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About FLAC Format
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an open-source lossless audio format that preserves 100% of the original audio data without any quality loss. Unlike lossy formats, FLAC compresses audio without discarding information, making it the gold standard for audiophiles, music archivists, and anyone who wants to preserve perfect audio quality while still enjoying smaller file sizes than uncompressed WAV.
Why Convert AAC to FLAC?
While AAC is a lossy format and converting to FLAC won't restore lost audio quality, there are several practical reasons to convert AAC to FLAC:
- Prevent Further Quality Loss: Store your music in a lossless container to prevent any additional quality degradation from future conversions or re-encoding - stops the quality erosion in its tracks
- Archival Best Practice: Create a stable archival format for long-term storage of your music collection, ensuring no further compression artifacts accumulate over time
- High-End Audio Equipment: Many audiophile DACs, network streamers, and high-end music servers prefer or require lossless formats like FLAC for optimal performance
- Superior Metadata Support: FLAC offers comprehensive tagging capabilities with excellent support for album art, lyrics, and detailed metadata that surpasses AAC's capabilities
- Future-Proof Your Collection: Maintain the best possible quality for future conversions or processing - once in FLAC, you can convert to any format without accumulating additional quality loss
- Music Library Management: Music server software like Plex, Roon, and Audirvana work better with FLAC's metadata structure for organizing and managing large collections
Understanding AAC to FLAC Conversion
Important Quality Reality: Converting from AAC (lossy) to FLAC (lossless) does not restore audio quality that was lost during the original AAC encoding. The audio data remains identical - you're simply placing it in a lossless container. Think of it like scanning a photocopy into a high-resolution image - you get a perfect digital copy of the photocopy, but you don't recover the original document's detail.
However, this conversion is still valuable because it prevents the "lossy to lossy" quality cascade. If you later convert from FLAC to another format (like MP3 for portable use), you're starting from a stable source rather than re-encoding from already-compressed AAC, which would cause additional degradation. Many users convert their iTunes/Apple Music AAC libraries to FLAC for archival purposes, ensuring their collection is preserved in a format that won't degrade further and works optimally with high-end audio equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you convert AAC to FLAC?
Yes, you can convert AAC to FLAC. However, since AAC is a lossy format, converting to FLAC won't restore lost audio quality - it only provides a lossless container for the existing audio data. This conversion is valuable for preventing further quality loss, archival purposes, and compatibility with high-end audio equipment that prefers lossless formats.
Why convert AAC to FLAC?
Converting AAC to FLAC prevents further quality degradation from future conversions, creates a stable archival format for long-term preservation, ensures compatibility with high-end audio equipment and music servers, provides superior metadata and tagging capabilities, stops the lossy-to-lossy quality cascade, and future-proofs your collection for any subsequent format conversions.
Will converting AAC to FLAC improve sound quality?
No. Converting from a lossy format (AAC) to a lossless format (FLAC) doesn't restore lost quality or add back audio information that was removed during AAC encoding. The audio remains identical to the source AAC file. The benefit is in preservation and preventing additional quality loss from future conversions.
Is AAC to FLAC conversion free?
Yes, our AAC to FLAC converter is completely free with no file size limits, no subscriptions, and no hidden charges. Convert unlimited files for free.
How long does AAC to FLAC conversion take?
Most AAC files convert to FLAC in under 30 seconds, depending on file size and your device's processing speed. The conversion happens instantly in your browser.
What happens to my files after conversion?
Your files are processed entirely on your device and are never uploaded to our servers. We have no access to your files, and they are automatically cleared from your device's memory when you close the browser.
How much larger will FLAC files be compared to AAC?
FLAC files converted from AAC will typically be 3-5 times larger than the original AAC files, depending on the source AAC's bitrate. However, the file won't contain more audio information - it's simply stored in an uncompressed lossless format. For example, a 5MB AAC file might become 15-25MB as FLAC.
Should I convert my iTunes library from AAC to FLAC?
It depends on your goals. If you want to archive your collection in a format that won't degrade further, ensure compatibility with high-end audio equipment, or improve metadata management, then yes. However, if the AAC files are your only source and storage space is limited, the practical benefits may be minimal since you won't improve the actual audio quality.
Can I convert multiple AAC files to FLAC at once?
Currently, our tool processes one file at a time. For batch conversion, you'll need to convert each file individually. There are no limits on how many files you can convert.
What if I have Apple Music AAC files?
You can convert DRM-free AAC files from Apple Music to FLAC. However, files with DRM protection cannot be converted. If you've purchased or downloaded DRM-free tracks, converting them to FLAC creates an archival version that prevents future quality loss and works with non-Apple music servers.
Is it worth converting AAC to FLAC for archival purposes?
Yes, if these are the only copies you have. Converting to FLAC creates a stable archival format that won't degrade further. This is particularly valuable if you plan to keep your collection long-term or might want to convert to other formats in the future without additional quality loss. However, if you have access to the original lossless files these AAC files came from, convert from those instead.
Will FLAC work with my music equipment?
FLAC is widely supported on modern devices. High-end audio equipment, network streamers, and music servers universally support FLAC. Most Android phones support it natively, computers play it with VLC or foobar2000, and audiophile equipment prefers it. iPhones require third-party apps but support is available through apps like VLC.
Does converting AAC to FLAC help with music organization?
Yes. FLAC offers superior metadata support compared to AAC, including better album art embedding, more comprehensive tagging options, and better integration with music server software like Plex, Roon, and Audirvana. This makes library organization and management significantly easier for large collections.
Should I keep my original AAC files after converting to FLAC?
Generally no, once converted to FLAC. The FLAC file contains the same audio data in a lossless container, so you can always convert back to AAC or any other format if needed. However, if storage space is abundant and you want absolute redundancy, keeping both formats doesn't hurt.