How to choose the best audio format

The right format depends on what you are trying to do. Reach for WAV when you need lossless quality or plan to keep editing — it is uncompressed, universally supported, and never degrades, at the cost of larger files. Choose MP3 when compatibility and small size matter most; it plays on essentially everything and is the safe default for sharing. Consider OGG/Vorbis when you want better quality than MP3 at the same file size and you know your target devices support it.

A useful rule of thumb: archive and edit in WAV, distribute in MP3, and use OGG when you specifically want to squeeze more quality out of a small file. Avoid repeatedly converting between lossy formats, since each conversion compounds the quality loss.

For a fuller breakdown with examples, see the blog post comparing MP3, WAV, and OGG.