Sample rate and bit depth sound like the kind of numbers where bigger must be better. They're not. A higher sample rate doesn't make a finished track sound better to your ears — it just makes the file larger. These settings are about compatibility, not quality. Here's what each one actually does, and the only times you should change them.
Sample rate (44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 96 kHz) is how many times per second the audio was measured. 44.1 kHz already captures everything humans can hear, which is why it's the CD and streaming standard. Bit depth (16-bit, 24-bit) is how precisely each of those measurements is stored — it affects dynamic range and noise floor. 24-bit gives extra headroom that's useful while mixing; 16-bit is plenty for a finished file. The key idea: above a certain point, more doesn't help your ears — it just grows the file. Pick the spec your destination wants.
A platform asks for 44.1 kHz / 16-bit WAV — resample your file to match exactly what they require.
Video projects usually run at 48 kHz — resample your music or voiceover so it lines up with the video standard.
Some samplers and devices only accept a specific rate or bit depth — convert so they'll load your file.
Going from 96 kHz / 24-bit down to 44.1 / 16-bit cuts the file size with no audible difference on a finished track.
Files recorded at different rates? Resample them all to one rate so they sit together cleanly in a project.
Not for listening. 44.1 kHz already covers the full range of human hearing, so going to 96 kHz doesn't make a finished track sound better — it just makes the file bigger. Higher rates can be useful while recording and processing for technical headroom, but for a final file, match the rate your destination wants rather than chasing a bigger number.
For music distribution, 44.1 kHz / 16-bit is the standard (CD quality) and what most streaming platforms expect. Video commonly uses 48 kHz. Use 24-bit while you're still mixing for extra headroom, then deliver at the spec your platform or client requires. The goal is compatibility, not the biggest numbers.
Going to a lower sample rate or bit depth removes some data, but if you're already at or above what your destination needs, the difference is inaudible — and it makes the file smaller. Going higher never adds quality that wasn't captured originally. Resample to meet a requirement, not to improve a finished file.