How to convert AIFF to Apple Lossless (ALAC)
- 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 AIFF to Apple Lossless (ALAC)
NexMedia converts AIFF to Apple Lossless (ALAC) 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 AIFF
AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) was developed by Apple in 1988 on the basis of the Electronic Arts IFF format, and it normally stores uncompressed PCM audio in big-endian byte order.
Professional audio on the Mac: Logic Pro and GarageBand projects, sample libraries and CD-quality masters.
AIFF files are as large as WAV files, about 10 MB per minute of CD-quality stereo, and some Windows programs handle them less readily than WAV.
Convert AIFF to ALAC online free, no account required — ALAC is Apple's lossless audio codec.
Change AIFF to ALAC without losing quality — convert AIFF to ALAC free in your browser.
Why is my AIFF file so large? Like WAV, it stores every sample uncompressed, so switching to a compressed format is the only way to shrink it — lossless ALAC keeps every detail, MP3 trades some quality for size.
About Apple Lossless (ALAC)
Apple Lossless (ALAC) is Apple's lossless audio codec, usually stored in an .m4a file; Apple released it as open source in 2011.
Lossless music in iTunes, Apple Music and on iPhones.
ALAC files are smaller than WAV but several times larger than AAC, and many devices outside Apple's prefer FLAC.
Why convert a CD to ALAC? You keep every sample of the original at half the WAV size, and it syncs and plays inside the Apple ecosystem untouched.
What changes when you convert AIFF to ALAC
- AIFF and ALAC both store audio without lossy compression, so no lossy encoder discards detail on the way.
Settings you can change
Before you convert AIFF to ALAC, 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 ALAC file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
AIFF to ALAC: questions and answers
Does converting AIFF to ALAC reduce quality?
AIFF and ALAC both store audio without lossy compression, so no lossy encoder discards detail on the way.
What is the difference between AIFF and ALAC?
AIFF is Apple's uncompressed audio format. ALAC is Apple's lossless audio codec.
Can I change the settings when converting AIFF to ALAC?
Before you convert AIFF to ALAC, 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 AIFF to ALAC?
No. You can convert AIFF to ALAC without an account; signing in raises the file-size and daily limits.
How long is my converted ALAC file kept?
The ALAC file you convert from AIFF is kept for 2 hours, then deleted automatically.
Is converting AIFF to ALAC a truly lossless copy?
AIFF and ALAC both store audio without lossy compression, so no lossy encoder discards detail on the way.
Will converting AIFF to ALAC change my original file?
No. The conversion reads your AIFF and writes a new ALAC file, leaving your original AIFF file untouched.