How to convert M4A (AAC/ALAC) to Apple Lossless (ALAC)
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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 M4A (AAC/ALAC) to Apple Lossless (ALAC)
NexMedia converts M4A (AAC/ALAC) 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 M4A (AAC/ALAC)
M4A is an MPEG-4 audio file: the MP4 container holding only audio, usually AAC and sometimes Apple Lossless (ALAC).
Music bought on iTunes, iPhone voice memos and many podcast downloads.
Whether an M4A is lossy or lossless depends on the codec inside, which the file extension does not show.
Convert M4A to ALAC online free, no account required — ALAC is Apple's lossless audio codec.
Change M4A to ALAC without losing quality — convert M4A to ALAC free in your browser.
Why won't my car radio or old speaker play my M4A files? The MPEG-4 audio container is newer than MP3, and devices that only decode MP3 cannot read it until it is converted.
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 M4A to ALAC
- The audio is decoded and re-encoded as ALAC at the default settings, so the result is close to the M4A but not bit-identical.
Settings you can change
Before you convert M4A 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.
M4A to ALAC: questions and answers
Does converting M4A to ALAC reduce quality?
The audio is decoded and re-encoded as ALAC at the default settings, so the result is close to the M4A but not bit-identical.
What is the difference between M4A and ALAC?
M4A is an MPEG-4 audio file, usually holding AAC. ALAC is Apple's lossless audio codec.
Can I change the settings when converting M4A to ALAC?
Before you convert M4A 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 M4A to ALAC?
No. You can convert M4A 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 M4A is kept for 2 hours, then deleted automatically.
When I convert M4A to ALAC, is the audio re-encoded?
The audio is decoded and re-encoded as ALAC at the default settings, so the result is close to the M4A but not bit-identical.
Will converting M4A to ALAC change my original file?
No. The conversion reads your M4A and writes a new ALAC file, leaving your original M4A file untouched.