.WAX file extension

To open .WAX files on Windows, double-click the .wax file to open it in Windows Media Player.

To open a .wax file, use Windows Media Player on Windows (it is a Windows Media Audio Redirector/Windows Media Metafile). If it won’t play, the .wax likely points to a missing or unreachable .wma stream or file.

Home Extension Index Audio in index Audio category page

Last updated: October 13, 2026

Open on your device

Choose your operating system for a dedicated step-by-step opening guide.

How to open .WAX files

Use these platform-specific instructions to open .WAX files safely.

Windows

Double-click the .wax file to open it in Windows Media Player.
If it opens but does not play, open Windows Media Player first and use File/Open (or drag-and-drop) to load the .wax, then verify the referenced media is reachable.

Full Windows guide

Mac

If you received a .wax file, treat it as a Windows Media redirector; macOS typically won’t handle it natively.
Open it on a Windows PC with Windows Media Player, or ask for the actual audio file (for example, the referenced .wma) instead of the .wax redirector.

Full Mac guide

Linux

A .wax file is a Windows Media redirector; Linux players may not support it directly.
Open it on Windows with Windows Media Player, or request the underlying audio file/URL the .wax points to.

Full Linux guide

iOS

.wax is a Windows Media redirector; use a Windows PC to open it in Windows Media Player or obtain the referenced audio file instead.

Full iOS guide

Android

.wax is a Windows Media redirector; use a Windows PC to open it in Windows Media Player or obtain the referenced audio file instead.

Full Android guide

Security notes

.wax files are redirector/metafiles that can point a player to external media locations; be cautious with .wax from untrusted sources because it may reference unexpected remote content.
Because .wax can reference network/streaming locations, opening one may initiate network access in the media player; only open redirector files from sources you trust.
A .wax is not typically an audio payload itself; if you were expecting an audio file attachment, verify what the .wax actually references before sharing or relying on it.

Can't open this file?

These are the most common causes and fixes when .WAX files fail to open.

Common reasons

The file opens but nothing plays
It opens in the wrong app
The .wax file is not the audio you expected

Fix steps

Confirm you’re opening the .wax in Windows Media Player (the expected player for this format).
If you control the content, locate the actual .wma (or stream URL) the .wax references and make sure it still exists and is accessible.
Ask the sender to provide the real audio file (e.g., the .wma) rather than the .wax redirector.

Recover a deleted or lost .WAX file

If the file was deleted by mistake or the drive was formatted, data recovery software may be able to get it back. Stop writing to that drive right away, because new data can overwrite what you want to recover.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery

Windows software that recovers deleted or lost files from PCs and external drives such as HDDs, SSDs, USB drives and memory cards, after deletion, formatting or a crash.

Wondershare Recoverit

Windows and Mac software that recovers deleted or lost files from computers and external drives such as HDDs, SSDs, USB drives and SD cards.

We may earn a commission when you use affiliate links. This supports our free file extension guides.

OS-specific troubleshooting

What is a .WAX file?

A .wax file is a Windows Media metafile that references Windows Media Audio (commonly .wma) rather than embedding the audio. Windows Media Player uses it like a shortcut/playlist entry to locate and play the referenced audio. Microsoft documentation maps .wax to the MIME type audio/x-ms-wax.

Background

WAX is one of the Windows Media metafile types documented by Microsoft and associated with Windows Media Player. In practice, it acts as a redirector: the file contains instructions/links that point the player to Windows Media content (often Windows Media Audio, .wma).

Common MIME types: audio/x-ms-wax

Common .WAX issues

The file opens but nothing plays

A .wax is a redirector/metafile; if the referenced .wma (or stream) is missing, moved, or unreachable, playback will fail.

Confirm you’re opening the .wax in Windows Media Player (the expected player for this format).
If you control the content, locate the actual .wma (or stream URL) the .wax references and make sure it still exists and is accessible.
Ask the sender to provide the real audio file (e.g., the .wma) rather than the .wax redirector.

It opens in the wrong app

File associations may be set incorrectly, so double-clicking launches an editor or another media app that doesn’t understand Windows Media metafiles.

Right-click the .wax file → Open with → Windows Media Player.
Optionally set Windows Media Player as the default for .wax so future opens go to the correct application.

The .wax file is not the audio you expected

Some users assume .wax contains music, but it commonly just points to Windows Media Audio (such as .wma).

Treat the .wax as a pointer/shortcut, not an audio recording.
Request the actual audio (.wma) or the direct source the .wax points to if you need a portable audio file.

FAQ

Is a .wax file an audio file?

Usually no. Microsoft describes .wax as a Windows Media Metafile/Windows Media Audio Redirector that references Windows Media Audio (such as .wma) rather than containing the audio itself.

What program opens .wax files?

Windows Media Player is the primary program associated with .wax (Windows Media metafile/redirector).