What is the .wma file format?
?WMA? stands for Windows Media Audio. The .wma file format is a proprietary audio streaming format from Microsoft. This format was developed by Microsoft to compete with the MP3 audio format. .wma is a lossless audio format, meaning the original sound quality is retained when audio files are compressed using this format.
.wma files come under the category of ?audio files? and the mime type is: audio/x-ms-wma, video/x-ms-asf.
Purpose of .wma files
The .wma file format is used for playing music and streaming Internet Radio. As .wma is a lossless audio format, it is also best suited for ripping audio CDs. The .wma format is also a popular format for downloading music from the Internet. Popular services that use the .wma file format include Napster and Yahoo Music.
Is the .wma file format better than MP3?
According to Microsoft, .wma files are better compressed than .mp3 files, yet retain the original sound quality.
Names of the programs that can play .wma files
If you use Windows, you may play .wma files using any of the following programs:
- Microsoft Windows Media Player
- Roxio Creator 2010
- Web browser with the Windows Media Player plug-in
- Winamp Media Player
If you use a Mac OS, you may play .wma files using any of the following programs:
- Apple QuickTime with Flip4Mac WMV Components
- Web browser with the Filep4Mac WMV plug-in
- Microsoft Windows Media Player
Can .wma files be converted to other audio formats, such as .mp3?
Yes, you can convert .wma files to other popular audio formats using a required Conversion program.
I am unable to open a .wma file in Windows – what should I do?
Windows PCs include Windows Media Player, which recognizes and plays .wma files. So, if you have Windows Media Player installed on your computer but cannot play a .wma file then chances are some of the file openers on your Windows system are either damaged or corrupt. To fix this issue, we recommend you use FileCure, a file extension repair software that promptly diagnoses and fixes damaged file openers on a Windows system.