How to export edited audio as MP3 or WAV

You have finished editing an audio clip and need a file you can share, upload, or open in another program. The export format matters: MP3 files are usually smaller, while WAV files preserve uncompressed audio and take up more space.

Use the Audio Editor to export your edits as either format in your browser. Here is how to choose the format and check that the exported file is ready to use.

Export your edited audio

1. Open the Audio Editor and load your audio file. Make any final cuts, fades, speed or pitch changes, or track adjustments before exporting.
2. Listen through the edited audio, especially near cuts and at the beginning and end. Check that you have not left out a word or kept a section you meant to remove.
3. Choose the export option and select MP3 or WAV as the output format. The available format choices are MP3 and WAV.
4. Start the export and save the resulting file when your browser offers it. Give the file a clear name, then open it from your Downloads folder or the location where you saved it.

Export creates an audio file you can play or share. It is not the same as keeping an editable multitrack project. If you may want to change the cuts or track arrangement later, keep your original audio files as well.

Choose between MP3 and WAV

Choose MP3 for sharing and smaller files

MP3 compresses audio to make the file smaller. It is a practical choice for sending a voice recording, posting audio online, or saving a copy that does not need to be edited further. Smaller files are also quicker to download and use less storage.

MP3 compression discards some audio information. The difference may be hard to notice for speech or everyday listening, but repeated conversions can reduce quality. If the export options let you choose a bitrate, a higher bitrate generally keeps more detail and creates a larger file. The exact choices depend on what the editor offers.

Choose WAV for uncompressed audio

WAV is a good choice when you want an uncompressed copy for further editing, archiving, or use in a program that expects WAV. It preserves the audio data without MP3's lossy compression, but the file is much larger. As a rough guide, one minute of stereo audio at 44.1 kHz and 16-bit depth is about 10 MB before any other considerations.

Exporting an existing MP3 as WAV does not restore information that MP3 compression already removed. It only puts that already-compressed sound into a larger file. When the original recording is MP3, choose WAV only if another program specifically needs that format or you need to avoid another lossy conversion.

The file needs to work in a particular app

Check which formats the receiving app or service accepts. If it accepts both, use MP3 when file size matters and WAV when you need uncompressed audio. Keep the exported file's extension as it was saved. Renaming .mp3 to .wav, or the other way around, does not convert the audio.

How to fix export problems

1. Look for the downloaded file. Check your browser's download list and the Downloads folder. If you chose a different save location, check that folder too. The browser may have completed the export even if the file is not visible in the editor.
2. Check available storage. WAV files can be large, especially for long or stereo recordings. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Storage. On a Mac, open System Settings › General › Storage. Free space, then export again.
3. Export a shorter section. If a long recording does not finish, try exporting a shorter section to see whether duration or file size is the issue. You can also close tabs and apps using a lot of memory, then retry.
4. Use a clear file name and keep the extension. Avoid changing the ending of the exported file name. If the file has an unexpected extension, export again and select the format you need rather than trying to convert it by renaming it.
5. Check whether the problem is in the edit. Play the exported file in a media player and compare the same moment with your source. If the same section sounds cut off or altered in both, revisit the edit and export again. If only one player has trouble, the file may be fine but that player may not support the format.

Keep an original copy

Before making extensive edits, keep the source file unchanged. This gives you a clean copy if you later need a different cut or format. For an audio file you plan to revise again, export a WAV copy when you want to avoid lossy compression, and make an MP3 copy for convenient sharing.

The Audio Editor runs in your browser, and your audio files stay on your device.