WAV File Size Calculator

Calculate the exact uncompressed file size of a WAV file from duration, sample rate, bit depth and channel count.

How to use the WAV File Size Calculator

  1. Enter your valuesEnter the duration (or load a file), then choose sample rate, bit depth and channels.
  2. Read the results instantlyThe exact WAV size, data rate and a comparison with an MP3 appear.
  3. Copy or sharePress the copy icon on any result card, or use Copy link to these values — the page URL stores your inputs so you can bookmark or send the exact calculation.

About the WAV File Size Calculator

The WAV File Size Calculator computes the exact size of an uncompressed WAV for any duration, sample rate, bit depth and channel count — from 8 kHz voice to 24-bit/192 kHz masters and 5.1 surround. WAV size is deterministic, so the answer is exact (header included).

Use it to plan recording sessions, check a drive has space or decide whether to record at 44.1 or 96 kHz.

How the WAV File Size Calculator works

Bytes per second = sample rate × (bit depth ÷ 8) × channels. A canonical WAV has a 44-byte header, so size = bytes per second × seconds + 44. CD-quality stereo is 176,400 bytes/s (10.6 MB per minute); 24-bit/96 kHz stereo is 576,000 bytes/s (34.6 MB per minute). Classic WAV stores sizes in 32 bits, so files cannot exceed 4 GiB (RF64/W64 remove that limit).

size = sample rate × (bits ÷ 8) × channels × seconds + 44

What people use it for

Session planning

Know the disk space for a recording.

Post-production

Estimate project audio size.

Backups

Plan storage.

Format choices

Compare 16/44.1 and 24/96.

Tips for the best results

  • Record at 24-bit/48 kHz for most projects — plenty of headroom.
  • Doubling sample rate doubles size; 24-bit is 50% bigger than 16-bit.
  • The 4 GiB limit is about 6.7 hours of CD-quality stereo.

Common problems & fixes

Real file is slightly differentExtra metadata chunks add a few KB.
Over 4 GBUse RF64/BWF or split the recording.

Quick facts

Header44 bytes (canonical)
Limit4 GiB for classic WAV
ChannelsMono, stereo, 5.1

Frequently asked questions

How big is a 3-minute CD-quality WAV?

About 31.8 MB.

How big is an hour at 24-bit/96 kHz stereo?

About 2.07 GB.

Why is this different from the Audio File Size Calculator?

That calculator is bitrate-based (for compressed formats like MP3). WAV is uncompressed PCM, so its size is calculated directly from sample rate × bit depth × channels × duration instead.

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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