🎧 WAV / AIFF Audio Inspector
Drop a .wav or .aiff file to instantly read its sample rate, bit depth, channel count, codec and length — straight from the file header.
Drop a WAV (.wav) or AIFF (.aif/.aiff) file to read its sample rate, bit depth, channel count, codec and exact duration straight from the header chunks — no re-encoding. It parses the RIFF/AIFF structure in your browser, so the audio is never uploaded. It reads the header only, not the samples, so it works instantly even on large files. 🔒 100% client-side.
How the wav / aiff audio inspector works
WAV and AIFF are chunk-based container formats: a WAV is a RIFF file whose "fmt " chunk holds the audio format and whose "data" chunk holds the samples, while an AIFF wraps a "COMM" chunk with the same facts. This tool reads those header chunks — nothing else — to report the sample rate, bit depth, number of channels, the codec (PCM, IEEE float, A-law, and so on), the byte rate/bitrate, and the exact duration computed from the data size and format. It also lists any embedded INFO or NAME tags. Because it only parses the header, it is instant even on a large file and never touches the audio samples.
This reads the technical specs baked into the file, which is exactly what you need when checking whether a recording is 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, 16-bit or 24-bit, mono or stereo — before mastering, submitting to a service, or converting. It handles uncompressed WAV and AIFF/AIFF-C (including the 80-bit extended sample-rate field AIFF uses); it does not read compressed formats like MP3, FLAC or AAC, whose headers work differently. Everything is parsed on your device, so unreleased recordings never leave your machine.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check a WAV file's sample rate and bit depth?
Drop the .wav file in and the tool reads its "fmt " chunk, showing the sample rate (e.g. 44100 Hz), bit depth (e.g. 16-bit), channel count and codec instantly — no playback or re-encoding needed.
How is the duration calculated?
From the header, not by decoding audio. For WAV it divides the "data" chunk size by the block align and sample rate; for AIFF it divides the number of sample frames by the sample rate. That gives an exact length in seconds without reading the samples.
Does it support AIFF as well as WAV?
Yes — it reads AIFF and AIFF-C, including the unusual 80-bit extended-precision floating-point field AIFF uses to store the sample rate, and it names the AIFF-C codec (NONE, sowt, fl32, and so on).
Can it read MP3 or FLAC files?
No — this tool is for uncompressed PCM containers (WAV and AIFF). MP3, FLAC, AAC and similar formats use different header structures and frame-based layouts, so they aren't parsed here.
Is my audio uploaded?
No — only the header chunks are read, entirely in your browser, and nothing is transmitted. It works offline, and large files are read instantly because the samples are never loaded.
Related audio tools
From the blog
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FLAC vs MP3 vs WAV: Three Formats, Three Ways to Store Tags
FLAC, MP3 and WAV all hold audio, but each stores its title/artist metadata differently — Vorbis comments, ID3, and RIFF chunks. Here's how each works, how to tell if a FLAC is really hi-res, and how to inspect any of them in your browser.
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Sample Rate, Bit Depth and the WAV File Format Explained
44.1 kHz, 16-bit, stereo — what do a WAV file's specs actually mean, and where are they stored? Here's how sample rate and bit depth work, how the RIFF/WAVE format lays them out, and how to read any WAV or AIFF file's header in your browser.