All formats
What is a FLAC file?
FLAC compresses audio losslessly, typically to 50-60% of the original WAV size while decoding back to a bit-identical waveform. It is the standard choice for archiving music collections, and it supports rich metadata and embedded artwork that WAV handles poorly.
At a glance
- Full name
- Free Lossless Audio Codec
- Extensions
- .flac
- Type
- Audio
- Introduced
- 2001
- Created by
- Josh Coalson / Xiph.Org Foundation
- Compression
- Lossless
- MIME type
- audio/flac
Strengths
- Lossless, so it decodes bit-for-bit identical to the source
- Roughly half the size of the equivalent WAV
- Strong metadata and embedded cover art support
Limitations
- Still much larger than MP3 or AAC
- Not supported by some older or more restrictive hardware players
When to use FLAC
Use it when
Archiving audio where quality must be preserved exactly but size still matters.
Avoid it when
Streaming or distributing to a general audience, where a lossy format is far more practical.
FLAC conversions
Each page states what the target format cannot carry before you run it.
FLAC compared
Related audio formats
Last updated 2026-08-03