.AIFF File Extension

Audio Interchange File Format

Developer	Apple
Popularity	3.6 \| 68 Votes

What is a AIFF file?

An AIFF file is an audio file saved in the Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF). It contains high-quality audio stored in an uncompressed lossless format. AIFF files may also be saved as .AIF files or .AIFC files (if they are compressed).

More Information

Screenshot of a .aiff file in Adobe Audition 2021 — AIFF file open in Adobe Audition 2021

In 1988, Apple developed the Audio Interchange File Format. The AIFF format is a variant of the .IFF format, which Electronic Arts (EA) developed to store assets used in video games.

Unlike .MP3 files and many other common audio files, AIFF files are uncompressed. Because AIFF files' data is not compressed, AIFF files typically contain higher-quality audio than similar MP3 files. However, the files also take up more disk space since they store more data.

In the 2000s, Apple iTunes and other audio applications burned AIFF files onto audio CDs. Standard CD audio AIFF files are sampled at 44.1KHz, are 16-bit, and have two channels for stereo sound. Nowadays, people primarily use AIFF files to store audio created by a digital audio workstation (DAW).

How to open a AIFF file

You can open AIFF files and play the audio they contain with various media players, including Microsoft Windows Media Player (Windows), Apple Music and Apple QuickTime Player (both bundled with macOS), and VideoLAN VLC media player (multiplatform).