What is the ZVR file format?
A .zvr file is a SAFA Audio Recording File - a proprietary compressed audio format produced by SAFA Media, a South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer. .zvr files are created directly by SAFA portable digital voice recorders, most notably the SRM-series devices such as the SRM520.
The format is optimized entirely for voice recording: audio is encoded at 32 kbps, 8 kHz, mono - settings that keep file sizes small enough for hours of continuous recording while remaining adequate for speech intelligibility. At this specification, hours of audio can be stored in under 10 MB. The internal container structure and encoding algorithm are proprietary and have not been publicly documented by SAFA Media.
.zvr files cannot be played back by most audio software without conversion. The primary workflow is to transfer files from the recorder to a Windows PC and convert them to .wav using the ZVR Converter utility. VLC media player can sometimes handle the format directly, and Windows Media Player can play .zvr files if the appropriate SAFA codec is installed.
SAFA Media has substantially wound down its consumer electronics business, and software support for .zvr has not kept pace with modern operating systems. Users with legacy .zvr archives are generally advised to batch-convert to WAV or .mp3 for long-term preservation, as SAFA-specific tooling may not remain functional on future Windows versions.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWAudio data file from a hardware device; no known malware vector.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open ZVR files
Windows3 apps
Windows Media Player
Built-in Requires the SAFA ZVR codec to be installed first; play the file once codec is present. 
VLC media player
Open-source Try opening in VLC (Media > Open File); playback success is not guaranteed without the proprietary codec. 
ZVR Converter
Free Install ZVR Converter (bundled on SAFA device CD or from device manufacturer), open ZVR file, export to WAV. Technical details
deep spec| Developer | SAFA Media (South Korea) |
| Source hardware | SAFA SRM-series portable digital voice recorders (e.g. SRM520) |
| Audio encoding | Proprietary compressed audio |
| Bit rate | 32 kbps |
| Sample rate | 8 kHz |
| Channels | Mono (voice-optimized) |
| Container | Proprietary SAFA binary container; internal structure not publicly documented |
| Typical file size | Under 10 MB (hours of voice audio at 8 kHz mono) |
| Platform | Windows (ZVR Converter, Windows Media Player with SAFA codec) |
| Primary use case | Voice recording on handheld devices; conversion to WAV for archiving |
| Conversion tool | ZVR Converter (Windows); VLC media player |
| Status | Legacy; SAFA Media has ceased most consumer product lines |
| Released | ~2005 (SAFA MP3/voice recorder devices) |
ZVR conversions
Community Q&A
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