Which sample rate should I use for video?

48,000 Hz is the standard for video production and is required by most video editing software including Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro.

Free - Server-side FFmpeg - No registration

X Sample Rate Converter

Q: What is sample rate conversion?

Sample rate conversion recomputes an audio waveform at a new sample rate without changing pitch or duration. It is needed when audio files do not match a project's sample rate, for example converting 44.1 kHz music to 48 kHz for video production.

Q: Does upsampling improve audio quality?

No. Upsampling does not add frequency content that was not in the original recording. It is useful for matching project requirements but does not improve perceived quality.

Resample WAV audio files to any standard sample rate - 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 96 kHz and more. Uses FFmpeg on the server for fast, accurate resampling. For maximum quality, download the free Windows app which uses the soxr high-quality resampler engine.

FFmpeg server-side 44.1 kHz to 48 kHz Up to 192 kHz 16 / 24 / 32-bit output WAV output Windows app v1.2 - MP3 / M4A input

X Sample Rate Converter

FFmpeg server

Click to select a WAV file or drag it here

WAV, FLAC, AIFF - all sample rates and bit depths accepted

Source rate

select a file above

Target rate

Output bit depth

Channels

ffmpeg command ffmpeg -i input.wav -ar 48000 -c:a pcm_s16le output_48000hz.wav

Your file is uploaded over HTTPS, resampled on our server with FFmpeg, streamed back and deleted immediately.

Get the Windows app

The desktop version uses the soxr (SoX resampler) engine - a professional-grade resampler comparable to r8brain. Much higher quality than FFmpeg's built-in SWR resampler.

NEW in v1.2 Recent files, tooltips, open folder

Download for Windows

When to resample

Video projects require 48 kHz - convert your 44.1 kHz music tracks
DAW session mismatch - all files must match project sample rate
Broadcast delivery specs often require 48 kHz 24-bit
Old recordings at 22 kHz need upsampling for modern workflows

Online vs desktop

Online - FFmpeg SWR resampler, good quality, any OS
Desktop - soxr VHQ engine, audiophile-grade, offline
Desktop supports 16, 24-bit and 32-bit float output
No file size limits on the desktop app

How it works

Resample audio in three steps

Select your audio file

Drop a WAV, FLAC or AIFF file (up to 50 MB) into the online tool. The free Windows desktop app v1.2 also accepts MP3, M4A, AAC, OPUS, WMA, APE, WavPack and OGG with no size limit. The tool reads the file header and shows the source sample rate, channels, bit depth and duration instantly.

Choose target rate and bit depth

Pick your target sample rate - 48,000 Hz is the standard for video and professional audio production. 44,100 Hz is the CD standard. Choose 16-bit for compatibility, 24-bit for studio work, or 32-bit float for further processing in a DAW.

Download resampled WAV

Click Resample. The file is uploaded over HTTPS, processed with FFmpeg on our server, and immediately streamed back to you. Your file is deleted from the server as soon as the download starts. For offline, higher-quality resampling use the Windows app.

Sample rate guide

Which sample rate should you use?

44,100 Hz

CD standard

The standard for music distribution, streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal) and general audio. Most DAWs default to this. Use this for music projects with no video component.

48,000 Hz

Video and broadcast

The standard for video production. Required by most video editing software (Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut), broadcast delivery specs, and professional audio interfaces. If your audio goes with video, use 48 kHz.

96,000 Hz

High-resolution audio

Used in studio recording and high-resolution audio releases. Captures more headroom above 20 kHz for processing flexibility. Downsampled to 44.1 or 48 kHz for final delivery. Files are roughly twice the size of 48 kHz.

Windows desktop app

X Sample Rate Converter for Windows

What's new - v1.2

Recent files - last 10 inputs remembered, one-click reopen
Quality tooltips - clear explanations of QQ / LQ / MQ / HQ / VHQ
Open output folder - one-click reveal after each conversion
Auto-rename on conflict - no more accidental overwrites
Remembers output folder + optional completion sound

Previously in v1.1: drag & drop, MP3 / M4A / AAC / OPUS / WMA / APE input via bundled FFmpeg.

The Windows desktop app uses soxr - the SoX resampler library - which is a professional-grade resampling engine in the same quality class as Voxengo r8brain. Open source, MIT licensed, and produces audibly better results than FFmpeg's SWR resampler at high quality settings.

soxr VHQ engine - comparable to r8brain, open source and free

Drag & drop from Windows Explorer - no dialog needed

Input: WAV, FLAC, AIFF, OGG, MP3, M4A, AAC, OPUS, WMA, APE

Auto-detects source sample rate, bit depth, channels and duration

16-bit PCM, 24-bit PCM and 32-bit float output, 8 kHz to 192 kHz

Works fully offline, no file size limits, single portable .exe

Download X Sample Rate Converter Free - Windows 7/8/10/11 - v1.2 - .exe

No extra downloads needed

soxr + soundfile + FFmpeg

The soxr resampler, soundfile decoder and FFmpeg (for MP3/M4A/AAC/OPUS input) are all bundled inside the .exe. Single portable file, no installer, no extra downloads required - just run it.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is sample rate conversion and why do I need it?

Sample rate is the number of audio samples captured per second. 44,100 Hz (CD standard) and 48,000 Hz (video standard) are the most common. When your audio file does not match your project's sample rate - for example a 44.1 kHz music track in a 48 kHz video project - the audio will play back at the wrong speed or pitch unless it is resampled. Sample rate conversion recomputes the waveform at the new rate without changing pitch or duration.

What is the difference between the online tool and the Windows app?

The online tool uses FFmpeg's SWR resampler on our server - good quality and convenient for occasional use. The Windows desktop app uses the soxr (SoX resampler) library at Very High Quality (VHQ) mode, which uses a much steeper anti-aliasing filter and produces audibly superior results, especially when downsampling from high sample rates. For professional or archival use, the desktop app is recommended.

Does upsampling improve audio quality?

No. Upsampling - converting from a lower sample rate to a higher one - does not add any audio information that was not in the original recording. A 44.1 kHz file upsampled to 96 kHz is still a 44.1 kHz recording in terms of frequency content. Upsampling is useful for matching project requirements or for giving your DAW or digital-to-analog converter more headroom when processing, but it does not increase perceived quality.

Is my file kept on the server?

No. Your file is uploaded over HTTPS, resampled with FFmpeg, and the output is streamed directly back to your browser. Both the input and output files are deleted from the server immediately after the download completes. Any orphaned temp files from dropped connections are automatically removed after 4 hours.

Which bit depth should I choose?

16-bit PCM is the standard for final delivery - CD quality, compatible everywhere, and produces files half the size of 24-bit. 24-bit PCM is recommended for studio work, mixing, and mastering since it provides more headroom and reduces quantization noise during processing. 32-bit float is ideal if you plan to do further processing in a DAW, as it cannot clip regardless of gain changes. For straightforward resampling to deliver a file for video or streaming, 16-bit is almost always the right choice.

X Sample Rate Converter

Resample audio in three steps

Select your audio file

Choose target rate and bit depth

Download resampled WAV

Which sample rate should you use?

X Sample Rate Converter for Windows

No extra downloads needed

Frequently asked questions

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