What is FLAC?
Free Lossless Audio Codec
FLAC is an open-source lossless audio format that compresses files by 30–60% with zero quality loss. It's the favorite of audiophiles and music archivists who want CD-quality sound without the bulk of WAV.
History of FLAC
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) was released in 2001 as an open-source alternative to proprietary lossless formats. It compresses audio to roughly half the size of WAV with zero quality loss — making it the audiophile and archivist's preferred format. Adopted by services like Tidal and Bandcamp for high-quality streaming.
Technical specs
- Format name
- Free Lossless Audio Codec
- File extension
- .flac
- MIME type
- audio/flac
- Category
- Audio
- Compression
- Lossless
When to use FLAC
Reach for FLAC when you need high-resolution music libraries, cd ripping and audio archiving, audiophile listening setups, backing up master recordings. It excels at these scenarios because truly lossless compression and smaller than wav by roughly half.
Pros
- +Truly lossless compression
- +Smaller than WAV by roughly half
- +Open-source and royalty-free
- +Supports rich metadata and album art
When to avoid FLAC
Avoid FLAC when larger files than lossy formats like mp3 or aac, and not supported natively in older devices. In those cases, look at the alternatives below.
Cons
- −Larger files than lossy formats like MP3 or AAC
- −Not supported natively in older devices
- −Limited iOS support before recent versions
Common uses for FLAC
- High-resolution music libraries
- CD ripping and audio archiving
- Audiophile listening setups
- Backing up master recordings
Alternatives to FLAC
If your devices don't support FLAC, MP3 or AAC are widely compatible alternatives.
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FLAC — Frequently Asked Questions
Is FLAC still used in 2026?
Is FLAC still used in 2026?
Yes, FLAC is actively used. High-resolution music libraries keeps it relevant.
Can I open a FLAC file on my phone?
Can I open a FLAC file on my phone?
Yes on Android. Newer iOS versions (iOS 11+) also support FLAC natively.
Why is my FLAC file so large?
Why is my FLAC file so large?
FLAC is uncompressed or lightly compressed — every detail of the original signal is preserved. That fidelity costs disk space. To shrink files significantly, convert to a more compressed format from the same category.
Can I convert FLAC to another format for free?
Can I convert FLAC to another format for free?
Yes — Zen Convert converts FLAC files to every other audio format we support, for free, in your browser. No signup, no watermark.
Is FLAC open-source?
Is FLAC open-source?
Yes — FLAC is fully open-source and royalty-free. You can implement, distribute, and use it without paying any licensing fees.