How to Convert between WAV and MP3 on Desktop & Phone

There are many reasons you need to convert between WAV and MP3. Audio files come in a number of different formats. Some are lossy, like MP3. Others are lossless and uncompressed, such as WAV. In order to store more music files on your computer or mobile device, MP3 is better than WAV. On the other hand, WAV files provide a better experience due to their superior audio quality. In this post, you will learn the top 10 best audio converter applications for computers and mobile devices. Read our guide carefully, and then you can produce high-quality MP3 files from your WAV music or convert MP3 to WAV for listening anytime, anywhere. If you would like to know more about how well these tools perform against each other through real-life benchmarking tests, you should check out our How We Tested & Quick Comparison section!

How We Tested & Quick Comparison

• • We tested 48 WAV-to-MP3 and MP3-to-WAV converters, consisting of commercial desktop applications, online converters, and open-source software.
• • Each tool was tested manually by the AnyMP4 Content Team using exact input files and export parameters as much as possible.
• • In the process, we evaluate audio quality, conversion speed, file size, compatibility with various formats, batch processing, and ease of use.
• • Apart from our own testing, we also consider feedback from trusted software review sites.

WAV vs MP3 – Key Differences You Should Know Before Converting

WAV is a lossless or uncompressed audio format. It preserves every detail from the original source, but it is large in file size. On the other hand, MP3 is a lossy audio format. It reduces file size by permanently discarding unnecessary audio information. At higher bitrates, such as 256 kbps or 320 kbps, you will hear little to no difference from the original WAV file.

When to Convert WAV to MP3:

• • Save space on your computer or mobile device.
• • Upload audio to the internet, email, or cloud.
• • Play music on any device, player, or car stereo.

When to Keep WAV:

• • Edit or mix audio files.
• • Maintain high-quality audio recordings.
• • Archive original master recordings for future use.

Professional Desktop Solution – AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate [Paid]

When converting WAV to MP3, you might think you'll lose audio quality. In reality, MP3s made from WAV files sound perfectly good if you use the right software. AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate is a professional desktop software that supports audio file conversion. It can convert WAV to MP3, FLAC, AAC, ALAC, and 500+ other lossless audio formats. With it, you can import as many WAV files, regardless of their size, and convert them simultaneously. It uses the most advanced hardware-accelerated media processing to achieve lossless video conversion of up to 120×. It also includes a built-in audio editor for trimming silence, merging multiple audio tracks into a single file, splitting long recordings, and boosting sound.

1. Download the WAV-to-MP3 converter and complete the installation. After setup, the software will run automatically. Click +Add Files to import your WAV sources from your computer. If you have multiple audio files saved in a single folder, use Add Folder instead.

2. Click the Output Format picker and choose MP3 under the Audio category. Next, choose a profile preset that matches the source's quality. For example, if your source video is high-quality, select the High Quality preset.

Lossless Audio Tip: Go to Custom Profile by clicking the Gear button. Set the bitrate to 320 Kbps to preserve high-end frequencies. Then match the sample rate to your original WAV file so the encoder doesn't have to resample the audio.

3. Go back to the main interface, then turn on Hardware Acceleration and the 120× Faster Conversion button to speed up the conversion. Set the output destination, then click Convert All to convert WAV to MP3 without losing quality.

The following test assesses the quality, speed, and batch-processing capabilities of AnyMP4. We run the tests using Windows 10 Pro. We use a 15.92 GB file, totaling 100 files. The 26 hours and 21 minutes of WAV files were converted to MP3 using the High Quality preset in just 3 minutes and 43 seconds. We enable Hardware Acceleration and 120× Faster Conversion to achieve this lightning speed.

Free Desktop Converters

VLC Media Player

We all know VLC as a software for playing audio and video files. But many of its users didn’t know that VLC can convert WAV to MP3 format. However, VLC often fails to preserve the ID3 tags from the source to the newly created MP3.

1. On VLC, click Media and select Convert/Save or press Ctrl+R to open the Media window. Load your WAV files by clicking +Add, then hit Convert/Save to proceed.

2. Unfold the Profile dropdown list and choose Audio – MP3. If you’re converting multiple files, you don’t need to set up the output directory. You can now proceed with the conversion by clicking the Start button.

VLC is great for basic video conversion, but it is not an actual audio converter. Upon checking the MP3 output, VLC fails to transfer the metadata. So, we used a separate MP3 metadata editor to manually re-tag the file.

Windows Media Player

To be real with you, Windows Media Player cannot transcode WAV files to MP3 directly. Instead, you can convert MP3 to WAV. To do so, you need to burn it to an audio CD and then rip it back in WAV format. Yes, it's free, but it's slow and requires a blank CD and a disc drive.

1. Insert a blank CD into your disc drive, then open Windows Media Player. Go to the Burn tab and drag the MP3 files into the burn list, then click Start Burn.

2. After burning, click Organize and select Options in the top menu. Go to the Rip Music tab, change the Format to WAV (Lossless), and click Apply.

Windows Media Player does not have a direct file converter. Still, you can burn music to a CD to get a WAV file. The catch is that the WMP method requires a blank CD and only works one way. It means if you need to reverse the process, you need to rip the burned CD to MP3 format.

Audacity

Audacity export WAV to MP3 with the option to customize the MP3 bitrate. Unlike VLC and WMP, you can select variable bitrate, constant bitrate, or preset quality levels. Besides, you can use Audacity’s Macros feature to convert multiple files without opening and processing each one individually.

1. As soon as Audacity launches, click File and select Open to add the WAV files from your computer. Then, go back to the File tab, click Export, and select Export as MP3.

2. In the Export window, choose your bitrate mode and quality speed. Name your file, choose your directory, and click Save to process the track.

At first, we thought the conversion was complicated. But we realized that it only requires importing and exporting to convert audio files. However, when we convert uncompressed WAV files to MP3, we incur a permanent loss of audio quality.

Online WAV to MP3 Converters

AnyMP4 Free Online Audio Converter

Don’t want to install anything? AnyMP4 Free Online Audio Converter is a safe, secure WAV/MP3 converter. With it, you can turn WAV to MP3 or vice versa and customize audio settings. It allows you to adjust the sample rate to up to 48 kHz and the bitrate to 320 kbps. You can add an audio file up to 50 MB, or 100 MB if logged in. But you know what’s making it truly notable? It guarantees that only you can access the files you upload. After 24 hours, it automatically erases your files without disclosing any data.

1. Open a browser and navigate to the AnyMP4 Free Online Audio Converter official site. Click + Upload File to upload the MP3 file from your computer. If this is your first time using the tool, you need to install the launcher first.

2. After you import the MP3, click the Format picker and select WAV. Set the encoder to PCM, adjust the sample rate to 48000 Hz, and the bitrate to 320 Kbps. Click Save to process the file for conversion. After that, click Download to obtain the converted file.

Similar to other tools, we conduct a hands-on test to evaluate how far AnyMP4 Free Online Audio Converter can go in conversion. We convert a 28.80 MB MP3 to the WAV format using a different preset. The file processing time lasts only 12 seconds. However, if you need to convert files larger than 50-100 MB, it is better to use the AnyMP4 desktop version.

Online Video Converter

If you need to convert large WAV files to MP3, you will surely like Online Video Converter. You can import files up to 4 GB without logging in to your account. The good thing is that it does not impose a restriction on the number of files you can convert. But the catch is that there is no batch audio conversion. In other words, you need to convert files one at a time.

Zamzar

For one-off, small file conversions, Zamzar is worth a try. This online audio converter allows you to upload audio files up to 25 MB. Even as a free user, you can batch convert WAV to MP3. However, you should be mindful of the files you upload because it saves them on their server. This can pose a privacy risk and lead to file leakage.

Mobile Apps for WAV to MP3 Conversion

The Audio Converter

As the name suggests, it is a mobile audio converter app for iPhone and iPad. It offers several options for importing your audio files, including from another app, via URL, from the iTunes Library, or from local files. You can convert between MP3, M4A, AAC, FLAC, OGG, WAV, WMA, and AIFF. But the problem is that converting audio files with this app requires a premium pass.

Here’s how to convert WAV to MP3 on iPhone:

Get the Audio Converter app from the App Store and let the installation finish. Then, select the location where your WAV file is saved. For example, if the WAV file is saved on your local files, select File. Locate and tap it to import. Next, select .MP3 MP3 Audio in the Format picker and tap Convert File to start the audio conversion.

The Audio Converter app is a good start app for converting between WAV and MP3 on your iPhone. While the app is free to download from the App Store, you cannot perform even basic conversions for free. You will need a premium pass to proceed with the conversion.

MP3 Audio Converter

The MP3 Audio Converter app can turn your iOS device into an MP3-to-WAV converter. With it, you can convert MP3s between other audio formats. You can input your files from the Files app, YouTube URLs, and even local galleries. The best deal is that you can instantly share your converted audio via AirDrop. You can also trim audio, reduce noise, boost bass, and more.

Audio Converter

Audio Converter by Highmax is a free WAV-to-MP3 converter app for Android. It supports audio quality preservation and handles large WAV file sizes. However, there is a price to pay in terms of output formats. It can only output a few formats: AAC, MP3, AC3, MP2, OGG, WMA-V2, WAV, and M4A. So, if you need more flexibility in output formats, this app isn't for you.

Frequently Asked Questions About Converting Between WAV and MP3

CONCLUSION

Choosing the right tool to convert between WAV and MP3 is all about balancing speed, storage space, and sound quality. Quality-first content producers and music lovers should choose AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate, as it guarantees fast batch conversion and produces perfect 320 kbps MP3 files. For budget-conscious desktop users, free offline conversion options are available, such as Audacity and VLC. In case you want to avoid downloading and installing anything at all, AnyMP4 Free Online Audio Converter offers you limitless possibilities in the clouds from your browser.