About FLAC Files
FLAC Audio
FLAC is an open-source lossless audio codec that compresses audio to roughly 50-60% of its original size without any quality loss. It is the preferred format for audiophiles and music archival.
Family
Audio Files
Extension
.flac
MIME Type
audio/flac
Can Use As
HOW FLAC
CAME TO BE.
FLAC — Free Lossless Audio Codec — was created by Josh Coalson in 2000 as an open-source challenger to Apple Lossless, Monkey’s Audio, and Shorten. It reached version 1.0 in July 2001 and joined the Xiph.Org Foundation in 2003. The math is clean: FLAC runs each audio channel through a linear predictor, then Rice-codes the residual. Decoding is fast, encoding is reasonably fast, and files are typically 50-70% of the raw WAV size.
For audiophiles and archivists FLAC is the standard. Bandcamp, Bandcamp-adjacent indie labels, the High Res Audio tier on Qobuz and Tidal, and every serious home ripping project defaults to FLAC. It does what it says on the tin: lossless, free, open, and simple enough that any platform from 2005 onwards can play it.
CURIOSITIES &
TRIVIA.
FLAC typically shrinks a WAV file by 40-60% while being bit-exact — decoded audio is identical to the original.
The format supports up to 32-bit samples and 655 350 Hz sample rate — well beyond any human ear can hear.
Every commercial "hi-res lossless" streaming tier (Tidal, Qobuz, Apple Music Lossless) serves FLAC under the hood.
FLAC includes built-in MD5 checksums — a corrupted file can be detected without comparing to the source.
Unlike many open formats, FLAC has had Microsoft and Apple native support for years: Windows 10+ and macOS Mojave+ play it out of the box.
STRENGTHS &
LIMITATIONS.
Strengths
- Lossless — decoded audio is bit-exact identical to the source.
- 40-60% smaller than uncompressed WAV/AIFF.
- Free, patent-free, open-source reference implementation.
- Built-in error detection via MD5 checksums.
- Streaming-friendly — seek tables let you jump to any timestamp instantly.
Limitations
- File sizes still large compared to lossy codecs (5-10× bigger than AAC for same audio).
- Not suitable for low-bandwidth scenarios like streaming on mobile data.
- Older MP3 players and car stereos may not decode FLAC.
- Slower to encode than lossy codecs.
Typical Sizes & Weights
3-min song (CD quality)
20-30 MB
Full album (10 tracks, CD)
250-400 MB
3-min song (hi-res 24-bit/96 kHz)
80-120 MB
Live concert recording (24-bit)
2-10 GB
Technical Specifications
- MIME type
- audio/flac
- Extension
- .flac
- Standard
- Open-source reference implementation (Xiph.Org)
- Max bit depth
- 32 bits per sample
- Max sample rate
- 655 350 Hz
- Max channels
- 8
CONVERT FROM
FLAC
CONVERT TO
FLAC
Common Use Cases
Lossless music collection, audio archival, audiophile playback.
Related Formats
Popular comparisons
FLAC vs MP3
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FLAC vs AAC
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FLAC vs M4A
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FLAC vs OGG
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FLAC vs OPUS
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Popular FLAC conversions
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Frequently Asked Questions about FLAC
Frequently Asked Questions
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an open-source audio format that compresses audio without any quality loss. Developed by the Xiph.Org Foundation, it typically reduces file sizes by 40-50% compared to WAV while preserving bit-perfect audio.
FLAC files play in VLC, foobar2000, Winamp, and most modern music players. Streaming services like Tidal and Amazon Music HD use FLAC. Android supports it natively, and Apple devices support it via third-party apps.
Both are lossless with similar compression ratios. Use FLAC for universal compatibility and open-source support. Use ALAC if you are fully invested in the Apple ecosystem since iTunes and Apple Music handle ALAC natively.