What is the AIF file format?
.aif is an audio file format - specifically the Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF), developed by Apple in 1988. The shorter .aif and the longer .aiff extension refer to the same format; .aif is the legacy three-character alias.
.aif files store uncompressed audio tracks using the Audio Interchange File Format encoding standard. The format stores data at CD quality and beyond: standard parameters are 16-bit depth at 44,100 Hz stereo (dual-channel), though the spec supports sample rates up to 192,000 Hz and higher bit depths. .aif files are in many ways similar to WAV files - both store uncompressed PCM audio - with the key distinction that AIF uses big-endian byte order while WAV is little-endian.
Files with the .aif extension are commonly found on macOS machines, where the format is natively supported by Core Audio, Logic Pro, GarageBand, and QuickTime Player. The format offers lossless audio quality, which makes it a good fit for professional audio editing applications and CD mastering workflows. One disadvantage is the large size of .aif files as a consequence of storing uncompressed audio - roughly 10 MB per minute of 16-bit stereo at 44.1 kHz. This makes the format impractical for distributing audio over the Internet. One compressed alternative is AIFC, though AIFC codec options that reduce size may sacrifice audio quality; a lossless alternative with much smaller files is FLAC.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWAIFF is a simple binary audio container with no executable code or macro support. No significant security risk from opening AIF files in standard players.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open AIF files
Windows6 apps
Audacity
Open-source File > Open - opens AIF for editing, viewing waveform, or export to other formats. 
macOS7 apps
QuickTime Player
Built-in Double-click the .aif file - opens and plays immediately. AIF is a native macOS format. 
Apple Music (Music.app)
Built-in Drag the .aif file into the Music library or double-click to add and play. 
Linux2 apps
Android1 app
Technical details
deep spec| Container | IFF (Interchange File Format); FORM chunk with `AIFF` type identifier at bytes 8-11 |
| Byte order | Big-endian (Motorola convention); distinguishes AIF from WAV, which is little-endian RIFF |
| PCM encoding | Uncompressed signed integer PCM; no lossy compression in standard AIFF |
| Supported bit depths | 8, 16, 24, and 32-bit integer; AIFF-C adds FL32 and FL64 floating-point variants |
| Sample rate storage | 10-byte (80-bit) IEEE 754 extended float in the COMM chunk; supports 8 Hz - 192,000 Hz |
| Required chunks | `COMM` (channels, sample frames, bit depth, sample rate) and `SSND` (raw PCM sample data) |
| Optional chunks | `MARK` (cue markers), `INST` (loop points and tuning), `MIDI`, `APPL`, `ID3` (embedded tags) |
| Magic bytes | `46 4F 52 4D` ("FORM") at offset 0; bytes 8-11: `41 49 46 46` ("AIFF") |
| Typical file size | ~10 MB/min at 16-bit 44.1 kHz stereo; ~34 MB/min at 24-bit 96 kHz stereo |
| Platform support | Native on macOS and iOS via Core Audio; Windows requires a codec such as iTunes or VLC |
| Relation to .aiff | `.aif` and `.aiff` are identical formats; `.aif` is the legacy 3-character alias |
| Compressed variant | AIFF-C (`.aifc`) adds a compressionType field in COMM; supports µ-law, A-law, FL32, and other codecs |
| Released | 1988 (Apple Computer, with the Macintosh) |
| Latest version | AIFF 1.3 (1989); AIFF-C (AIFF Compression, 1991) - both stable/frozen |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | www.mmsp.ece.mcgill.ca |
AIF conversions
Community Q&A
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