Audio format
The OGG format
OGG is open-source lossy audio, common in games and on Android. The Xiph.Org Foundation finished Vorbis 1.0 in 2002 as a patent-free alternative to MP3; games and Android adopted it widely.
When to use OGG
Use OGG for game engines, Android apps and open-source projects that prefer free formats.
It is best for game audio, open-source apps and Android sounds, and it opens on Android, Chrome, Firefox and VLC, but not every Apple app, car stereo or editor.
How to open it: VLC, Chrome, Firefox and Android play OGG files.
| Full name | Ogg Vorbis |
|---|---|
| Extensions | .ogg, .oga |
| MIME type | audio/ogg |
| Introduced | 2002 |
| Compression | Lossy |
| Typical quality | roughly 96–256 kbps |
| Support | Patchy support |
| Typical size | Similar to or slightly smaller than MP3 |
Good at
- Royalty-free
- Good quality per megabyte
Not so good at
- Patchy support on Apple devices, car stereos and some editors
The common mistake
The .ogg extension can hold Vorbis, Opus or FLAC audio, so one OGG plays in a player and the next doesn’t.
Compare OGG with
Questions
What is an OGG file?
OGG (Ogg Vorbis) is open-source lossy audio, common in games and on Android. The Xiph.Org Foundation finished Vorbis 1.0 in 2002 as a patent-free alternative to MP3; games and Android adopted it widely.
How do I open an OGG file?
VLC, Chrome, Firefox and Android play OGG files.
How do I convert OGG to another format?
Pick the target on this page, or open the Audio Converter, drop the OGG file and choose a format. It converts in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.