AIFF Audio (.AIFF)
AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) is an uncompressed audio format developed by Apple, based on the IFF (Interchange File Format) structure. Like WAV, it stores raw PCM audio data at full quality, but uses big-endian byte ordering. AIFF is the standard uncompressed audio format in macOS and professional audio production on Apple platforms.
Advantages of AIFF Audio
What the AIFF format does well, and why you might choose it.
- Completely lossless with full PCM audio quality
- Native support in macOS and all Apple audio software
- Supports embedded metadata including loop points for music production
Limitations of AIFF Audio
What the AIFFformat doesn't do well, and when to choose another format.
- Very large file sizes comparable to WAV
- Less universal than WAV on non-Apple platforms
- Not suitable for portable use or streaming due to file size
What AIFF files are used for
- Professional audio production on macOS
- Apple ecosystem audio recording and editing
- Music production sample libraries and loop files
Convert to AIFF
The most common formats people convert to AIFF, ready to convert in seconds.
Convert AIFF to other formats
Convert AIFF Audio files into the format you actually need.
Frequently asked questions about AIFF
What is a .AIFF file?
AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) is an uncompressed audio format developed by Apple, based on the IFF (Interchange File Format) structure. Like WAV, it stores raw PCM audio data at full quality, but uses big-endian byte ordering. AIFF is the standard uncompressed audio format in macOS and professional audio production on Apple platforms.
What is the MIME type of AIFF?
The official MIME type for AIFF files is audio/aiff. This is the value web servers and applications use to identify the format when transferring files.
What category does AIFF belong to?
AIFF is a Audio Converter format. Files in this category share common conversion paths and use cases.
How do I open a .AIFF file?
AIFF files are typically opened by software that natively supports the AIFF Audioformat. If you don't have a compatible application, the most reliable approach is to convert the file to a more universal format using the converters listed above. Most AIFF Audio files convert to widely-supported alternatives in seconds.
Have a AIFF file you need to convert?
Free, instant, no signup. Files deleted within an hour of upload.
Convert AIFF to AU