How to convert Apple Lossless (ALAC) to Opus
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Upload your file
Drag and drop a file or click to select one. Keep this page open while the file uploads and converts.
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Convert Apple Lossless (ALAC) to Opus
NexMedia converts Apple Lossless (ALAC) to Opus 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 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.
Convert ALAC to Opus online free, no account required — Opus is a modern open lossy codec for speech and music.
Change ALAC to Opus without losing quality — convert ALAC to Opus free in your browser.
Why won't my Windows PC or Android phone play my ALAC files? Apple Lossless rarely ships outside Apple software, so converting to FLAC keeps the lossless quality on the rest of your devices.
About Opus
Opus is an open, royalty-free lossy audio codec standardised by the IETF in 2012 (RFC 6716). It handles both speech and music well, from very low to high bitrates.
Voice and video calls, WhatsApp voice messages, WebRTC, and the audio track of WebM videos.
Opus always decodes at 48 kHz, and some older players and devices do not support it.
Why convert voice recordings to Opus? It stays clear at very low bitrates, so calls and dictation shrink dramatically without becoming hard to understand.
What changes when you convert ALAC to Opus
- The audio is decoded and re-encoded as Opus at the default settings, so the result is close to the ALAC but not bit-identical.
- Opus uses lossy compression: the encoder discards the detail that is least noticeable, so the file is smaller than the ALAC but cannot be turned back into the original.
Settings you can change
Before you convert ALAC to Opus, 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 Opus file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
ALAC to Opus: questions and answers
Does converting ALAC to Opus reduce quality?
The audio is decoded and re-encoded as Opus at the default settings, so the result is close to the ALAC but not bit-identical. Opus uses lossy compression: the encoder discards the detail that is least noticeable, so the file is smaller than the ALAC but cannot be turned back into the original.
What is the difference between ALAC and Opus?
ALAC is Apple's lossless audio codec. Opus is a modern open lossy codec for speech and music.
Can I change the settings when converting ALAC to Opus?
Before you convert ALAC to Opus, 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 ALAC to Opus?
No. You can convert ALAC to Opus without an account; signing in raises the file-size and daily limits.
How long is my converted Opus file kept?
The Opus file you convert from ALAC is kept for 2 hours, then deleted automatically.
Will the Opus file be smaller than my ALAC?
Opus uses lossy compression: the encoder discards the detail that is least noticeable, so the file is smaller than the ALAC but cannot be turned back into the original.
When I convert ALAC to Opus, is the audio re-encoded?
The audio is decoded and re-encoded as Opus at the default settings, so the result is close to the ALAC but not bit-identical.