Files with wav extension are audio files in the common PCM audio - Wave Form Audio format.

Detailed description

Software that open wav file

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WAV file extension - WAVe PCM Sound, standard Windows sound format

What is wav file? How to open wav files?

File type specification:

Audio and sound file type icon Audio and sound file type

Mobile ringtone file type icon Mobile ringtone file type

wav file icon: wav filetype icon

File extension wav is traditionally used for one of the most common audio files - WAV.

Windows uses the Wave Form Audio (WAV) file format to store sounds as waveforms. One minute of Pulse Code Modulation (PCM)-encoded sound can occupy as little as 644 kilobytes (KB) or as much as 27 megabytes (MB) of storage.

This size of the storage space depends on the sampling frequency, the type of sound (mono or stereo), and the number of bits that are used for the sample.

Similar to the AVI and ASF format, WAV is only a file container. Audio content that is compressed with a wide variety of codecs and that is stored in a wav file can be played back in Windows Media Player if the appropriate codecs are installed on the computer.

The most common audio codecs that are used in wav files include Microsoft Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation (MS ADPCM) and uncompressed Pulse Code Modulation (PCM).

MIME types:
application/x-wav
audio/wav
audio/x-wav

Updated: November 20, 2023

The default software associated to open wav file:

Media Player icon

Microsoft Corporation logoMedia Player  Microsoft Windows software

Company or developer:
Microsoft Corporation

Windows 11 default media player is called Media Player. Microsoft developed it for the latest Windows 11 operating system (OS). Media Player replaces the old Windows Media Player, Windows 10 Groove Music, and Microsoft Movies & TV. It was released to all Win11 users on February 15, 2022.

Microsoft Windows Media Player icon

Microsoft Corporation logoMicrosoft Windows Media Player  Microsoft Windows software

Company or developer:
Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft Windows Media Player is default multimedia player installed in Microsoft Windows. WMP can manage music, videos and pictures in computer, play or view them, sync them with portable devices, or burn them on CD/DVD media. It also supports home media sharing with other computers.

Apple iTunes for Windows icon

Apple, Inc. logoApple iTunes for Windows  Microsoft Windows software

Company or developer:
Apple, Inc.

A digital media application for playing and organizing digital music and video files. Also is used to manage Apple portable devices such as iPod, iPhone and iPad. iTunes has integrated iTunes Store service, where can users buy and download digital music, videos, applications for iOS devices, audiobooks, podcasts, ringtones etc. iTunes is distributed as a free software.

Related articles:

Best Music Players for Windows

Best music mixing software

Extract audio tracks from NRG disk image

Help how to open:

WAV format is supported by all current media players.

How to convert:

WAV format is supported by all modern audio converters.

Find conversions from wav file:

wav to als

wav to dwp

wav to fxp

wav to pcg

wav to rx2

wav to txt

wav to wem

Find converter to wav file type:

fxp to wav

mpdp to wav

nki to wav

rx2 to wav

sesx to wav

sf2 to wav

wpp to wav

File identification strings:

HEX code: 52 49 46 46
ASCII code: RIFF

Related links:

Homepage of Microsoft Windows Media and Microsoft Windows Media Player

List of software applications associated to the .wav file extension

Recommended software programs are sorted by OS platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android etc.)
and possible program actions that can be done with the file: like open wav file, edit wav file, convert wav file, view wav file, play wav file etc. (if exist software for corresponding action in File-Extensions.org's database).

Hint:
Click on the tab below to simply browse between the application actions, to quickly get a list of recommended software, which is able to perform the specified software action, such as opening, editing or converting wav files.

Software that open wav file - WAVe PCM Sound, standard Windows sound format

Programs supporting the exension wav on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile. Click on the link to get more information about listed programs for open wav file action.

Apple macOS / Mac OS X:

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