How to Convert Audio Files to AIFF

AIFF is an uncompressed audio format that is widely used on Apple systems and in audio editing software. Converting a recording to AIFF is useful when an editor, sampler or other tool requires it. This guide covers four local ways to convert a file and explains how to confirm the result.

Before you start

• Find out the format, sample rate and bit depth of your source file. On macOS you can see these with Get Info. On Windows they are under Properties > Details. Your audio editor can also show them.
• Keep the original file. Each method below creates a new copy, but working from a backup makes it easy to undo mistakes.
• Check your free disk space. AIFF is usually uncompressed, so an AIFF file can be many times larger than an MP3 or AAC file of the same length.
• Check whether the file has copy protection. Older purchases with DRM protection may not convert in any of these tools.

Converting to AIFF does not improve quality. If the source is a lossy MP3 or AAC file, the AIFF copy keeps exactly the same quality in a larger file. The conversion also does not remove background noise or fix a recording that was made with a low input level. Those problems have to be fixed in an editor or by recording again.

Every method in this guide runs on your own computer. Online converters also exist, but they upload your file to a server. If the recording is private, read the service's own statement about how it stores and deletes uploaded files before you use it. Do not assume the file is deleted right away.

Step-by-step instructions

Option 1: Music app on macOS

• Open Music and go to Music > Settings. On older macOS versions this menu is called Preferences.
• Open the Files tab and click Import Settings.
• Set Import Using to AIFF Encoder. Choose a setting that matches your source, or use Custom to set the sample rate and channels yourself.
• Select the songs in your library that you want to convert.
• Choose File > Convert > Create AIFF Version. The AIFF copies appear in your library next to the originals.
• Change the import setting back afterwards if you do not want AIFF to be used for future imports and CD rips.

iTunes on Windows has a similar Import Settings option, but the menu names differ between versions.

Option 2: Audacity (Windows, macOS, Linux)

• Open the source file in Audacity.
• Check that the project sample rate matches the source file. If they differ, Audacity resamples the audio when you export.
• Open the export command from the File menu. Recent versions call it Export Audio. Older versions put it under File > Export.
• Set the format or file type to AIFF.
• Choose an encoding. Signed 16-bit PCM suits CD-quality sources. Signed 24-bit PCM suits recordings made at 24-bit.
• Pick a file name and folder, edit the metadata if you want, and export.

Option 3: afconvert in the macOS Terminal

macOS includes a command-line converter called afconvert. To make a 16-bit AIFF, run: afconvert -f AIFF -d BEI16 input.m4a output.aiff. To make a 24-bit file, use BEI24 instead of BEI16. The original file is left unchanged.

Option 4: FFmpeg (Windows, macOS, Linux)

FFmpeg is a free command-line tool that converts almost any audio format. The basic command is: ffmpeg -i input.mp3 output.aiff. By default this produces 16-bit PCM. To keep 24-bit audio, add -c:a pcm_s24be before the output name. To set a specific sample rate, add an option such as -ar 48000. Leave the sample rate unchanged unless your target software requires a different one. Raising it does not add detail.

To convert every WAV file in a folder on macOS or Linux, run: for f in .wav; do ffmpeg -i "$f" "${f%.}.aiff"; done. To keep tags such as title and artist, add -write_id3v2 1. Be aware that not every application reads tags stored in AIFF files.

Check the output

• Play the new file from start to finish, or at least check the beginning, the middle and the end. It should play without gaps, distortion or changes in speed.
• Compare its duration with the original. They should match.
• Check the sample rate, bit depth and channel count in Get Info, Properties or your editor. If you use FFmpeg, run ffprobe output.aiff and look for pcm_s16be or pcm_s24be along with the sample rate.
• Check the file size. An AIFF made from a compressed source should be much larger. A small AIFF file may use compression (the AIFF-C variant), which some tools do not accept.
• Open the file in the application that needs it before you delete or move the original.

Common problems and next steps

• Create AIFF Version is missing in Music: the import setting is not set to AIFF Encoder. Change it as shown in Option 1. Files that are protected or stored only in the cloud may also be impossible to convert.
• The command says ffmpeg is not found: FFmpeg is not installed, or its folder is not on your system PATH. Install it, or run it using its full path.
• A video editor or audio workstation reports a sample rate mismatch: convert again with the sample rate the project uses, for example -ar 48000 in FFmpeg. You can also change the project sample rate instead.
• Titles or artwork are missing after conversion: AIFF tag support varies between applications. Add the tags again in the app you use, or keep the original file as your tagged master copy.
• The file sounds clipped or noisy: conversion does not change audio levels, so the problem is in the source file. Fix it in an editor, or record again. When recording, check the input device and input level, and listen through your output device.