What is a .wav file?

This extension has been used by more than one format

22 different formats have claimed .wav over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.

• Broadcast WAVEVersion 2 PCM Encoding · fmt/705
• Broadcast WAVEVersion 1 WAVEFORMATEXTENSIBLE Encoding · fmt/710
• Waveform Audio (WAVEFORMATEXTENSIBLE)No version recorded · fmt/143
• Exchangeable Image File Format (Audio)Version 2.2 · x-fmt/396
• Broadcast WAVEVersion 1 Generic · fmt/2
• Broadcast WAVEVersion 0 PCM Encoding · fmt/703
• Broadcast WAVEVersion 2 Generic · fmt/527
• Exchangeable Image File Format (Audio)Version 2.1 · x-fmt/389
• Broadcast WAVEVersion 0 Generic · fmt/1
• RF64 Multichannel Broadcast Wave formatNo version recorded · fmt/713
• Exchangeable Image File Format (Audio)Version 2.0 · x-fmt/397
• Broadcast WAVEVersion 1 MPEG Encoding · fmt/707
• Broadcast WAVEVersion 0 MPEG Encoding · fmt/706
• Broadcast WAVEVersion 1 PCM Encoding · fmt/704
• Broadcast WAVEVersion 0 WAVEFORMATEXTENSIBLE Encoding · fmt/709
• Sonic Foundry WAVE 64No version recorded · fmt/951
• Broadcast WAVEVersion 2 MPEG Encoding · fmt/708
• Broadcast WAVEVersion 2 WAVEFORMATEXTENSIBLE Encoding · fmt/711
• RF64No version recorded · fmt/712
• Waveform AudioNo version recorded · fmt/6
• Waveform Audio (PCMWAVEFORMAT)No version recorded · fmt/141
• Waveform Audio (WAVEFORMATEX)No version recorded · fmt/142

How to open a .wav file

• WindowsMedia Player
• WindowsVLC
• WindowsAudacity
• MacQuickTime
• MacMusic
• LinuxVLC
• LinuxAudacity

How to convert a .wav file

• Audacity or VLC will export it as .mp3 to save space.

MIME type

When a .wav file travels over the web, servers label it with this MIME type:

What's a MIME type?

The technical record

For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .wav.

Got another one?