Sample rate
Fewer samples per second
CD audio records 44,100 samples per second. Speech is fully clear at 16,000 to 22,050, which cuts the file by half to two thirds.
WAV Compressor
Make WAV files smaller online and keep them WAV: lower the sample rate and switch to mono. Free, no sign-up.
- Free to use
- No file stored beyond 1 hour
- Encrypted over TLS 1.2/1.3
- No watermarks
Drag and drop your files here or click to upload.
Maximum file size is 1GB
Like RunConvert? Set us as a preferred source on Google.
Add to Preferred SourcesHow to compress a WAV file
Three steps, in your browser. Nothing to install.
- 01
Add your WAV files
Drop up to 20 WAV files, or paste a link.
- 02
Pick a setting
Every file starts on Balanced (22 kHz, mono). Open a file's settings to make it smaller or keep more quality, for one file or all of them.
- 03
Compress and download
Each file stays a WAV, so editors and transcription tools still open it.
Which setting should I pick?
Recordings of voices sound the same at 16 or 22 kHz in mono. Keep 44.1 kHz for music, or convert to MP3 for a far smaller file.
- Voice (16 kHz, mono)Speech recordings and transcription. About 80% smaller than CD-quality stereo.Speech
- Balanced (22 kHz, mono)DefaultClear speech and simple sounds. About 75% smaller.Voice · podcasts
- Best quality (44.1 kHz, mono)Full quality in one channel. Half the size of a stereo file.Music
How the WAV gets smaller
WAV stores sound uncompressed: every second of CD-quality stereo takes about 176 KB. Keeping it WAV, two things can come down.
Channels
Mono halves the size
Left and right are mixed into one channel. Interviews, lectures and voice notes sound the same; music loses its stereo width.
- Format
- WAV (PCM)
- Sample rates
- 16, 22.05 or 44.1 kHz
- Files
- Up to 20 files, 1 GB each
- Output
- WAV, mono
Don't need WAV?
A compressed format is much smaller than any WAV:
More free audio tools
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about compressing WAV files with RunConvert.
Yes. It stays a standard WAV file, just with a lower sample rate and one channel.
Left and right are mixed into one channel. For voice, interviews and lectures you won't hear a difference; for music, stereo width is lost.
Convert to MP3 at 128 kbps or more, or to FLAC if you need it lossless.
Up to 20 files at a time, up to 1 GB each.
They are encrypted in transit, used only for your compression, and deleted automatically after a few hours.
Ready to compress your WAV?
Free, no sign-up, no watermark.