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.AIF·File Extension

AIF Audio — A .aif file is a AIF Audio. It is an audio format used to store music, voice and sound effects, either lossy or lossless.

Audioaudio/x-aiff

Quick facts

Extension.aif

File typeAIF Audio

MIME typeaudio/x-aiff

CategoryAudio

Charset—

Compressible—

What is .aif

What is a .aif file?

A .aif file is a AIF Audio. It is an audio format used to store music, voice and sound effects, either lossy or lossless.

In the mime-db registry it maps to audio/x-aiff. When serving .aif over HTTP, set the Content-Type header as shown in Developer info below.

Related entities: it maps to audio/x-aiff — and is delivered over HTTP via the Content-Type header.

How to open .aif files

Use VLC or Windows Media Player to open and edit .aif files.
Any text editor (Notepad, VS Code) can inspect the raw content as text.

Developer info

When served over HTTP, responses should set the following header:

Content-Type: audio/x-aiff

Common software that reads/writes .aif:

VLCWindows Media PlayerAudacityQuickTime

Relation chain

.aifextension of

format

AIF Audioserved as

mime type

audio/x-aiffsent via header

http header

Related extensions

Related MIME types

Common uses

Music and podcasts
Sound effects
Voice recordings

How to edit .aif files

Open the file with VLC, make your changes and save.
Most editors preserve the original formatting and encoding — avoid changing the charset.

How to create .aif files

Create a new file and save it with the .aif extension, or export this format from VLC.

Frequently asked questions

What programs can open .aif files?

Common options include VLC, Windows Media Player, Audacity. You can also open many of these files with built-in viewers or a browser.

How do I create a .aif file?

Create a new file in any text editor or the app that owns the format and save it with the .aif extension.

What is the relationship between .aif and the audio/x-aiff MIME type?

audio/x-aiff is the media type identifier used for .aif files during network transfer (for example in the HTTP Content-Type header).

Sources & standards

Updated 2026-09-13

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