How to open a .wav file
Quick, free ways to open WAV on any system.
A .wav file is a Waveform Audio File Format. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads WAV yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.
Open a .wav file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .wav. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with Media Player or Audacity.
- On Mac, use Music or QuickTime.
- On Linux, try Audacity or VLC.
- Still stuck? Convert the .wav to MP3, which opens more widely.
Best apps to open .wav files
Windows
- Media Player
- Audacity
- VLC
macOS
- Music
- QuickTime
- Audacity
Linux
- Audacity
- VLC
Web
- Every browser
!
Before you open it: Safe. WAV is raw audio data.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open my .wav file?
Almost always because no installed app understands WAV. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.
Why is my WAV file so large?
WAV is uncompressed, so it stores every sample in full. Convert to FLAC for lossless-but-smaller, or MP3 for much smaller lossy files.