Uncompressed audio
YouTube to WAV
AudioFetcher gets you a WAV of a YouTube video's audio in two free steps: download it as FLAC, which holds exactly the same audio in about half the space, then unpack that FLAC into a standard 16-bit WAV with the local Audio to WAV tool, which runs in your browser. Nothing is re-encoded along the way.
How to get a WAV
WAV and FLAC store the same uncompressed audio samples; FLAC simply packs them smaller without losing anything. So the cleanest route is FLAC from AudioFetcher's server, then WAV on your own device.
- 1Paste the video link and choose FLAC
On the AudioFetcher converter, pick FLAC as the format. Free conversions cover single videos up to 60 minutes.
- 2Fetch and save the FLAC
The server decodes YouTube's audio once and stores it losslessly. Save the file before the displayed expiry.
- 3Open the Audio to WAV tool
Choose the FLAC file in the local Audio to WAV tool. It runs in your browser, so the file is not uploaded anywhere.
- 4Download the WAV
You get a 16-bit PCM WAV at the source sample rate, usually 48 kHz for YouTube, ready for audio editors, DAWs and samplers.
Why not a direct WAV download? Stereo WAV at 48 kHz takes about 11.5 MB per minute, so a one-hour video becomes a file of roughly 690 MB. Making the WAV on your own device keeps conversions quick for everyone and gives you exactly the same samples. Very long files need a lot of memory in the browser, so for multi-hour audio keep the FLAC. YouTube's audio is lossy Opus or AAC to begin with, so a WAV preserves it exactly but cannot restore detail. Use only videos you own or have permission to download.
WAV, FLAC or Opus: which one do you need?
- WAV: uncompressed PCM. The largest file, and the most widely accepted by editors, samplers, CD burning software and hardware. Use it when a tool asks for WAV.
- FLAC: the same samples, compressed without loss to about half the size. Most editors read it directly. YouTube to FLAC.
- Opus or M4A: YouTube's original streams, copied untouched. Same listening quality as the WAV, at a tenth of the size. YouTube to Opus.
More detail in WAV vs FLAC and how big WAV files get.
Questions
Is YouTube to WAV lossless?
The WAV is a lossless copy of the audio YouTube serves, which is itself lossy Opus or AAC at roughly 128 to 160 kbps. Nothing further is lost, and nothing is gained.
Which WAV format do I get?
16-bit PCM WAV at the source sample rate, usually 48 kHz stereo. It opens in every editor and DAW.
Do I need WAV at all?
For listening, no: Opus or M4A carry the same audio in a fraction of the size. WAV is for editors, samplers, older hardware and tools that do not read FLAC.
Can I make an MP3 from the WAV later?
Yes, with the local WAV to MP3 tool, but that adds a lossy encode. If you want MP3 in the end, choose MP3 in the converter directly.