🔄 WAV ⇄ ALAC Converter
🎯 Overview
This is a high-quality bidirectional converter that converts between WAV and ALAC (Apple Lossless) files. It supports 16bit, 24bit, and 32bit audio, and completely preserves metadata and cover art.
✨ Key Features
- Bidirectional Conversion - Supports both WAV → ALAC and ALAC → WAV
- High-Quality Conversion - Lossless compression with no quality degradation
- 16/24/32bit Support - Automatically detects and preserves original bit depth
- Metadata Preservation - Completely preserves artist name, album name, and other information
- Complete Cover Art Preservation - Album artwork is fully preserved in both directions
- Maximum Compression - Uses ALAC's highest compression level 12
- Batch Processing - Supports multiple files and folder batch processing
📦 Included Files
| File Name |
Description |
wav_alac_converter.exe |
EXE file (approx. 7.2MB) |
ffmpeg_install.bat |
FFmpeg installation batch file |
wav_alac_converter_ReadMe.html |
User manual (Japanese version) |
wav_alac_converter_ReadMe_en.html |
User manual (this file - English version) |
⚠️ Important: FFmpeg must be installed to use this tool.
📋 System Requirements
| Item |
Details |
| OS |
Windows 10 or later |
| Required Software |
FFmpeg (ffmpeg.exe, ffprobe.exe) |
| Supported Input |
WAV (16/24/32bit), ALAC/M4A |
| Supported Output |
ALAC (.m4a), WAV (16/32bit float) |
⚙️ Installing FFmpeg
Method 1: Automatic Installation (Recommended)
- Double-click
ffmpeg_install.bat
- Allow execution with administrator privileges
- FFmpeg will be automatically downloaded and installed
- Restart your PC after installation completes
Method 2: Manual Installation
- Download from FFmpeg official site
- Download "ffmpeg-release-essentials.zip"
- Extract and place in
C:\ffmpeg or similar location
- Add
C:\ffmpeg\bin to system environment variable PATH
- Restart your PC
✅ Verifying FFmpeg Installation
- Open Command Prompt (Win + R → cmd → Enter)
- Type
ffmpeg -version and press Enter
- Installation is successful if version information is displayed
🚀 How to Use
Basic Usage
- Drag and drop audio files (WAV or ALAC) onto
wav_alac_converter.exe (or its shortcut)
- Conversion will start automatically
- Converted files will be created in the same folder as the original files
💡 Drag and Drop Tips:
- Multiple files can be dropped at once
- Dropping a folder will process all WAV/ALAC files in it
- WAV and ALAC files can be mixed (automatically detected)
Automatic Conversion Direction Detection
- WAV files (.wav) → Convert to ALAC (.m4a)
- ALAC files (.m4a) → Convert to WAV (.wav)
📊 Conversion Specifications
WAV → ALAC Conversion
| Item |
Specification |
| Codec |
ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) |
| Compression Level |
12 (Maximum compression) |
| Bit Depth |
16bit → 16bit ALAC
24bit → 24bit ALAC
32bit → 32bit ALAC |
| Sampling Rate |
Same as original WAV |
| Metadata |
Complete preservation (title, artist, album, etc.) |
| Cover Art |
Preserved (JPEG/PNG supported) |
ALAC → WAV Conversion
| Item |
Specification |
| Format |
PCM (uncompressed) |
| Bit Depth |
16bit → 16bit PCM
24bit → 32bit float (compatibility priority)
32bit → 32bit float |
| Sampling Rate |
Same as original ALAC |
| Metadata |
Complete preservation (ID3v2.3)
Title, Artist, Album, Album Artist, Year, Genre, Track Number, Composer, Comment |
| Cover Art |
Complete preservation (ID3v2.3 APIC frame) |
✅ Compatibility: For 24bit ALAC → WAV conversion, output is in 32bit float format due to FFmpeg limitations. This ensures complete compatibility with a wide range of software including Mp3tag, MediaInfo, and foobar2000. Audio quality fully preserves 24bit information.
📁 Output Files
File Naming Rules
- Basically preserves original file name
- Only extension changes (.wav → .m4a, .m4a → .wav)
- If a file with the same name exists, a number is appended at the end (e.g.,
music_2.m4a)
File Name Examples
| Original File |
After Conversion |
song.wav |
song.m4a (ALAC) |
album_track.m4a |
album_track.wav |
music.wav (existing: music.m4a) |
music_2.m4a |
🔍 Metadata Support
Preserved Metadata
| Item |
WAV→ALAC |
ALAC→WAV |
| Title |
✅ Preserved |
✅ Preserved |
| Artist |
✅ Preserved |
✅ Preserved |
| Album |
✅ Preserved |
✅ Preserved |
| Album Artist |
✅ Preserved |
✅ Preserved |
| Year |
✅ Preserved |
✅ Preserved |
| Genre |
✅ Preserved |
✅ Preserved |
| Track Number |
✅ Preserved |
✅ Preserved |
| Composer |
✅ Preserved |
✅ Preserved |
| Comment |
✅ Preserved |
✅ Preserved |
| Cover Art |
✅ Preserved |
✅ Preserved |
📝 Metadata Format: WAV file metadata is saved as ID3v2.3 tags. It is correctly recognized by major music management software such as Mp3tag, foobar2000, and MediaInfo.
If Metadata Is Not Preserved
Cause: The original file has no metadata set.
Explanation:
- The conversion tool only preserves existing metadata and does not generate new metadata
- If the original file has no metadata, the converted file will also have no metadata
- Use a tag editor such as Mp3tag to manually add metadata
❓ Troubleshooting
❌ Error: FFmpeg is not installed
Cause: FFmpeg is not installed or PATH is not set.
Solution:
- Run
ffmpeg_install.bat to install FFmpeg
- Or manually install FFmpeg and add it to the PATH environment variable
- Restart your PC
- Run
ffmpeg -version in Command Prompt to verify
❌ Conversion failed
Cause: The file is corrupted or in an unsupported format.
Solution:
- Check if the original file plays normally
- Verify the file format is correct (WAV or ALAC/M4A)
- Check if the file path contains special characters
📌 About ALAC
ALAC is a lossless audio compression codec developed by Apple.
✨ Features of ALAC
- Lossless Compression - No quality degradation (exactly the same audio quality as original WAV)
- High Compression Ratio - Approximately 50-60% of WAV file size
- High Compatibility - Standard support on Apple products (iPhone, iPad, Mac)
- Metadata Support - Can save tag information and cover art
- Open Source - Made open source by Apple in 2011
⚠️ Disclaimer
Usage Notes
- Use this tool at your own risk.
- The developer is not responsible for the quality of converted files.
- The developer is not responsible for any damage caused by the operation of this tool.
- Conversion of copyrighted music files should be done within the scope of private use.
📄 License
This tool can be freely distributed and used. FFmpeg is distributed under the LGPL license.
📋 Update History
Version 1.2 (2025-12-04)
- 24bit ALAC → WAV Conversion Optimization
- Fixed Mp3tag display issue at sampling rates of 48kHz and above
- 24bit ALAC now converts to 32bit float WAV (audio quality fully preserved)
- Addressed FFmpeg limitation (WAVE_FORMAT_EXTENSIBLE)
- Metadata Storage Method Improvements
- Unified to ID3v2.3 tags (discontinued RIFF INFO chunks)
- Optimized cover art embedding
- Confirmed full compatibility with Mp3tag, foobar2000, and MediaInfo
- WAV → ALAC Conversion Improvements
- Full support for 32bit WAV (32bit → 32bit ALAC)
- Improved bit depth automatic detection accuracy
Version 1.1 (2025-11-09)
- 96kHz 24bit ALAC → WAV Conversion Improvements
- Prioritized use of
bits_per_raw_sample for accurate bit depth detection
- Changed to 32bit float format output (improved compatibility)
- Verified normal operation with SoundEngine Free and Mp3tag
- Added WAV Complete Metadata Preservation Feature
- Complete metadata preservation using both RIFF INFO chunks and ID3v2.3 tags
- Support for all metadata including composer and comments
- Complete preservation of cover art (ID3v2.3 APIC frame)
Version 1.0 (2025-10-02)
- Initial release
- WAV ⇄ ALAC bidirectional conversion feature
- 16bit/24bit/32bit support
- Metadata and cover art preservation feature
🧑💻 Developer Information
This tool was developed to provide music enthusiasts with a better music experience.
If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us at the above contact information.
WAV ⇄ ALAC Converter - High-Quality Bidirectional Audio Converter