MP3, WAV, OGG, M4A, FLAC: Which Audio Format Should You Use?
Sending an iPhone voice memo (M4A) to someone and having it not open, or an editing program that only accepts one format, is a common reason to convert audio.
Comparing the formats
| Format | Notes | Commonly used for |
|---|---|---|
| MP3 | Small, best compatibility | Sharing music, ringtones |
| WAV | Uncompressed, original quality | Audio editing, broadcast/recording work |
| M4A | iPhone's default recording format | Voice memos, call recordings |
| FLAC | Lossless compression (original quality, smaller size) | Archiving high-quality audio |
| OGG | Open format | Game sound effects, some apps |
Which format to convert to
For sending to someone or posting online, MP3 is the safe, universally compatible choice. If you want to keep the original quality for archiving or further editing, pick a lossless format like WAV or FLAC instead.
When an iPhone M4A file won't open
iPhone voice memos and call recordings save as M4A by default. Some older players or Windows programs don't recognize it — converting to MP3 before sending resolves this in most cases.
Converting several files at once
If you've got a pile of recordings, uploading them all at once to batch-convert to the same format is much faster than opening and converting them one by one.
Try it now
Pixzero's audio converter handles MP3, WAV, OGG, M4A, and FLAC, processed instantly in your browser with nothing uploaded.
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