Format guide
FLAC
Free Lossless Audio Codec
FLAC is lossless compression, about half the size of WAV with bit-perfect audio (no quality lost). The audiophile and archive standard since 2001. Files are larger than MP3 (typically 4-5× depending on source) but the trade is no degradation, ever. Streaming services like Tidal, Qobuz, and Apple Music's lossless tier deliver FLAC.
How to open a FLAC file
VLC, foobar2000, Audacity, every modern music player, native iOS support since 2017, native Android support since version 3. Older Apple devices need a third-party app.
Primary use
Archival music, audiophile listening, lossless streaming.
Convert other formats to FLAC
Convert FLAC to other formats
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