OGG File Format (.ogg)
An OGG file is an Ogg-container file that, under the Xiph.Org Foundation's own naming convention, holds audio encoded with the Vorbis codec, an open, royalty-free lossy compressor comparable to MP3 or AAC.
OGG at a glance#
| Full name | Ogg Audio |
|---|---|
| File extension | .ogg |
| Category | Audio Files |
| Developer | Xiph.Org Foundation |
| First released | 2003 |
| MIME types | audio/ogg |
| Compression | Lossy |
| Specification | RFC 3533 (The Ogg Encapsulation Format) |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads and writes this format |
What a .ogg file can hold#
These are the things a OGG file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Embedded metadata | Yes |
|---|---|
| Audio | Yes |
| Streaming | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of OGG#
What OGG does well
- Vorbis compression is competitive with MP3 and AAC at the same bit rate, and it's fully royalty-free
- Vorbis comment metadata blocks carry tags and cover art natively
- Designed from the start as a streaming bitstream, so it seeks and streams cleanly over a network
- Open specification with no licensing fees for encoders or decoders
Where OGG falls short
- No native playback in Windows Media Player or macOS's Music app without an add-on or third-party player
- Smaller installed base than MP3 or AAC, so some hardware players and car stereos can't read it
- Xiph's own convention reserves .ogg for Vorbis audio specifically; other codecs in an Ogg container should use .oga, .opus or .ogv, which trips up software that ignores the distinction
Use OGG for Vorbis-encoded audio on Linux, in games, or anywhere royalty-free lossy compression matters more than universal playback.
Convert OGG to MP3 or AAC when the destination device or software has no Vorbis decoder, which is still common on Windows and iOS without a third-party player.
How to open a .ogg file#
A .ogg file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts OGG 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, foobar2000, Windows Media Player (with Web Media Extensions) |
| macOS | VLC |
| Linux | VLC, Rhythmbox, Audacious |
| iOS | VLC |
| Android | VLC, the built-in media player |
| Web | FileFlip |
OGG questions people ask#
What's the difference between OGG and OGA?
OGG and OGA are the same Ogg container format with different extensions marking what's inside. Since 2007, Xiph.Org's convention reserves .ogg for audio specifically encoded with Vorbis, while .oga is the codec-agnostic extension for Ogg audio that might hold Vorbis, FLAC, Speex or another codec. In practice many tools ignore the distinction and use .ogg for any Ogg audio.
Does converting OGG to FLAC or WAV improve the sound quality?
No, converting OGG to FLAC or WAV does not improve sound quality. Vorbis, the codec inside most OGG files, is lossy, so the audio data it discarded during encoding is gone for good; wrapping the result in a lossless format afterward just produces a larger file with the same OGG-quality audio.
What plays OGG files?
VLC plays OGG on any platform without extra setup, and so does foobar2000 on Windows and most default players on Linux. Android supports Ogg Vorbis natively; Windows needs the free Web Media Extensions from the Microsoft Store, and macOS and iOS have no built-in support at all, so VLC or another third-party player is required there.
Is OGG better than MP3?
At the same bit rate, Vorbis, the codec inside most OGG files, generally sounds as good as or slightly better than MP3, and it's royalty-free where MP3 historically wasn't. MP3's advantage is compatibility: it plays everywhere without a second thought, while OGG needs a Vorbis-capable player.
Can OGG files contain video?
Not under Xiph's naming convention: .ogg is reserved for Vorbis audio specifically. Video in an Ogg container, typically encoded with Theora, uses the .ogv extension instead, and .ogx marks Ogg files that multiplex multiple stream types together.
Converting OGG files#
Convert OGG to another format
Convert another format to OGG
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.