Launching November 2026

WAV to MP3 converter

WAV files are huge because nothing in them is compressed. Pick one and get an MP3 that sounds almost the same at a fraction of the size, encoded on your own computer.

Convert a fileSee pricing

Make an MP3 from a WAV

WAV to MP3, in your browser

Drop a file here or choose one. It stays on this device. Up to 500 MB and 2 hours of sound.

Your browser does the conversion. Open your browser’s network tab while converting to check that the file is not uploaded.

The MP3 encoder is lamejs, open source under the LGPL. See open-source licenses.

The WAV never leaves your device. Decoding and encoding both run in this tab, no account is needed, and no part of the audio reaches Textspert.

How much smaller the MP3 is

Sizes follow from the bitrates; real files add a few KB of headers.
One minute of audioApproximate size
WAV, CD quality (16-bit, 44.1 kHz, stereo)About 10.6 MB
WAV, 24-bit, 48 kHz, stereoAbout 17.3 MB
MP3 from this converter (128 kbps)About 1 MB

A 40-minute interview takes about 420 MB as a CD-quality WAV and roughly 38 MB as an MP3. That’s the difference between a file that bounces off an email size limit and one you can attach.

Where WAV files come from

Handheld field recorders, audio interfaces, podcast mixers and most audio editors save WAV by default, because it keeps every sample untouched. The price is size. One afternoon of interviews can fill a memory card, and nobody wants that as an attachment.

It’s also one of the safest conversions to do on your own machine. Raw interview tape often holds things you wouldn’t want on a stranger’s server, and here it never goes near one.

When to keep the WAV

MP3 throws away sound you’re unlikely to hear, and you can’t get it back. Keep the original WAV if you’ll edit, mix or master the audio later, or if it’s your archive copy. Make the MP3 for listening, sharing and anyone who doesn’t need the raw file.

  • Podcast raw tracks: keep the WAV for editing, share MP3 previews.
  • Interview recordings: keep the WAV as your record, send MP3 to a colleague.
  • Voice-over takes: send MP3 for approval, deliver the final in the format the client asked for.

Converting WAV to MP3, step by step

  1. Choose the WAV

    Pick or drop a file up to 500 MB. 16-bit and 24-bit WAV both work.

  2. Wait for the encoder

    The bar fills as the MP3 is written. Mono stays mono and stereo stays stereo.

  3. Download the MP3

    It’s 128 kbps at 44.1 kHz and keeps your file name.

Very large WAV files

The cap is 500 MB, because the browser holds the decoded sound in memory and decoded audio takes more room than the file on disk. A CD-quality WAV reaches that size at around 47 minutes. Split longer sessions in your recorder or editor first.

For text, skip the conversion. Textspert takes WAV uploads as they are. MP3 to text covers WAV too, and interview transcription deals with long recorded conversations.

Want a transcript of the recording?

Launching November 2026

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WAV to MP3 questions

Will I hear a difference?

On speech, almost never. On music through good headphones, a trained ear may catch it at 128 kbps, so keep the WAV if that matters. Phone recordings are usually M4A, not WAV; those have their own M4A to MP3 page.

Does the converter upload my WAV?

No. Decoding and encoding both happen inside the browser tab on your computer.

Can I choose a higher bitrate?

Not yet. Every MP3 is 128 kbps, a good fit for voice and everyday listening.

What about FLAC or AIFF?

FLAC decodes in Chrome and Edge, so drag it onto this page and get an MP3. AIFF depends on the browser.

Can Textspert transcribe the WAV?

Yes. Upload it after creating a free account. Free files can be up to 60 minutes and 2 GB.

Does a 24-bit WAV keep its extra detail?

An MP3 is 16-bit sound at heart. The extra depth matters while you edit, not in a file made for listening.

Other tools for recordings

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