Convert Nintendo BFSTM streams to uncompressed WAV at the original sample rate, ready to edit. Upload files up to 20GB and download the converted result in a few clicks.
Convert WAV to BFSTMDrag & Drop your BFSTM file here
BFSTM files, up to 20GB
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Automatically deleted after 24 hours.
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20GB upload limit.
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HOW IT WORKS
Three steps, no account, nothing to install.
01
Upload your BFSTM files
Drag in .bfstm files you've extracted from a Wii U or Switch game or mod.
02
Convert to WAV
Start the conversion. vgmstream decodes the stream to 16-bit PCM and renders any loop with a fade.
03
Download the WAV
Download each WAV, or a whole set as one ZIP.
BFSTM
BFSTM is the streamed music format of Nintendo Wii U and Switch games, usually encoded as DSP-ADPCM with loop points.
WAV
WAV is the standard uncompressed audio format on Windows and in audio editors, keeping every sample exactly.
FILE FORMATS
SOURCE
Binary Cafe Stream files carry background music in Wii U and Switch titles. Most use Nintendo's DSP-ADPCM codec at about a quarter of the PCM size, some use PCM16, and many hold several stereo tracks that the game mixes live. Loop points in the header let a track repeat forever without a gap.
TARGET
Microsoft and IBM defined WAV in 1991. It normally stores plain PCM audio with no compression, which is why editors, DAWs, broadcast systems and speech tools accept it without question. The price is size: CD-quality stereo takes about 10 MB per minute, and tagging support is limited.
| Feature | BFSTM | WAV |
|---|---|---|
| Developed by | Nintendo | Microsoft and IBM |
| File extension | .bfstm | .wav |
| Compression | DSP-ADPCM or PCM | None (PCM) |
| Size vs uncompressed WAV | About 1/4 (ADPCM) | Same size (1:1) |
| Tags and cover art | Loop points, no tags | Basic text tags, no cover art |
| Best for | Wii U and Switch game music | Editing, mastering, speech tools |
| Plays on phones and browsers | No, needs vgmstream | Yes |
USE CASES
When you need the decoded audio for editing or analysis.
Edit game music in a DAW
Load the decoded WAV into Audacity, Reaper or FL Studio for remixing your own projects.
Split multi-track streams
A BFSTM with several layers becomes a multichannel WAV you can split into separate tracks in an editor.
Find clean loop points for a fan project
Work from uncompressed audio to find exact loop points.
Re-encode for another engine
Use the WAV as the lossless source for another format, such as ADX or OGG.
Check a custom BFSTM
Decode a file you built to confirm it sounds right before testing in-game.
Analyze game audio
Inspect waveforms and spectra of Nintendo streams without lossy compression.
Archive game music losslessly
Keep an exact decode of music from games you own.
Prepare audio for a video edit
Video editors accept WAV with no extra codecs.
Compare two releases of a game
Decode both versions and compare the waveforms.
Teach game audio techniques
Show how Nintendo layers and loops its music.
SUPPORTED FILES
BFSTM streams from Wii U and Switch games are supported.
Decoded with vgmstream's reference DSP-ADPCM decoder.
Uncompressed streams come out bit-exact.
2 or 3 stereo tracks are kept as 4 or 6 channels in one WAV, each track as a channel pair.
For Nintendo 3DS streams, use our BCSTM to WAV converter.
Upload many BFSTM files and download the WAVs as a ZIP.
Only convert audio from games you own or have permission to use.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Game streams have a few quirks worth knowing.
01
A multi-track BFSTM becomes a 4 or 6-channel WAV with no speaker layout, so players may treat it as quad or 5.1. Split the channel pairs in an editor.
02
Inner loops are rendered twice with a 10 second fade, so the WAV is longer than one pass of the music.
03
WAV is uncompressed, about 11.5 MB per minute at 48 kHz stereo, and more for multi-track streams.
04
The BFSTM was cut off while extracting or downloading. Upload the complete file.
05
The file may be damaged or a different Nintendo format with a similar name.
06
Loop points aren't stored in the WAV. Take them from the original BFSTM header if you need them.
vgmstream is the reference decoder for game audio, used through foobar2000 or the command line. dragdropdo runs the same decoder in the browser, so you can turn BFSTM into WAV on any device.
| What matters | dragdropdo | vgmstream and Desktop Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing to install | ✓Yes. Runs in any modern browser. | ~foobar2000 plus the vgmstream plugin, or vgmstream-cli. |
| Works on phones and tablets | ✓Yes. Desktop, Android, iPhone and iPad. | ~No. Windows and command-line tools. |
| Batch conversion | ✓Yes. Add many files and download one ZIP. | ~Yes, with scripts or foobar2000's converter. |
| Share finished files | ✓Yes. Send a unique link from the result page. | ~You upload and share the files yourself. |
| Pricing | ✓Free with daily limits. $2.99 or $6.99 passes for unlimited use, no monthly plan. | ~Free. |
| Choosing loop count and fade | ✓Fixed: an inner loop plays twice, then fades over 10 seconds. | ~Yes. vgmstream-cli sets the loop count and fade length. |
Other tools use different pricing, limits and workflows. This comparison describes dragdropdo's own features without assuming every other tool works the same way.
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WHY DRAGDROPDO
Convert BFSTM to WAV in your browser, with nothing to install and nothing kept after 24 hours.
Private by default
Files are encrypted in transit and deleted from our servers automatically after 24 hours.
No install required
Convert in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone or iPad. No app and no sign-up wall.
Big files and batches
Upload files up to 20GB each, add several at once, and download the results one by one or as a ZIP.
Share & download
Save finished files to your device or pass them on with a share link from the result page.
MORE BFSTM TOOLS
BFSTM is the NintendoWare streamed audio format (FSTM) used for background music in Wii U and Nintendo Switch games. It usually holds 4-bit DSP-ADPCM audio, sometimes PCM, and can store loop points; Wii U files are big-endian and Switch files little-endian.
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FAQ
Answers to common questions about dragdropdo's BFSTM to WAV converter.
