Convert to FLAC
Archive your audio in lossless FLAC — smaller than WAV, bit-perfect quality, rich metadata support.
Archive your MP3 collection in a lossless container — useful for format consistency even if the source is lossy.
Compress uncompressed WAV masters to FLAC — same audio data, 50–60% smaller files. The standard archiving workflow.
Convert Apple M4A (AAC) files to FLAC for cross-platform archiving or lossless-friendly players.
Convert Apple's lossless AIFF format to FLAC — smaller files with the same bit-perfect audio and better metadata support.
Convert OGG Vorbis files to FLAC for lossless archiving alongside your existing collection.
Convert from FLAC
Export your FLAC archive to MP3 for sharing, WAV for editing, or other formats for specific playback needs.
Export your FLAC archive to MP3 for sharing, streaming, or devices that do not support lossless playback.
Decompress FLAC to uncompressed WAV for DAW import, CD burning, or professional audio delivery.
Convert FLAC to OGG Vorbis for open-source players, game engines, or web audio that requires Vorbis.
Convert FLAC to M4A (AAC) for Apple devices, AirPlay, or iTunes library syncing.
About FLAC
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an open-source lossless audio format developed by the Xiph.Org Foundation. Unlike MP3 or AAC, FLAC compresses audio without discarding any data — the decompressed file is bit-for-bit identical to the original PCM. Typical compression reduces WAV files to 50–60% of their original size with zero quality loss.
FLAC supports up to 32-bit depth and 655,350 Hz sample rate — well beyond any practical recording. Metadata support is comprehensive: Vorbis Comment tags handle all standard fields (artist, album, track, date, genre), plus album art, replay gain values, and cue sheets for multi-track archives. This makes FLAC the format of choice for building a personal music library — rip CDs to FLAC, keep WAV for editing masters, and use FLAC as your long-term storage format.
Native playback support is broad: foobar2000, VLC, Plex, Jellyfin, Audirvana, Roon, and most Android music apps handle FLAC natively. The notable exceptions are iTunes and Apple Music, which prefer ALAC (Apple Lossless), and some older automotive and portable players. For those cases, converting FLAC to M4A or MP3 takes seconds.
When to Use FLAC vs MP3 vs WAV
Each format has a distinct role. Choosing the right one depends on whether you are archiving, editing, or distributing.
FLAC
Archiving · Personal library · Long-term storage
Lossless compression at 50–60% of WAV size. Full metadata support including album art and replay gain. The right format for your permanent music collection. Not natively supported by iTunes — use ALAC or convert to M4A for Apple devices.
WAV
DAW editing · CD burning · Professional delivery
Uncompressed PCM — universally accepted by every DAW, every device, every professional workflow. Larger files (~10 MB/min at CD quality), minimal metadata support. Use WAV when you are editing, processing, delivering stems, or burning to CD.
MP3
Sharing · Streaming · Space-constrained devices
Lossy compression at 3–10% of WAV size. Quality loss is inaudible at 192–320 kbps for most listeners. Works everywhere without exception. Use MP3 when file size matters more than preservation — distribution, streaming, or syncing to a device with limited storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FLAC lossless?
Yes. FLAC uses lossless compression — the decompressed audio is bit-for-bit identical to the original PCM. Converting WAV to FLAC and back gives you identical audio data. However, converting MP3 to FLAC does not recover the quality lost during MP3 encoding — FLAC will losslessly store a recording that was already lossy.
Does converting MP3 to FLAC improve quality?
No. MP3 discards audio data permanently through perceptual encoding. Wrapping that data in a FLAC container does not recover what was lost — you get lossless storage of a lossy recording. It is only useful if your playback software handles FLAC better, or you want format consistency across your archive.
What is the difference between FLAC and WAV?
Both are lossless. WAV stores raw uncompressed PCM — maximum compatibility with every DAW and device, but large file sizes (~10 MB/min at CD quality). FLAC uses lossless compression to reach 50–60% of the equivalent WAV size with zero quality loss, and supports richer metadata (tags, album art, replay gain, cue sheets). Use FLAC for your long-term library; use WAV when delivering to a DAW or mastering engineer.
Is this FLAC converter free?
Yes. AudioUtils is free with no account required. The free tier outputs a 30-second preview of your converted file. Pro ($9/month) removes the limit so you can convert full-length files up to 500 MB.
Do my files get uploaded to a server?
No. AudioUtils runs FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly entirely inside your browser. Your files never leave your device — we never see them, store them, or log them.