How to open .WAV files on Mac
To open .WAV files on Mac, double-click the WAV file to open it with QuickTime Player.
Step-by-step instructions
- Double-click the WAV file to open it with QuickTime Player.
- Use professional software like Logic Pro for editing.
Recommended software
- QuickTime Player (built in)
- Music app (built in)
- Audacity (free)
Common issues
WAV file is too large
WAV files are uncompressed and can be very large, making them difficult to share.
- Convert the WAV file to a compressed format like MP3 using a converter tool.
- Use cloud storage services to share large files.
WAV file won't play
Some media players may not support WAV files or specific codecs within them.
- Ensure your media player is updated to the latest version.
- Try using a universal media player like VLC.
The WAV file is huge or will not play on a device or in an app
WAV is uncompressed, so files are large, and some players do not support 24-bit or 32-bit float WAV files.
- Open it in VLC, which plays almost every WAV variant.
- To shrink it, export it as MP3 (small) or FLAC (lossless) with Audacity (free).
- For devices that refuse it, export a 16-bit, 44.1 kHz WAV from Audacity.
Still can’t open your .WAV file?
Recover a deleted or lost .WAV 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.
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 RecoveritWindows and Mac software that recovers deleted or lost files from computers and external drives such as HDDs, SSDs, USB drives and SD cards.
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Security note
Large WAV files can quickly consume storage and bandwidth.