Video & audio converter
WAV to MP3 Converter
Make big WAV recordings easy to send: save them as high-quality MP3 (around 190 kbps), often about 7 times smaller. Free, with no sign-up.
Tested by Thiago · Updated
Free, no sign-up · Sent over HTTPS · Files are deleted from our server automatically after 30 minutes
How to convert WAV to MP3
- Add your files: drag them into the box above, or click "Choose files".
- Click "Convert to MP3" and wait a few seconds while we process them.
- Download your MP3 files. Uploaded files are deleted right away, and converted files are removed from our server after 30 minutes.
Why convert WAV to MP3?
WAV recordings sound great but take a lot of space, around 10 MB per minute. Converting WAV to MP3 shrinks them to roughly a tenth of the size while keeping the sound clear, so they are easy to email, upload or keep on your phone.
- Your recording is too big to send or upload.
- You want to put your songs, voice-overs or podcasts on a phone or website.
- You are sharing demos with other people and want small files that play anywhere.
What we got when we shrank four recordings
We converted three songs and one spoken recording, all stereo WAVs, using the same setting this page uses. The MP3s came out 8 to 11 times smaller. Measured per minute of audio, they took between 1.0 and 1.3 MB.
The setting is variable bitrate: the encoder spends more data on dense passages, like a full band with cymbals, and less on simple ones. That is why speech and quiet acoustic music give the smallest files, and why two songs of the same length rarely end up with exactly the same size.
A mono WAV, which is what many voice recorders and microphones produce, stays mono. Our mono voice tests averaged around 90 kbps, roughly 0.7 MB per minute, which makes a ten-minute interview easy to attach to an email.
How long a WAV fits in one upload
Each file can be up to 100 MB. Because WAV has no compression, the length that fits depends on its format:
- 16-bit stereo at 44.1 kHz (CD quality): about 9 minutes 54 seconds.
- 16-bit stereo at 48 kHz (common in cameras and video work): about 9 minutes.
- 24-bit stereo at 48 kHz (common in home studios): about 6 minutes.
- 16-bit mono at 44.1 kHz (typical voice recorder): about 19 minutes 49 seconds.
Tips for the best result
- We use high-quality variable bitrate (usually about 130 to 175 kbps), clear for music and voice.
- Keep your original WAV as the master copy, especially if you might edit it again.
- For podcasts with only voice, MP3 at this quality already sounds excellent.
- Recorded in 24-bit? You do not need to change anything: the converter reads it directly, and the MP3 does not keep bit depth anyway.
About these formats
WAV: An uncompressed audio format with full quality. Files are large, which makes WAV the usual choice for editing and music production.
MP3: The most popular audio format. It compresses sound to a small size while keeping good quality, and it plays on any device.
Frequently asked questions
How much smaller is MP3 than WAV?
Usually about 8 to 10 times smaller at the quality we use.
Will my audio lose quality?
MP3 removes sounds most people cannot hear. At the usual 130 to 175 kbps the difference is hard to notice.
Are 24-bit or high sample rate WAVs supported?
Yes, WAV files of common bit depths and sample rates can be converted.
Can I choose 320 kbps?
No. Every file gets the same high-quality variable setting, which in our tests averaged well under 200 kbps. A 320 kbps MP3 would be about twice as large without a difference most listeners can hear.
My WAV recording is longer than the limit. What can I do?
Export it in parts from your recorder or editor, for example in 9-minute sections at CD quality, and convert each part. You can upload several files in one batch.