How to export a clear WAV file for a podcast episode

You have finished editing a podcast episode and want a WAV file that sounds clean, not distorted or unexpectedly quiet. The format helps preserve audio detail, but it cannot repair a noisy recording or undo clipping that is already in the source.

Use the Audio Editor to arrange and trim audio, add fades, and export a WAV file in your browser. Check the whole edit before exporting so you do not create a polished file with a cut-off word or an abrupt ending.

Export the episode as a WAV file

1. Open the Audio Editor and open the audio files you want to use. Keep your original recordings in a separate folder so you can return to them if needed.
2. Arrange the clips on tracks in the order you want them to play. Cut unwanted sections, join clips where needed, and use a fade at a cut if the transition sounds abrupt.
3. Play the edit from beginning to end. Listen for clipped words, clicks at cuts, long unintended gaps, or a sudden ending. Check transitions with headphones as well as your usual speakers if possible.
4. Choose WAV as the export format, then start the export. If the export settings ask for sample rate or bit depth, use the values requested by your podcast platform or production partner.
5. Open the exported file and play a few sections, including the start, a transition, and the end. Confirm that it plays fully and that you selected the right version.

Give the file a clear name, such as episode-12-final.wav, and save it somewhere you can find again. Do not overwrite the original recording unless you have another verified copy.

Choose the right WAV settings

Follow the delivery requirements first

If a podcast host, producer, or client provides a required sample rate, bit depth, or channel format, use those requirements. A sample rate describes how many times per second audio is measured. Bit depth describes the detail available for each measurement. Changing these values does not improve a poor recording, and matching the required settings avoids an unnecessary conversion later.

Use a common setting when no one has specified one

Podcast audio is often prepared at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. Both are common sample rates. If the file will be combined with video, 48 kHz is a common choice. For a music-focused audio release, 44.1 kHz is also widely used. Treat these as common workflows, not universal rules.

If bit depth is a choice, 16-bit is common for a finished listening copy, while 24-bit is useful in production workflows that may need further editing. Use the delivery specification when there is one. The Audio Editor's available export choices may depend on the file and browser, so use only settings actually shown in its export options.

Choose mono or stereo based on the recording

Mono has one audio channel. Stereo has two. A single host recorded on one microphone can often be delivered in mono, while a conversation recorded with separate left and right placement or music mixed in stereo may need stereo. Do not convert a stereo episode to mono just to make the file smaller unless the delivery requirements call for it.

What the exported file tells you

The WAV plays clearly from start to finish

The export completed and the file is usable for listening or further production. Keep the WAV as your high-quality working copy. If you also need a smaller file for streaming or sharing, make an MP3 as a separate copy rather than replacing the WAV.

The WAV sounds distorted or harsh

WAV preserves the signal it receives. If the original recording clipped, the audio may sound crackly or harsh in the export too. Exporting to WAV does not restore detail that was lost during recording. Go back to the original source and record the affected part again at a lower input level if possible.

The WAV is much larger than an MP3

That is expected. WAV audio is usually uncompressed, so it keeps more data and takes more storage space. As a rough guide, uncompressed stereo audio at 44.1 kHz and 16-bit uses about 10 MB per minute. An MP3 is smaller because it removes some audio information to reduce file size.

The WAV sounds no better than the source

That is normal if you started with a compressed MP3 or a low-quality recording. Saving that source as WAV does not bring back audio detail that was removed earlier. WAV is most useful when exporting a clean recording or edit that you want to keep at full quality for later work.

Fix common WAV export problems

1. Check the source for clipping. If speech is already distorted in the original recording, a new export will preserve the distortion. Record the affected section again with a lower microphone input level, then replace it in the edit.
2. Listen around every cut. A cut through a spoken word can sound abrupt, and a cut between two unrelated waveforms can produce a click. Adjust the cut or add a short fade where it sounds natural, then play the transition again.
3. Confirm the selected format. If the file is much smaller than expected or has an MP3 extension, check that WAV was selected in the export options. Do not rely on renaming the extension: changing a filename from .mp3 to .wav does not convert the audio.
4. Check the file after exporting. Open the newly exported file and make sure it plays beyond the first few seconds. If it is incomplete, repeat the export and wait for it to finish before opening or moving the file.
5. Check the playback device if the file seems silent. Try another audio file through the same speakers or headphones. On Windows 11, check Settings › System › Sound and confirm the selected output device. On macOS, check System Settings › Sound › Output. A quiet or silent file may be a playback routing issue rather than an export problem.
6. Follow the platform's delivery instructions. If an upload is rejected, check its required file type, sample rate, bit depth, and channel count. Export a new copy that matches those requirements instead of repeatedly changing settings without a target.

Keep a clean master and a smaller copy

WAV is a good choice for an edited master because it avoids the extra data reduction used by MP3. Keep that master unchanged. If you need a smaller file for an upload or a quick review, export an MP3 separately and listen to it before sharing. Comparing the two versions can help reveal whether a compressed copy sounds noticeably different.

Your audio files stay on your device while you use the Audio Editor in your browser.