AIFF file format (.aiff)
Uncompressed Apple audio, the Mac counterpart to WAV.
Last updated
What is an AIFF file?
In short: An AIFF file (.aiff) is an audio file in the AIFF format. AIFF is Apple's uncompressed audio format, and it is essentially WAV with the bytes in the opposite order. It can be converted to MP3, WAV or FLAC for free in a web browser with iHateFiles, without uploading it.
Created by Apple in 1988, based on Electronic Arts' Interchange File Format.
AIFF is Apple's uncompressed audio format, and it is essentially WAV with the bytes in the opposite order. It stores raw samples at full quality and is the traditional working format in Mac-based recording studios.
What AIFF is good at
- Completely lossless
- Better metadata support than WAV
- The native uncompressed format on macOS
Where AIFF falls short
- As large as WAV, around 10 MB a minute
- Less universally supported than WAV
- No advantage over WAV outside Apple software
When to use AIFF
Use AIFF when working in Logic or another Mac audio application that prefers it. WAV is the safer interchange choice.
How to open a AIFF file
macOS, professional audio software, and most desktop players.
| Windows | VLC or foobar2000. Windows Media Player will usually refuse it. |
|---|---|
| macOS | Opens natively in Music and QuickTime — it is Apple’s own uncompressed format. |
| Linux | VLC, Audacity and most players read it. |
| Phone | Plays on iOS natively. Android needs VLC. |
| In a browser | Safari plays AIFF. Chrome and Firefox often will not. |
The thing that usually goes wrong
AIFF and WAV are the same audio at the same size; only the byte order and metadata differ. Converting between them changes nothing you can hear.
Questions
What is a AIFF file?
Uncompressed Apple audio, the Mac counterpart to WAV. Files use the .aiff extension.
How do I open a AIFF file?
Most audio software opens AIFF directly. If yours does not, convert it here to something more common. It takes a few seconds and nothing is uploaded.
Can I convert AIFF for free?
Yes. Every conversion here is free and unlimited, because your own device does the work rather than a server we have to pay for.
Is AIFF lossless?
Yes. AIFF stores every sample exactly, at the cost of a larger file.