How to Convert MP3 to WAV on a Mac

macOS can convert MP3 to WAV without any paid software. Here are three free ways, starting with the simplest. (On a PC? See how to convert MP3 to WAV on Windows instead.)

Method 1: Use your browser (no install)

Works in Safari, Chrome and Firefox on any Mac.

1. Open our MP3 to WAV converter.
2. Drag MP3 files from Finder onto the drop area, or click Select MP3 files.
3. Each file converts on your Mac. Nothing is uploaded.
4. Click Download WAV, or Download all as ZIP for a batch.

Files are saved to your Downloads folder. Use Output settings to pick 44.1 or 48 kHz, 16 or 24-bit, or mono.

Method 2: The Music app

The Music app (formerly iTunes) has a built-in WAV encoder.

1. Open Music and choose Music → Settings (on older macOS: Preferences).
2. Open the Files tab and click Import Settings.
3. Set Import Using to WAV Encoder and click OK.
4. Add the MP3 to your library if needed (File → Import).
5. Select the song and choose File → Convert → Create WAV Version.

The new WAV appears in your library. Right-click it and choose Show in Finder to locate the file.

Converting in the Music app adds a copy to your library. If you don’t want that, use the browser or Terminal method.

Method 3: Terminal with afconvert (built in)

Every Mac includes afconvert, Apple’s audio conversion tool. Open Terminal, cd to the folder containing your MP3, then run:

afconvert -f WAVE -d LEI16 song.mp3 song.wav

• -f WAVE sets the output file type to WAV
• -d LEI16 sets the data format to 16-bit little-endian integer PCM, standard WAV

For 24-bit, use -d LEI24. To also set the sample rate to 44.1 kHz, write -d LEI16@44100.

Convert every MP3 in the current folder:

for f in *.mp3; do afconvert -f WAVE -d LEI16 "$f" "${f%.mp3}.wav"; done

Optional: FFmpeg

If you use Homebrew, brew install ffmpeg gives you FFmpeg, which offers more options:

ffmpeg -i song.mp3 -ar 44100 -c:a pcm_s16le song.wav

Which method is best?

Method	Install needed	Batch	Best for
Browser converter	No	Yes, with ZIP	Quick, private conversions
Music app	No	Yes	Songs already in your library
afconvert	No	Yes, with a loop	Terminal users, automation
FFmpeg	Yes	Yes	Advanced options

Good to know

• WAV files are large: about 10 MB per minute for 16-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo.
• No quality gain: a WAV made from an MP3 sounds identical to the MP3. See MP3 vs WAV for why you’d still convert.
• Logic Pro and GarageBand can import MP3 directly, but converting to WAV first avoids decoding and keeps sample rates consistent across a project.

Frequently asked questions

Can QuickTime Player convert MP3 to WAV?

No. QuickTime Player’s File → Export As → Audio Only saves an M4A file with AAC audio, which is compressed and lossy, not WAV. Re-encoding an MP3 to AAC also adds a second round of compression loss. For a real WAV, use the Music app, afconvert in Terminal, or our browser converter, all described above.

Can Finder convert MP3 to WAV with a right-click?

No. Finder’s Encode Selected Audio Files action in the right-click menu only creates AAC or Apple Lossless files, and it is designed for uncompressed sources such as AIFF and WAV. There is no WAV output option. The closest built-in alternative is afconvert, which the loop in Method 3 runs over a whole folder in one command.

WAV or AIFF: which should I use on a Mac?

Both store the same uncompressed PCM audio, so the quality is identical at the same sample rate and bit depth. AIFF is Apple’s own format and common in Mac audio apps, while WAV is understood almost everywhere, including Windows software, samplers, DJ gear and upload forms. Logic Pro and GarageBand open both. If the file might ever leave your Mac, choose WAV.

Can GarageBand on a Mac export an MP3 as WAV?

Yes. Drag the MP3 into a new, empty GarageBand project, then choose Share → Export Song to Disk, pick WAVE as the format and set the quality. It works, but GarageBand exports the whole project, including any other tracks or effects, so start from an empty project and check the result. For a quick one-off conversion, the browser or afconvert methods take fewer steps.