View AAC Files Online

An .aac file is an audio file compressed with the Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) lossy compression standard. It often stores music data (e.g., songs) since it maintains high-quality sound while reducing the file size. Many devices and apps encode audio using the AAC method, including Apple's iPhone, Nintendo's 3DS, and Sony's PlayStation 4.

AAC is similar to the more prominent MP3 standard but offers several performance improvements, including better handling of frequencies higher than 16 kHz and a higher coding efficiency for stationary and transient signals. Multiple companies, including Dolby, Sony, Nokia, and Panasonic, developed AAC, initially releasing it in 1997 (they still maintain it). Additionally, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standardized it.

Converting AAC Files

While most media players support .aac files, you may want to convert them to the MP3 format (.mp3 files) for broader compatibility. The sound difference between the two formats is mainly negligible. However, you may notice a decrease in quality in bitrates lower than 128 Kbps when converting .aac files to .mp3 files.