Audio Converter

An audio converter changes a file from one audio format to another — for example, turning a high-quality WAV recording into a smaller MP3, or pulling the sound out of an MP4 video and saving it as an audio-only file. The reasons are practical: a podcast host may only accept MP3, an old car stereo can't read FLAC, an email attachment is too large at its original size, or a transcription service needs M4A. iFormat.io's online audio file converter handles every common format pair without installing software or signing up.

Supported audio formats

iFormat supports the full set of formats you'll meet in the wild — both lossy (smaller files, irreversible compression) and lossless (perfect quality, larger files):

• MP3 — universally compatible, ideal for podcasts and casual music listening.
• WAV — uncompressed, CD-quality, best for editing and archival.
• FLAC — lossless compression, about half the size of WAV with identical quality.
• AAC / M4A — better quality-to-size ratio than MP3, used by Apple and streaming services.
• OGG Vorbis — open-source MP3 alternative, common in games and open ecosystems.
• OPUS — modern codec, the best quality at very low bitrates (used by WhatsApp, Discord).
• WMA — Microsoft's legacy format, still found in older Windows libraries.
• AIFF — Apple's uncompressed format, equivalent to WAV.

How to choose the right output format

The right format depends entirely on what you're doing with the file:

• MP3 at 192 kbps — safe default for anything that needs to "just play everywhere".
• WAV or FLAC — when you'll edit the audio later, master a track, or archive an original recording.
• AAC / M4A — when you're staying inside the Apple ecosystem or care about quality at a smaller bitrate.
• OPUS — when bandwidth is tight (voice notes, low-bitrate streaming) and you control playback.

Need to make MP3 specifically? Use the focused MP3 Converter — it surfaces every supported source format and the right bitrate defaults for voice or music.

Quality settings that actually matter

Three numbers control output quality:

• Bitrate (kbps) — how many bits of data per second of audio. Higher = better fidelity, larger file. For MP3: 320 kbps is near-CD quality, 192 kbps is a good universal default, 128 kbps is acceptable for voice.
• Sample rate (kHz) — how often the audio is sampled per second. 44.1 kHz is CD standard; 48 kHz is video standard. Higher sample rates only help if your source has the detail to preserve.
• Channels — mono (one channel, half the size) for voice-only content, stereo (two channels) for music.

Converting from a lossy source (like MP3) to another lossy format always loses a little quality — there's no way around it. Whenever possible, convert from the highest-quality source you have access to.

Common conversion workflows

The most-requested conversions on iFormat:

• Podcast prep — record in WAV, convert master to MP3 at 96-128 kbps mono for distribution.
• Music library migration — convert FLAC archives to MP3 at 256-320 kbps for car stereos and older players.
• Voice memo cleanup — M4A to MP3 so transcription tools and editors accept the file.
• Email attachment trimming — drop bitrate or switch from lossless to MP3 to fit inside 25 MB Gmail limits.
• Extracting audio from video — use MP4 to MP3 to pull a soundtrack or interview audio from a video file.
• Format-specific converters — direct paths for WAV to MP3, FLAC to MP3, OGG to MP3, and WMA to MP3.

Privacy and file handling

All audio uploads use encrypted HTTPS. Files are processed on iFormat's servers and automatically deleted after conversion completes — typically within minutes, always within 24 hours. We never inspect, share, or retain your audio content. The free plan supports files up to the standard daily limit; paid plans extend file size, batch processing, and queue priority.

How to convert audio files

1. Upload your audio file (or video, if you want to extract the audio track) using drag-and-drop or the file browser.
2. Pick the output format from the dropdown — MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, OGG, OPUS, M4A, WMA, or AIFF.
3. Optionally adjust bitrate, sample rate, or channels if the defaults don't match your use case.
4. Click Convert and download the result. The page will show the new file size so you can verify it fits your upload target.