CAF File Format (.caf)
A CAF file holds audio in Apple's Core Audio Format, introduced in 2005 to replace AIFF and WAV on the Mac because its 64-bit chunk sizes have no practical file size or duration limit.
CAF at a glance#
| Full name | Apple CAF (Core Audio Format) |
|---|---|
| File extension | .caf |
| Category | Audio Files |
| Developer | Apple |
| First released | 2005 |
| MIME types | audio/x-caf |
| Compression | Varies from file to file |
| Specification | Apple Core Audio Format Specification 1.0 |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads and writes this format |
What a .caf file can hold#
These are the things a CAF 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 |
Strengths and limitations of CAF#
What CAF does well
- 64-bit chunk sizes remove the roughly 4 GB ceiling that limits WAV and AIFF, so very long or high-resolution recordings do not need to be split
- Holds uncompressed PCM, Apple Lossless, AAC, or MP3 in the same container, so an app does not need a different file format for each codec
- Carries markers, regions, and an information chunk for artist, tempo, and other metadata directly in the file
Where CAF falls short
- Outside Apple's own software, playback usually depends on VLC or another FFmpeg-based tool rather than a native decoder
- Windows and most non-Apple audio hardware have no built-in support at all
Keep audio as CAF while it stays inside Apple's own tools, such as Logic Pro, GarageBand, or an iOS app's own audio recordings, where the format's size and codec flexibility are used directly.
Convert CAF to WAV or M4A when the audio needs to leave the Apple ecosystem, since most non-Apple software has no built-in way to open it.
How to open a .caf file#
A .caf file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts CAF 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 |
| macOS | QuickTime Player, Logic Pro, GarageBand, VLC |
| Linux | VLC, mpv |
| Web | FileFlip |
CAF questions people ask#
What creates a CAF file?
CAF files come from Apple's own audio software, including Logic Pro, GarageBand, and any iOS or macOS app that records audio through Apple's Core Audio APIs. Apple adopted CAF as its own format specifically to avoid the 4 GB size limit that WAV and AIFF both carry.
What still opens CAF files?
QuickTime Player, Logic Pro, and GarageBand open CAF natively on macOS, and VLC decodes it on Windows and Linux as well. Very little non-Apple software supports it directly.
What should I convert a CAF file to?
Convert CAF to WAV for lossless compatibility with editing software, or to M4A for a smaller file that still plays on non-Apple devices. Whether the conversion loses quality depends on what codec the CAF file already holds inside; a CAF containing uncompressed PCM converts to WAV with no loss at all.
Converting CAF files#
Convert CAF to another format
Convert another format to CAF
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.