Convert M4A to WAV, Free
Files convert instantly in your browser. 100% private, any file size, no account needed.
Drop your M4A file here
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Conversion runs entirely in your browser. Your file never leaves your device.
How to convert M4A to WAV
M4A files store AAC-encoded audio inside an MPEG-4 container. AAC is a lossy format, so an M4A file is a compressed version of the original audio. Converting M4A to WAV produces an uncompressed PCM file, which is what professional audio software, video editors, and audio hardware interfaces typically require as input. The WAV file will be bit-exact to what the AAC decoder produces, though the original lossy compression cannot be undone.
This converter runs in your browser using WebAssembly. Your M4A file, which may contain voice memos, music, or interview recordings, never leaves your device. The output WAV file will be uncompressed and therefore significantly larger than the source M4A, since WAV stores every audio sample without compression.
Upload the M4A file
Drop your .m4a file onto the converter. M4A files are common outputs from iPhones (Voice Memos app), GarageBand, iTunes, and various recording apps.
Choose output settings
Select the sample rate (typically 44,100 Hz for music and voice, 48,000 Hz for video production) and bit depth (16-bit is standard; 24-bit if your target software requires it).
Convert in browser
WebAssembly decodes the AAC stream and writes uncompressed WAV samples. The file is processed locally; no data is sent to a server.
Download the WAV
Save the resulting WAV. A 5-minute M4A at 128 kbps (about 5 MB) will become roughly 50 MB as a 44,100 Hz 16-bit stereo WAV.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the WAV file so much larger than the M4A?
M4A uses AAC compression, which discards audio data to shrink the file. WAV stores every sample without compression. A typical compression ratio is 10:1, so a 10 MB M4A becomes about 100 MB as WAV. Both files sound the same because the quality was already set by the AAC encoding.
Will the WAV have better audio quality than the M4A?
No. Converting from a lossy format like AAC to WAV does not recover the audio data discarded during AAC encoding. The WAV is an exact uncompressed representation of the M4A's audio, no better and no worse.
Is my M4A uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion happens entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. The file never leaves your device.
Why does my video editing software refuse to import M4A directly?
Some video editors, especially older versions and professional tools like Avid Media Composer, do not support AAC or M4A containers as timeline audio. They require WAV or AIFF with uncompressed PCM. Converting to WAV resolves this.
Can I convert an M4P (DRM-protected) file?
No. M4P files purchased from the iTunes Store before 2009 are DRM-protected and cannot be decoded by this converter. Only unprotected M4A files can be converted.