How to convert AAC to FLAC
- 1
Upload your file
Drag and drop a file or click to select one. Keep this page open while the file uploads and converts.
- 2
Convert AAC to FLAC
NexMedia converts AAC to FLAC on its own servers. Processing time depends on the file size and how busy the queue is.
- 3
Download the converted file
When the conversion finishes, the download appears on this page. Your converted file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
About AAC
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is the lossy audio codec standardised in MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 as the successor to MP3; at the same bitrate it generally sounds better than MP3.
It is the audio in most MP4 videos, in Apple Music and on YouTube; a .aac file is a bare AAC stream without a container.
A bare .aac stream has only limited room for tags and cover art, so music players usually expect AAC inside an M4A file.
Convert AAC to FLAC online free, no account required — FLAC is a lossless compressed audio format.
Change AAC to FLAC without losing quality — convert AAC to FLAC free in your browser.
Why won't my old MP3 player or car stereo play AAC files? Older hardware was built before AAC became common and often only decodes MP3, so a conversion keeps the music playable anywhere.
About FLAC
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) compresses audio without losing anything: the files are typically half to two thirds the size of WAV and decode back to the exact original samples.
Music archives, CD rips and high-resolution downloads.
FLAC files are several times larger than MP3, and some older players and car stereos do not play them.
Why convert CDs to FLAC instead of MP3? The copy is bit-for-bit identical to the original, so the archive never loses quality however often it is converted later.
What changes when you convert AAC to FLAC
- The audio is decoded and re-encoded as FLAC at the default settings, so the result is close to the AAC but not bit-identical.
- AAC is a lossy format and FLAC is not: the FLAC keeps the decoded AAC exactly, but it cannot restore detail the AAC compression already removed, and the file is usually larger.
Settings you can change
Before you convert AAC to FLAC, you can adjust: Audio codec, Rate control, Audio bitrate, Quality (VBR), Sample rate, Channels, Normalize loudness, Trim start, Trim duration, and Keep tags.
Limits
Each plan sets a maximum file size and a number of conversions per day, and video and audio files also have a maximum length. Guests can convert files up to 100 megabytes and 5 per day; a free account raises this to 500 megabytes and 25 per day; paid plans go up to 100 gigabytes.
Your converted FLAC file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
AAC to FLAC: questions and answers
Does converting AAC to FLAC reduce quality?
The audio is decoded and re-encoded as FLAC at the default settings, so the result is close to the AAC but not bit-identical. AAC is a lossy format and FLAC is not: the FLAC keeps the decoded AAC exactly, but it cannot restore detail the AAC compression already removed, and the file is usually larger.
What is the difference between AAC and FLAC?
AAC is the lossy audio codec that succeeded MP3. FLAC is a lossless compressed audio format.
Can I change the settings when converting AAC to FLAC?
Before you convert AAC to FLAC, you can adjust: Audio codec, Rate control, Audio bitrate, Quality (VBR), Sample rate, Channels, Normalize loudness, Trim start, Trim duration, and Keep tags.
Do I need an account to convert AAC to FLAC?
No. You can convert AAC to FLAC without an account; signing in raises the file-size and daily limits.
How long is my converted FLAC file kept?
The FLAC file you convert from AAC is kept for 2 hours, then deleted automatically.
Does converting AAC to FLAC restore the quality the AAC lost?
AAC is a lossy format and FLAC is not: the FLAC keeps the decoded AAC exactly, but it cannot restore detail the AAC compression already removed, and the file is usually larger.
When I convert AAC to FLAC, is the audio re-encoded?
The audio is decoded and re-encoded as FLAC at the default settings, so the result is close to the AAC but not bit-identical.