Format knowledge
WMA Format Guide & Converter
WMA file format — WMA appears in older Windows libraries and speech recordings. Convert to MP3 or M4A so phones and Macs play the files without legacy codecs. Convert WMA in your browser; conversion files are not uploaded to Format Convertly servers.
What is WMA?
WMA file format is Windows Media Audio — a Microsoft lossy (and sometimes lossless) audio format, introduced by Microsoft (1999). WMA appears in older Windows libraries and speech recordings. Convert to MP3 or M4A so phones and Macs play the files without legacy codecs.
WMA format specifications
- Full name
- WMA file format
- Kind
- audio
- File extension
- .wma
- MIME type
- audio/x-ms-wma
- Developer / standard
- Microsoft · 1999
- Compression
- lossy
- Quality model
- Typically lossy
- Container
- No / single bitstream typical
- Common codecs
- —
- Technical sources
- —
- Transparency
- Not supported
- Animation
- No (still / non-animated typical use)
- Typical size
- Similar order of magnitude to MP3 depending on bitrate
- Browser support
- Limited — convert to MP3 for HTML5
- Compatibility
- Best on older Windows Media stacks; Mac and phone users typically need MP3 or M4A derivatives
WMA compression & quality
WMA compression: lossy. Lossy encoding discards some information to shrink files — re-saving repeatedly can accumulate artifacts. Typical size profile: Similar order of magnitude to MP3 depending on bitrate. Quality note: Acceptable speech; music often benefits from conversion to MP3/M4A/FLAC
Quality: Acceptable speech; music often benefits from conversion to MP3/M4A/FLAC
Typical size: Similar order of magnitude to MP3 depending on bitrate
Transparency & animation
WMA does not support an alpha channel. Convert to PNG, WebP, AVIF, or SVG when you need transparent backgrounds.
WMA is a still-media or non-animated format in typical use. Use GIF, APNG, video, or animated WebP when you need motion.
WMA metadata
Tags such as ID3, Vorbis comments, or MP4 atoms (title, artist, album, artwork).
Best use cases for WMA
- Legacy Windows music libraries
- Older dictation exports
- Enterprise archives being modernized
- One-time conversion projects
When to avoid WMA
- New cross-platform releases
- iPhone-first audiences
- Web audio
- Open-source distribution defaults
Advantages
- Historical Windows support
- Smaller than WAV
- Common in old corp libraries
Disadvantages
- Weak modern multi-platform support
- Legacy codec friction
- Not web-native
- Should be converted for sharing
Compatibility
Best on older Windows Media stacks; Mac and phone users typically need MP3 or M4A derivatives
Browsers: Limited — convert to MP3 for HTML5
Software support
- Windows Media Player
- VLC
- ffmpeg
- Audacity
Device support
- Windows PCs
- Some older media players
How to open WMA
Play WMA in Windows Media Player or VLC. On Mac and iPhone, convert to MP3 or M4A first so the track appears in ordinary music apps.
How to convert WMA
Convert WMA to MP3 or M4A in Format Convertly for portable audio libraries without uploading tracks to a server.
- Pick a target format from popular conversions or the full list below.
- Your file is read into browser memory — not uploaded to a server.
- Download the result when conversion finishes.
Popular WMA conversions
Convert from WMA
Related formats
WMA tools
Tools extend the format graph beyond one-off conversion — compression, metadata, and utilities for real workflows.
Why convert in the browser?
Uploading sensitive WMA files to a random converter creates a third-party copy you cannot control. Format Convertly keeps processing on-device so photos, contracts, and exports stay private.
WMA FAQ
What is a WMA file?
WMA is Windows Media Audio — a Microsoft lossy (and sometimes lossless) audio format. WMA appears in older Windows libraries and speech recordings. Convert to MP3 or M4A so phones and Macs play the files without legacy codecs.
Is WMA lossy or lossless?
WMA is typically lossy (lossy). That keeps files small but means discarded detail cannot be restored later.
Does WMA support transparency?
WMA does not support an alpha channel. Convert to PNG, WebP, AVIF, or SVG when you need transparent backgrounds.
How do I open a WMA file?
Play WMA in Windows Media Player or VLC. On Mac and iPhone, convert to MP3 or M4A first so the track appears in ordinary music apps.
How do I convert WMA privately?
Convert WMA to MP3 or M4A in Format Convertly for portable audio libraries without uploading tracks to a server. Format Convertly keeps processing in your browser so files are not uploaded to a conversion server.
Are my WMA files uploaded on Format Convertly?
No. WMA conversion runs in your browser. Files are not sent to Format Convertly servers for processing.
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- No conversion file stored on our servers
- Maximum file size: 100 MB
Conversion runs in your browser. Files are not uploaded to Format Convertly servers.
Knowledge graph
Topical links for WMA — not generic site indexes.
WMA essentials
Convert from WMA
WMA tools
Related formats