Waveform Audio File Format (.wav)

A WAV file, short for Waveform Audio File Format, serves as a container for digital audio. It stores segments of sound data and has become the standard audio format for personal computers. WAV files can contain songs, interviews, voice memos, or any other type of digital audio content. You can play WAV files using most media players on Windows, macOS, and other operating systems. The WAVE format is based on the Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF), which acts as a versatile container for both video and audio data.

WAV files specifically contain audio content and may store either compressed or uncompressed audio. Audio professionals, like music producers and radio broadcasters, often save high-quality recordings as uncompressed WAV files. Keep in mind that these uncompressed files can be large due to their lack of compression. To reduce file size for internet sharing, most WAV files are compressed, affecting both their size and audio quality.