A method for operating an analog-to-digital converter to convert a signal includes calculating a signal parameter in a spectral sub-range of the signal to be converted. The spectral sub-range includes a frequency range of a potential sampling frequency range of the analog-to-digital converter, which does not include frequencies of at least one other sub-range of the sampling frequency range. The method further includes determining a sampling frequency of the analog-to-digital converter by using the signal parameter and operating the analog-to-digital converter using the determined sampling frequency.