why does CAF exist when there is WAV?
WAV is limited to 4 GB and to certain codecs. CAF removes the size limit and can carry many codecs, which suits long or high-quality Apple recordings.
How do I convert CAF to MP3?
Use VLC's convert feature or ffmpeg (ffmpeg -i sound.caf sound.mp3).
Related formats
Sources
Details on this page were checked against authoritative references: