WAV Size Calculator
Enter the sample rate, bit depth, number of channels and length of the recording. The calculator gives the WAV file size, the bitrate, the size per minute and what the same audio would take as FLAC or MP3.
- Size from settings
- Bitrate
- FLAC and MP3 compared
Video work usually uses 48 kHz. Music masters are often 96 kHz at 24-bit.
WAV files are uncompressed, so their size is simple to work out. Multiply samples a second by bytes per sample by channels by seconds. CD quality stereo, 44.1 kHz and 16-bit, uses about 10.6 MB a minute.
WAV size chart
Stereo, per minute. Search for a format.
| Format | Bitrate (kbps) | Per minute | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44.1 kHz 16-bit | 1411.2 | 10.6 MB | 635.0 MB |
| 48 kHz 16-bit | 1536 | 11.5 MB | 691.2 MB |
| 48 kHz 24-bit | 2304 | 17.3 MB | 1.0 GB |
| 96 kHz 24-bit | 4608 | 34.6 MB | 2.1 GB |
| 192 kHz 24-bit | 9216 | 69.1 MB | 4.1 GB |
Decimal units: 1 MB is 1,000,000 bytes.
Length and file size
CD quality stereo. Slide the length.
The waveform stands for your recording, with its size beside it.
How to work out WAV size
Samples × bytes. Step through it.
Sample rate
Per second.
32-bit float files are the same size as 32-bit integer files, but cannot clip while editing.
WAV, FLAC or MP3
Audio formats. Compare them.
Uncompressed.
Lossless.
Lossy.
FLAC is lossless, so it sounds exactly like the WAV but takes about half the space.
Before recording
Audio checks. Tick each item.
Tick each item as you go.
Record at 24-bit. The extra headroom makes it far less likely to clip, and the file is only 50% bigger.
What you get
Audio file size. Each tile explains one result.
Decimal units.
MiB and GiB.
kbps.
Lossless size.
At 320 kbps.
A standard WAV file cannot be bigger than 4 GB. Longer recordings need RF64 or splitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
No question matches that search.
How big is a WAV file per minute?
About 10.6 MB a minute for CD quality stereo, 44.1 kHz at 16-bit.
How do I calculate WAV file size?
Sample rate × bit depth ÷ 8 × channels × seconds, plus a 44 byte header.
Why are WAV files so large?
They store every sample with no compression.
How much smaller is FLAC than WAV?
Usually about 40% to 60% of the WAV size, with no loss of quality.
What is the bitrate of a CD quality WAV?
1,411 kbps.
Is a higher bit depth better?
For recording, 24-bit is better than 16-bit because it has more headroom. For listening, most people cannot hear the difference.
What is the maximum size of a WAV file?
4 GB for a standard WAV. Use RF64 for anything bigger.
Know the size before you record
Pick the sample rate, bit depth and channels and see the file size straight away. Plan your storage, or choose FLAC to halve it with no loss.
More size calculators
Each one has its own calculator, worked examples and answers to common questions.