MP3, M4A or WAV: which audio format should you choose?
What each format is good at, how big the files get, and which one to pick for sharing, Apple devices and editing.
MP3: plays everywhere
MP3 is lossy compression: it discards detail that is hard to hear to keep files small. Its strength is compatibility — practically every phone, car stereo, computer and website accepts an MP3. If you do not know where the file will end up, MP3 is the safe choice.
M4A: Apple's native format
M4A is usually AAC audio in an MPEG-4 container — the same family as the audio track in most iPhone videos. At the same bitrate, AAC generally sounds as good as MP3 or better, and it plays natively in Apple's apps. Most modern devices handle it too, but some older players and upload forms still expect MP3.
WAV: uncompressed
WAV stores the audio without compression. Nothing is thrown away, which makes it the right input for editing software, but the files are large: CD-quality stereo (44.1 kHz, 16-bit) takes about 10 MB per minute, roughly seven times a 192 kbps MP3.
Which one to pick
To share a recording or play it in the car: MP3. To keep it on your iPhone or other Apple devices: M4A. To edit it in an audio editor or a video project: WAV. Ringtones are a separate case — iPhone ringtones use the .m4r format, which Tonify's ringtone cutter makes for you.
Converting cannot add quality
Whichever format you pick, the result can only be as good as the audio in the video. Converting a compressed audio track to WAV makes the file bigger, not better; it only avoids further losses if you plan to edit it.
Try it on your iPhone
Tonify pulls the audio out of any video as MP3, M4A or WAV, or cuts a 30-second ringtone — converted on your phone, with no upload.
See how Tonify works →