Stereo to mono conversion merges the left and right audio channels into a single channel. Each sample in the mono output is the mathematical average of the corresponding left and right samples: mono = (L + R) / 2. This preserves the full audio content while combining both channels, ensuring nothing is lost from the original recording.

Common use cases include: preparing audio for podcasting platforms (many recommend mono for voice), reducing file size for web streaming, ensuring compatibility with mono playback systems (like some PA systems or older devices), fixing phase issues in recordings, and creating smaller audio files for email or messaging attachments.

Yes — a mono WAV file is approximately half the size of an equivalent stereo WAV file at the same sample rate and bit depth, because it contains only one channel of audio data instead of two. However, if your original file is a compressed format like MP3, the output WAV may be larger due to the uncompressed PCM format. For maximum space savings, you can re-compress the downloaded WAV to MP3 or AAC using another tool.

The merging process itself is lossless in terms of content — both channels are preserved in the averaged output. However, you lose the spatial stereo separation effect. The output uses 16-bit PCM encoding, which provides excellent dynamic range (96 dB). For most practical applications — voice, podcasts, music for casual listening — the quality is indistinguishable from the original. Audiophile-grade productions may prefer 24-bit or 32-bit float formats, which are beyond the scope of this free tool.

This tool leverages your browser's built-in audio decoder, which supports WAV, MP3, OGG, FLAC, AAC, M4A, and WebM audio files. Most common audio formats work seamlessly. The output is always a standard 16-bit mono WAV file, universally compatible with all audio software and devices.

No — everything happens locally on your device. Your audio file never leaves your browser. The file is read into memory, decoded, processed, and the result is generated entirely client-side using the Web Audio API. This means your audio is completely private and secure. There are no uploads, no server processing, and no data collection of any kind.

Yes! You can preview both the original stereo audio and the converted mono audio directly in your browser using the built-in audio player. Compare them side by side to ensure the conversion meets your expectations before downloading.

If your audio file already has only one channel, the tool will detect this and still allow you to download it as a mono WAV file — effectively performing a format conversion. A small notification will let you know that no channel merging was necessary.

The tool accepts files up to 200 MB. For compressed formats like MP3, this can represent several hours of audio. Very large uncompressed WAV files may approach browser memory limits during decoding — if you encounter issues, try converting a shorter segment or compressing the file first.