┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : Apple Inc.
│ CATEGORY : Audio
│ MIME TYPE : audio/aiff
│ MAGIC BYTES : 464F524D
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is an AIFF file?
AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) is an uncompressed audio format developed by Apple in 1988, based on the IFF standard. It stores CD-quality audio with no data loss, similar to WAV but more common on macOS. AIFF-C is a compressed variant that supports various codecs.
How to open AIFF files
- QuickTime Player (macOS) — Built-in
- iTunes / Apple Music (macOS, Windows) — Native
- VLC Media Player (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Free
- Audacity (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Free audio editor
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Compression | Uncompressed (AIFF-C: compressed) |
| Sample Rates | 8-192 kHz |
| Bit Depth | 8, 16, 24, 32 bit |
| Channels | 1-6 |
| Container | IFF-based (FORM/AIFF) |
Common use cases
- Music production: Professional recording and mixing on macOS.
- CD mastering: Lossless audio for CD production.
- Sound design: High-quality samples for film and games.
- Archiving: Lossless preservation of audio recordings.