Guides · updated October 22, 2026

Batch convert WAV to MP3

How the browser queue handles a folder of WAVs, how names and ZIPs work, and the point where a desktop tool is the better choice.

Tested: 22 October 2026 · 12-file batch · Chrome 156 · 16/44.1 WAV fixtures

Short answer

Drop several WAVs into the converter, choose a bitrate, and the queue processes them one at a time. Each output keeps the source base name with an .mp3 extension. A ZIP is offered when the total output is under 500 MB; larger batches download individually.

The queue

Drop a folder’s worth of WAVs onto the page, or click and select several files.
The panel lists each file with its duration, sample rate and channels.
Choose a bitrate. 192 kbps is a good default; 320 kbps for music.
Press Convert. The queue processes one file at a time.
Download each MP3, or use Download all as ZIP when the total is under 500 MB.

The sequential design is deliberate. Encoding 20 files in parallel would multiply memory use and make a phone or a low-memory laptop fail. One at a time is slower on paper, but it finishes.

Naming

Each output keeps the source base name and changes the extension:

interview-01.wav  →  interview-01.mp3

If two source files have the same base name in different folders, the ZIP numbers the duplicates instead of overwriting them. The individual downloads keep their own names; the browser may add (1) if a file with that name already exists in Downloads.

What the batch does not do

No folder recursion. The picker gives you files, not a directory tree.
No per-file settings. One bitrate for the batch.
No editing. No trim, normalize, fade or noise removal.
No target size per file. The target-size control is single-file; it needs each file’s duration.
No background processing. Keep the tab open.

When Audacity is better

The files need normalization, noise removal or compression.
The batch must run unattended on a schedule.
You need VBR or a specific LAME profile.
The folder has thousands of files and a ZIP is not the deliverable.

Audacity’s Macro system is built for repeatable desktop jobs. The browser queue is built for a quick, visible batch with no install and no upload.

When ffmpeg is better

A shell loop is faster and scriptable:

for f in *.wav; do
  ffmpeg -i "$f" -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 192k -ar 44100 "${f%.wav}.mp3"
done

Use it when the batch is large, when you need VBR, or when the job should run without a browser. The browser route is for people who do not want to install ffmpeg or write a loop.

The honest trade-off

The browser batch is not the fastest or the most configurable. It is the one with the fewest steps: open a page, drop files, pick a bitrate, download. For a folder of WAVs that only needs a format change, that is often enough.

FAQ

Can I select a whole folder?

Drop the files or select several in the file picker. The browser does not expose a reliable folder picker across Chrome, Firefox and Safari, so the page does not pretend to have one. Drag the folder contents, or select all the WAVs in the picker.

Does the queue run in parallel?

No. Files are processed sequentially. That keeps memory bounded and makes progress predictable. A batch of 20 files takes about as long as the sum of the individual conversions, not the longest one.

What happens if one file fails?

The queue continues. The failed file is listed with its error code and the successful files remain downloadable. A corrupt WAV does not cancel the rest of the batch.

Can I set a different bitrate per file?

The batch uses one output setting for every file. For per-file control, convert the odd file separately. The target-size control is single-file for the same reason: it depends on each file's duration.

Why is the ZIP limited to 500 MB?

The ZIP has to be built in memory before the browser can download it. A larger archive can exhaust the tab. Above 500 MB, the individual files are the safer route.

Does this replace Audacity?

No. Audacity has editing, effects, normalization and macro-driven batch jobs. This page is for the common case: a folder of WAVs that only needs a format change. If the files need cleanup, edit first.