How can you play WMA audio files on any device without using Windows Media Player?
WMA is Microsoft’s own audio file format. It offers greater compression than the popular MP3 file type. And it sounds better at the same framerate.
However, WMA files don’t offer high-quality sound and they only work on Windows PCs.
This article asks what is a WMA file and how can you use them on any media player?
Read on to understand how the WMA format works. Learn the answer to what is a WMA audio file. Then discover how to convert these media types into other popular formats.
What Is a WMA File Type?
The Windows Media Audio format or WMA is Microsoft’s answer to the MP3 file.
It forms part of the Windows Media framework and contains a series of codecs and coding formats. These reduce the size of large music files to make them easy to transfer online yet don’t compromise on quality.
Formats like WMA are called ‘lossy’ because they tend to lose quality. ‘Lossless’ means the file retains the full sound but they produce larger file sizes. The key is to offer the best balance between them.
That’s why the WMA file format was created.
WMA Advantages and Disadvantages
Microsoft wanted WMAs to replace MP3s as the main lossy music format. They stated that WMAs sounded better compared to MP3 and the RealNetworks format at the time.
Technically, Microsoft was correct. The Windows Media Audio format offers:
- great sound quality at low bitrates e.g. 64 kbps
- better playback for CD-quality tracks
- convenient for all Windows users
However, WMA is propriety software that’s designed to work on a Windows PC or laptop.
One of the major criticisms of the format is that it doesn’t work on other platforms by default. That includes millions of MP3 devices where WMAs will simply refuse to play.
Also, some people say they can hear a ‘tininess’ in the bass in WMA files that they cannot detect in other formats.
What Is a WMA File Extension?
The main file extension for Windows Media Audio files is .wma.
Yet, Microsoft also offers several other versions of the file including:
- WMA Pro – supports high-resolution audio content
- WMA Lossless – compresses audio without losing its quality
- WMA Voice – for apps that support voice playback
If you want the highest-quality experience then choose the Pro and Lossless formats.
WMA Pro offers dynamic range compression which balances sound quality. It produces a stable sound level that also lets you hear the quieter parts of audio tracks.
The WMV extension relates to the Windows Media Video format for playing films and movies.
Playing a WMA Audio File
Support for playing a WMA file comes in Microsoft’s flagship media offering — Windows Media Player.
WMP comes free with all versions of Windows by default except RT. You might need to enable it, though. Follow the link above and click the button to do this.
Mac users can play WMA audio files within Quicktime using the Windows Media Components tool. However, the official link to this software isn’t working at present and the quality of these tools is debatable.
That’s why many people convert their Windows files into other open formats like MP3 and OGG.
Converting WMA Files
Converting complex files like Windows Media Audio is difficult if you don’t have the right tools. The process involves matching the correct codecs with the proper output format. One wrong bit or byte and the file won’t work.
The great news is that Offdrive does all the hard work for you and we do it for free!
WMA to MP3 Format
To save your WMA file as an MP3, follow these steps:
- Visit this link: offdrive.com/convert/wma/mp3
- Click the Browse button and select your WMA file
- Check the box beside ‘I am not a robot’
- Click the Convert WMA to MP3 button
Progress will display at the top of the screen. When completed, click ‘Download Now’ to save your new MP3 file to your drive.
You can then choose to convert more files or turn your WMA into an OGG file.
Convert WMA to OGG
Ogg Vorbis Audio or OGG files are similar to the MP3 standard.
Like WMA, the format produces a higher quality version that sees a reduced byte-size. Compressed data includes audio along with metadata like artist names and track information.
OGG files work on most modern audio players. They also play within a web browser using HTML through the
Convert your WMA audio files to OGG using our free online conversion tool.
Simply upload your file, check the CAPTCHA box, then hit Convert. Our servers take your track and convert it within seconds. Then you can download the new format and use it as you wish.
What Is a Protected WMA File?
A protected WMA file means that it’s guarded by digital rights management software (DRM).
DRM was a popular copyright protection method that music stores added to deter illegal file-sharing. More recently, DRM is being stripped from music files. Streaming has made the method redundant yet many older audio files still retain this technology.
Unfortunately, protected WMA files won’t work outside of Windows Media Player.
There are some tools online that attempt to strip away DRM protection but most aren’t legal. If possible, try to get the original file without digital rights added to it for the best playback.
WMA Conversions and More at Offdrive
This article has answered questions like what is a WMA file and how do you play them on a Windows PC?
Yet what if you don’t have a PC? Or you need to add WMA audio files to a website? Or simply want to play them on your phone or MP3 device?
Thankfully, Offdrive offers several conversion tools for you to work with WMA files. And conversion is totally free.
But it doesn’t stop with audio files.
Offdrive.com enables you to convert Word Documents into PDFs. You can even transform PowerPoint presentations into JPGs or PNGs.
View a complete list of our conversion services at the top of the screen. Then convert as many files as you want at no charge.