Compress WAV

WAV files are uncompressed and often huge — this converts yours to a size-targeted MP3 in one step.

How to use the Compress WAV

  1. Add your audioDrop a file onto the page or tap to browse — or press “try a built-in sample” to explore first. Nothing is uploaded; the file is decoded on your device.
  2. Choose the settingsKeep WAV and reduce bit depth, sample rate or channels (try the presets), or switch the format to MP3 for a dramatically smaller file.
  3. Compress & hear the real resultPress the main button. The file is genuinely encoded and decoded again, so you can listen to the exact output and see its true size before you download.
  4. DownloadSave the finished file — nothing was uploaded.

About the Compress WAV

Compress WAV reduces the size of a WAV file. WAV is uncompressed, so there is no “zip-like” trick — the size is fixed by sample rate × bit depth × channels × time. This tool gives you the real levers: a lower sample rate, 16-bit instead of 24-bit, mono instead of stereo, or conversion to MP3.

Presets show the trade-offs, from near-lossless 16-bit/44.1 kHz to a tiny 16 kHz mono voice file, and the result card tells you exactly how much space you saved.

How the Compress WAV works

WAV data rate = sample rate × (bits ÷ 8) × channels bytes per second. 24-bit/96 kHz stereo is 576 KB/s; 16-bit/44.1 kHz stereo is 176 KB/s; 16-bit/22.05 kHz mono is only 44 KB/s. Resampling uses an anti-aliased conversion; reducing 24→16 bits applies TPDF dither. If you pick MP3, the file is encoded with the LAME-derived encoder instead.

WAV bytes/s = sample rate × (bit depth ÷ 8) × channels

What people use it for

Voice recordings

Convert 24/96 recordings to 16/22 mono.

Archiving

Slim down masters you do not need at full resolution.

Project prep

Produce lighter proxies.

Sharing

Fit upload limits.

Tips for the best results

  • For speech 16-bit/22.05 kHz mono is plenty.
  • Reducing 24→16 bit loses nothing audible if dithered.
  • For the biggest saving choose MP3 instead of WAV.

Common problems & fixes

File is still bigLower the sample rate or switch to mono/MP3.
High frequencies disappearedThat follows from a lower sample rate — keep ≥ 32 kHz for music.

Quick facts

LeversBit depth, sample rate, channels, or MP3
DitherTPDF when going to 16-bit
SavingsShown vs source

Frequently asked questions

Can WAV be compressed losslessly?

Not as WAV — use FLAC for lossless compression.

What is the smallest WAV?

Mono, 8–16 kHz, 8–16 bit — suitable only for speech.

Can I compress WAV to a smaller WAV instead of MP3?

Not with meaningful size savings — WAV is uncompressed by design. Converting to MP3 at a set bitrate is what actually reduces file size.

Why does this output MP3?

MP3 at a controlled bitrate is the most universally compatible way to hit a specific file size on any device or platform.

Is my file uploaded anywhere?

No — everything happens locally in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.

Your audio never leaves your device

This tool runs entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API. Nothing is uploaded, stored or shared — there is no server to send your file to, so it works offline once the page has loaded.

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