AIFF File Format (.aiff)

An AIFF file stores uncompressed PCM audio samples in Apple's Audio Interchange File Format, a structure the company built on Electronic Arts' IFF in 1988 for professional and Mac-native audio.

.aiffAudio Files

AIFF at a glance#

Full name	Audio Interchange File Format
File extension	.aiff
Category	Audio Files
Developer	Apple Inc.
First released	1988
MIME types	audio/aiffaudio/x-aiff
Other extensions	.aif
Compression	Uncompressed
Specification	Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF), version 1.3
FileFlip support	FileFlip reads and writes this format

What a .aiff file can hold#

These are the things a AIFF file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.

Lossless compression	Yes
Embedded metadata	Yes
Audio	Yes

Strengths and limitations of AIFF#

What AIFF does well

Stores uncompressed PCM, so there's no encoding step that could introduce artifacts
Native format for macOS audio tools like Logic Pro and GarageBand, with broad support across professional DAWs
Big-endian byte order matches what PowerPC-era Macs and older professional audio hardware expected natively
Simple, well-documented chunk structure that's easy to parse without a library

Where AIFF falls short

Uncompressed audio runs about 10 MB per minute at CD quality, the same size cost as WAV
Little used outside macOS and professional audio production, so consumer players and most streaming services don't accept it
Base AIFF has no compression at all; the compressed variant, AIFF-C (.aifc), is a different file that ordinary AIFF-reading software may not open

Use AIFF for recording and editing on macOS, where it's the native uncompressed format for tools like Logic Pro and GarageBand.

Convert AIFF to WAV for compatibility with non-Apple software, or to FLAC or MP3 once editing is done and the file needs to be smaller for distribution.

How to open a .aiff file#

A .aiff file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts AIFF into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.

Platform	Programs that open it
Windows	VLC, Audacity
macOS	Music, QuickTime Player, Logic Pro, GarageBand
Linux	VLC, Audacity
iOS	GarageBand, VLC
Android	VLC
Web	FileFlip

AIFF questions people ask#

Is AIFF a lossless format?

Yes, AIFF is lossless: it stores raw, uncompressed PCM audio samples with nothing removed or approximated, so what you hear back is identical to what was recorded. Unlike FLAC, standard AIFF doesn't compress the audio at all, so there's no encode-decode step where anything could go wrong.

What's the difference between AIFF and WAV?

AIFF and WAV both store uncompressed PCM audio and are equivalent in quality; the difference is mostly heritage and byte order. AIFF, developed by Apple, stores samples big-endian and is the default on macOS audio tools, while WAV, developed by Microsoft and IBM, stores samples little-endian and is the default on Windows.

Does converting AIFF to MP3 lose quality?

Yes, converting AIFF to MP3 loses quality, because MP3 is a lossy codec that permanently discards audio data during compression, while AIFF is uncompressed. The loss is usually inaudible at a high bit rate like 256-320 kbps, but it is real and can't be undone by converting back to AIFF.

What plays AIFF files?

Apple's Music and QuickTime Player play AIFF natively, as do Logic Pro, GarageBand, Audacity and most professional DAWs on any platform. VLC also plays AIFF on Windows and Linux, though consumer media players and streaming services outside Apple's ecosystem often don't support it at all.

Why does GarageBand or Logic export AIFF instead of MP3?

Logic Pro and GarageBand default to AIFF for exports because it's Apple's native uncompressed format and keeps every bit of the recorded or mixed audio intact, with no lossy compression applied. MP3 is a better choice once the mix is final and the file needs to be small enough to share or stream.

Converting AIFF files#

Convert AIFF to another format

Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.