How to open Apple Core Audio Format .caf files
Have you had trouble opening the caf file on your computer? What are caf files? We explain what they are and recommend software that we know will open them.
What is caf file?
Files with caf extension can be typically found as audio content stored in Apple Core Audio format. The audio track within can be encoded either AIFF, WAV or even ALAC.
Apple Core Audio Format description
File extension caf is probably best known for its use for Apple Core Audio format.
CAF format a flexible audio format for storing and manipulating digital audio data. It is fully supported by Core Audio APIs on Mac OS X v10.4 and later and on Mac OS X v10.3 and requires QuickTime 7 to be installed in the system.
It provides high performance and flexibility, and is scalable to future ultra-high resolution audio recording, editing, and playback. Further specifications about CAF format can be found on the CAF Format overview page on Apple website.
Typically contains AIFF or WAV audio tracks, but in recent years CAF format is also used to store ALAC lossless audio tracks, particularly in the loop land sound effect libraries of several popular apps on Mac, including GarageBand, Soundtrack Pro, and Logic Studio.
Strangely enough, Apple iTunes does not support CAF format.
Suggested software to open caf file
Apple QuickTime for Mac
As multimedia framework for Mac OS X
There are other CAF filename extensions with the same .caf suffix
caf - Cal3D binary animation
A caf file extension is related to the Cal3D a 3D animation library. A caf file stores animation in binary file format.
caf - Class Action Gradebook data
A caf file extension is related to the Class Action Gradebook and used for its data files.
caf - CryENGINE character animation
A caf file extension is related to the CryENGINE and used for its character animation data.