What Is a FLAC File?
A FLAC file is lossless, compressed audio — CD quality at about half the size of WAV. Here's how FLAC works, its pros and cons, and how to convert to and from it.
Need to convert a FLAC file? Turn FLAC into ALAC, M4A, MP3, WAV and more — or make a FLAC from any audio — free, no account.
Open the FLAC converter →FLAC in One Sentence
A FLAC file (Free Lossless Audio Codec, .flac) is lossless, compressed audio — a perfect, bit-for-bit copy of the original recording, squeezed to roughly half the size of an uncompressed WAV. It's the audiophile favorite: CD-and-better quality with none of the data loss of MP3 or AAC, in files small enough to actually store a collection.
How FLAC Works — Lossless Compression
This is the clever part. Lossy formats (MP3, AAC) shrink files by throwing audio away. FLAC shrinks files without discarding anything — it works like a ZIP for audio, finding patterns and storing them more efficiently, then reconstructing the exact original waveform on playback. Decode a FLAC back to raw PCM and it's identical, sample for sample, to the source.
The payoff: FLAC is typically 40–60% smaller than WAV at the same perfect quality. A 3-minute song is about 20 MB as FLAC versus ~30 MB as WAV — and versus ~7 MB as a 320kbps MP3 (which is lossy).
FLAC File Size at a Glance
| Format | Type | Size (3-min song) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAV | Lossless, uncompressed | ~30 MB | Perfect |
| FLAC | Lossless, compressed | ~20 MB | Perfect (identical to WAV) |
| ALAC | Lossless, compressed (Apple) | ~20 MB | Perfect |
| MP3 320kbps | Lossy | ~7 MB | Very good |
| AAC 256kbps | Lossy | ~6 MB | Very good |
FLAC also supports hi-res audio (24-bit/96kHz and beyond) and stores full metadata — title, artist, album, genre, and embedded cover art — which WAV handles poorly.
Why People Choose FLAC
- Perfect quality, smaller than WAV. The best of both worlds for a lossless library.
- Free and open. No licensing fees or restrictions — hence "Free" in the name.
- Great metadata. Proper tags and artwork, so your library stays organized.
- Future-proof archive. Convert FLAC to any format later with zero accumulated loss — it's the ideal master copy.
- Hi-res support. Handles studio-grade 24-bit audio.
FLAC's Limits
- Bigger than lossy formats. ~3× the size of a 320kbps MP3 — overkill for casual phone listening.
- Compatibility gaps. Superb on most modern players, but historically Apple preferred its own ALAC (though Apple support for FLAC has improved). Some older or budget devices don't read FLAC.
- Not "better than the source." FLAC is only as good as what it's made from. A FLAC created from a lossy MP3 or a YouTube stream is a lossless container around lossy audio — no better than the source.
FLAC vs the Other Formats
- FLAC vs ALAC — both lossless and identical in quality; FLAC is open, ALAC is Apple's. Full comparison →
- FLAC vs WAV — same quality; FLAC is compressed (smaller, tagged), WAV is uncompressed. WAV vs FLAC →
- FLAC vs MP3 — FLAC is lossless and large; MP3 is lossy and tiny. MP3 vs FLAC →
- FLAC vs AIFF — both lossless; FLAC compressed, AIFF uncompressed (Apple's WAV). Full comparison →
- Is FLAC lossless? Yes — completely. Here's why →
How to Convert To and From FLAC
All free here, no account:
- From FLAC (make it smaller or Apple-friendly): FLAC to ALAC · FLAC to M4A · FLAC to AIFF · FLAC to OGG · FLAC to MP3 · FLAC to WAV · FLAC to AAC.
- To FLAC (get a lossless container): ALAC to FLAC · M4A to FLAC · AIFF to FLAC · OGG to FLAC · WAV to FLAC · MP3 to FLAC.
- From streaming: YouTube to FLAC · Spotify to FLAC, or convert a Spotify/YouTube link on the homepage (note these sources are lossy).
The Honest Note on Quality
Converting to FLAC never adds quality — it preserves whatever the source contained. FLAC from a CD rip or a lossless master is genuinely perfect; FLAC from a lossy MP3 or a YouTube stream just wraps lossy audio in a lossless file. For real FLAC quality, start from a lossless or CD-quality source.
Explore the FLAC Cluster
Everything on the FLAC format in one place — converters, comparisons, and how-to guides.
Convert from FLAC
- FLAC Converter (all formats)
- FLAC to ALAC
- FLAC to M4A
- FLAC to AIFF
- FLAC to OGG
- FLAC to MP3 · FLAC to WAV · FLAC to AAC
Convert to FLAC
- ALAC to FLAC
- M4A to FLAC
- AIFF to FLAC
- OGG to FLAC
- YouTube to FLAC · Spotify to FLAC
- WAV to FLAC · MP3 to FLAC · AAC to FLAC
Compare & Learn
- FLAC vs ALAC
- FLAC vs AIFF
- Is FLAC Lossless?
- How to Play FLAC Files
- Where to Download FLAC Music
- MP3 vs FLAC · WAV vs FLAC · AAC vs FLAC
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a FLAC file?
A lossless, compressed audio format (.flac) that stores a perfect copy of the original at about half the size of WAV. It's the standard for high-quality music libraries.
Is FLAC better than MP3?
In quality, yes — FLAC is lossless while MP3 is lossy. But FLAC files are ~3× larger, and at 320kbps MP3 is transparent to most listeners. FLAC is best for archiving; MP3 for portability.
Is FLAC the same quality as WAV?
Yes — both are lossless and sound identical. FLAC is just compressed, so it's smaller and stores tags better.
Why is FLAC smaller than WAV if it's lossless?
FLAC compresses like a ZIP — it stores the audio more efficiently and rebuilds the exact original on playback, losing nothing.
Does converting to FLAC improve audio quality?
No. FLAC preserves the source exactly but can't add quality. A FLAC from a lossy MP3 or YouTube stream sounds like that source, just in a lossless container.
What plays FLAC files?
VLC, foobar2000, MusicBee, most Android players, and modern Apple apps. See our guide to playing FLAC files.