Windows 10 has no built-in way to record straight to WAV. Its Voice Recorder app saves every recording as an M4A file, and it has no format setting. The quickest free route is Audacity: pick your microphone under Audio setup, click the red Record button, then choose File > Export Audio and set the format to WAV. If you already have a Voice Recorder clip, you can convert the M4A file to WAV in Audacity or VLC instead of recording again.
Applies to: Windows 10 version 22H2 with Audacity 4 (current release) or Audacity 3.7, and VLC media player 3.0. Windows 10 itself is past its end of support date of October 14, 2025; PCs enrolled in Extended Security Updates get security fixes until October 12, 2027.
Pick the right method
| Your situation | Use this |
|---|---|
| You want to record your voice or an instrument as WAV | Record in Audacity and export WAV |
| You want to capture sound playing on the PC (a video, a game, a stream) | Record PC audio to WAV |
| You already recorded with Voice Recorder | Convert the M4A file to WAV |
| You’ve moved to Windows 11 | Use Sound Recorder’s WAV setting |
If you only need a quick voice memo and the file format doesn’t matter, Voice Recorder is simpler. Its basics are covered in how to record audio in Windows 10 with Voice Recorder.
Before you record
- Check that Windows hears the mic. Go to Settings > System > Sound. Under Input, choose your microphone and speak. The Test your microphone bar should move. If it stays flat, fix the microphone in Windows 10 first.
- Allow desktop apps to use the mic. Audacity is a desktop app, not a Store app. Go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone and make sure Allow desktop apps to access your microphone is on. If it’s off, Audacity records silence without showing an error.
- Know the trade-off. WAV is uncompressed, so files are large: about 10 MB per minute at CD quality (16-bit, 44.1 kHz, stereo). Make sure you have the disk space for long sessions.
Method 1: Record in Audacity and export WAV
Audacity is free, open-source and available from the official Audacity download page. Audacity 4 arrived in September 2026 with a redesigned window; the steps note where Audacity 3.7 differs.
- Install and open Audacity. On first launch, Audacity 4 asks you to pick a theme and workspace. Choose Classic if you want a layout close to older versions.
- Choose your microphone. Click Audio setup in the top row, then Recording devices, and pick your mic. If it isn’t listed, click Rescan audio devices. In Audacity 3.7, the same choices are under the Audio Setup button on the toolbar.
- Pick mono or stereo. Most microphones are mono, and Audacity’s own guide recommends mono for voice. Use stereo only for a stereo source such as a mixer or a two-channel interface. In Audacity 3.7, this is Audio Setup > Recording Channels.
- Check the level. Click the microphone icon on the toolbar to show the recording meter, then speak normally. Aim for about -18 to -12 dB. If the meter hits the red or the waveform looks like a flat-topped block, move back or lower the mic volume.
- Record. Click the red Record button. A waveform appears as you speak. Click Stop when you’re done and play it back to check it.
- Export as WAV. Choose File > Export Audio. Set the format to WAV, type a file name (for example, Alex-interview-take1), pick a folder and click Export. In Audacity 3.7, the WAV options include an encoding list: Signed 16-bit PCM is the standard choice, and Signed 24-bit PCM gives more headroom for editing.
Saving and exporting are different. File > Save Project creates an Audacity project (.aup3) that only Audacity can open. Only Export Audio produces a .wav file that other apps and devices can play. Before exporting, you can trim mistakes or apply noise reduction in Audacity, and the WAV you export keeps those edits.
Method 2: Record sound playing on your PC to WAV
To capture what you hear through your speakers or headphones rather than a microphone, Audacity can record from a loopback device. Audacity’s guide to recording desktop audio describes this setup.
- Click Audio setup and set the host to Windows WASAPI.
- Under the recording devices, choose the speakers or headphones you listen through. The right entry has (loopback) after its name.
- Start playing the audio first. WASAPI loopback can’t record while nothing is playing.
- Click Record, then Stop when the clip ends, and export with File > Export Audio > WAV as in Method 1.
Everything the PC plays is captured, including notification sounds, so mute other apps first. Some sound cards also offer a Stereo Mix input that does the same job; it’s hidden by default, so turn on Stereo Mix in Windows 10 before you select it in Audacity. Only record calls, streams and music you have permission to record.
Method 3: Convert a Voice Recorder M4A file to WAV
Voice Recorder keeps its files in Documents\Sound recordings. In the app, you can also right-click a recording and choose Open file location. Converting doesn’t improve quality: the WAV will be bigger, but it can’t restore detail the M4A compression already removed. It just gives you a file that WAV-only software will accept.
Convert in Audacity
- Drag the .m4a file into the Audacity window, or use File > Import.
- If Audacity says it doesn’t recognize the file, install the FFmpeg library. Audacity can’t bundle FFmpeg, so follow its FFmpeg installation guide, restart Audacity and import again.
- Choose File > Export Audio, set the format to WAV and click Export.
Convert in VLC media player
If VLC is already installed (it’s free from VideoLAN’s download page), it can convert without extra libraries.
- Choose Media > Convert / Save, click Add, select the .m4a file, then click Convert / Save.
- Next to Profile, click the wrench icon. On Encapsulation, choose WAV. On Audio codec, check Audio and choose WAV as the codec. Click Save to return to the conversion window.
- Click Browse, choose a destination and make sure the file name ends in .wav.
- Click Start. The progress bar runs across the VLC window, and the file is finished when it stops.
If you’re on Windows 11
Windows 11 replaced Voice Recorder with Sound Recorder, which has a recording format option in its settings that includes WAV, so no extra software is needed there. The rest of the app is explained in how to record audio in Windows 11 with Sound Recorder.
Which WAV settings to choose
| Setting | Size per minute | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, mono | About 5 MB | Voice-overs, interviews, school projects |
| 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, stereo | About 10 MB | Music, CD-standard delivery |
| 24-bit, 48 kHz, stereo | About 17 MB | Video soundtracks and audio you’ll edit heavily |
If a client, school or video editor gave you a spec, match it exactly. Otherwise, 44.1 kHz suits music and 48 kHz is the usual rate for video. Keep the WAV as your master copy and export a smaller MP3 from it when you need to share. If you later change that MP3, these tips on editing MP3 files on Windows 10 help you avoid extra quality loss.
Check that you have a real WAV file
- In File Explorer, select View and check File name extensions so you can see the full name, such as Alex-interview-take1.wav.
- Right-click the file, choose Properties and open the Details tab. A 16-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo WAV shows a bit rate of 1411 kbps. A much lower number means the file is compressed and isn’t standard PCM WAV.
- Double-click the file to play it. If a recording turns out wrong, delete the WAV and export again from your Audacity project; the project is unaffected.
Troubleshooting
The recording is a flat line
Check that Allow desktop apps to access your microphone is on, then confirm the right device is chosen under Recording devices in Audacity. A webcam mic or a virtual device can look similar in the list. For PC audio, make sure something is playing before you press Record.
A Bluetooth headset records nothing or sounds like a phone call
When a Bluetooth headset’s mic is in use, Windows switches it to a low-quality hands-free mode, and Audacity can record silence from it. Use a USB or wired mic for WAV recordings where quality matters.
The recording is too quiet or distorted
Raise or lower the input level in Windows (see how to turn up mic volume in Windows 10) until Audacity’s meter sits around -18 to -12 dB. Distortion from clipping can’t be fixed afterward, so record again at a lower level.
VLC’s output won’t play
The encapsulation and codec must both be WAV. A mismatched pair can fail silently and leave an empty or unplayable file. Edit the profile, fix both settings and convert again.
FAQs
Can Windows 10 Voice Recorder save as WAV?
No. Voice Recorder only saves M4A files and has no format setting. You need another recorder such as Audacity, or you can convert the M4A afterward.
Is there a size limit for WAV files?
Yes. A standard WAV file can’t exceed 4 GB, which is roughly 6 hours and 45 minutes of 16-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo audio. For longer sessions, split the recording or choose a lossless format such as FLAC in Audacity’s export options.
Should I record in WAV or MP3?
Record in WAV when you’ll edit, mix or hand the file to someone who needs full quality. MP3 is fine for a final copy you’ll email or upload, because it’s roughly a tenth of the size.
Start with a 10-second test in Audacity, export it as WAV and check its properties. Once that test file looks right, you’re ready for the real recording.
Matt Jacobs writes and maintains the guides on Support Your Tech, which he started in 2017. He spent most of his career keeping small-business PCs running and still takes the occasional consulting job, so the steps here come from fixing the same problems on other people’s computers. Every guide is checked on his own Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac, iPhone and iPad before it goes up.