WAV audio export — Troubleshooting

Worked example

WAV problems are mostly size and memory: a huge result, a long file that stalls, or an editor that rejects the file.

If the WAV is far larger than the source, that is expected. A 5 MB MP3 of 4 minutes becomes about 42 MB as 44.1 kHz stereo WAV, since the compressed data is expanded to full PCM. It is not a fault and the extra size contains no restored detail. If you need smaller, use MP3 or M4A instead, or choose Mono.

If "Conversion failed." appears on a long recording, the browser has to hold both the input and the output in memory, and a 90-minute stereo WAV is nearly 950 MB. Split the recording into 15 to 20 minute parts with the trimmer, convert them one at a time, and close other tabs first.

If your editor reports the wrong sample rate or refuses the file, compare the Sample rate you picked with the project rate, and remember that the output is always 16-bit. Some tools expect 24-bit or 32-bit float and will convert or complain. Switch the editor project to 16-bit, or keep the original studio file for that job.

If the audio is quieter in only one speaker, check Channels. Keep source preserves a left-only recording, while Mono blends both channels into one. A mono result that sounds hollow often means the source had phase-reversed channels.

60 s × 44100 Hz × 2 channels × 16 bit

10,584,000 PCM bytes before container overhead

A progress bar that pauses for a while on a long file is normal; wait for the finished message before leaving the page.