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WMA WAV
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Convert WMA to WAV

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Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Jul 8, 2026
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Is it possible to convert WMA to WAV?
Yes - WMA converts to WAV.

You can do it right here with our free converter - no sign-up, and your file is deleted right after.

Upload your .wma file to the converter above and download the result as .wav - it is free and your file is deleted after converting. The key caveat is that WAV cannot restore quality the original WMA encoding already discarded; you get the same audio stored uncompressed, not better audio.

Also to WAV: PCM · GSM · WV

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Sep 2026

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Why convert WMA to WAV?

WAV is the standard uncompressed PCM format required by audio editors, DAWs, and broadcast or archiving pipelines that reject compressed input like .WMA. Converting to WAV makes WMA files compatible with those tools and avoids re-encoding losses when editing. It is not useful for casual playback - WAV files are much larger than WMA with no audible benefit on standard speakers.

How to convert WMA to WAV

VLC media player FREE

Open Media > Convert/Save, add your .wma file, select an Audio - WAV profile, and click Start.

Audacity FREE

Install the FFmpeg library, import your .wma file, then use File > Export > Export as WAV to save uncompressed PCM.

fre:ac FREE

Add your .wma file, set the output encoder to WAV/PCM, and click Convert - free and open-source.

Command line - ffmpeg CLI

Run ffmpeg -i input.wma output.wav to decode WMA to uncompressed WAV.

Programs that convert WMA

Helium Music Manager
Magic FLAC to MP3 Converter
Adobe Soundbooth
Aimersoft DRM Media Converter for Windows
Any Audio Converter
FormatFactory
fre:ac
Free Mp3 Wma Converter

About these formats

.WMA Windows Media Audio

A WMA file is a compressed audio file in Microsoft's Windows Media Audio format. On Windows it plays in the built-in Media Player without any setup; on Mac, Android, or iOS use the free VLC…

Open .WMA details →
.WAV Waveform Audio File Format

A WAV file is an uncompressed digital audio file introduced by Microsoft and IBM in 1991. Double-click one and it plays in Windows Media Player, macOS Music/QuickTime, or VLC on any system.…

Open .WAV details →

Quality & what to watch

  • Converting WMA to WAV does not restore quality - WAV stores exactly what the WMA decoder outputs, and any quality the original WMA encoding discarded is permanently gone.
  • WAV files are significantly larger than WMA: a 1-minute WMA at 128 kbps is roughly 1 MB, while the equivalent 16-bit 44.1 kHz WAV is about 10 MB.
  • DRM-protected .wma files from old music stores or library services cannot be converted - standard tools like VLC and Audacity will refuse them.

Frequently asked questions

Does converting WMA to WAV improve audio quality?
No. WAV stores the decoded output of the WMA codec and cannot recover data the original encoding discarded. The audio sounds identical to the WMA on playback.
Why is the WAV file so much larger than the WMA?
WMA compresses audio to roughly 1 MB per minute at 128 kbps; WAV stores raw PCM samples, which come to about 10 MB per minute at 16-bit 44.1 kHz stereo.
Can I convert a DRM-protected WMA file?
No. DRM-locked .wma files are tied to the device or account that holds the licence, and standard tools will refuse to process them.
My converted WAV sounds distorted - what happened?
The distortion was already in the WMA, likely encoded at a very low bitrate or using the WMA Voice codec; WAV reveals what was already there and adds no distortion.