Music Knowledge
What Is a FLAC File?
FLAC files explained: the free lossless audio codec, its size advantages, streaming support, and why it's the favourite for archiving and hi-res audio.
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) compresses audio without losing any data, producing files roughly half the size of WAV with identical fidelity. It is the most popular lossless format for music archiving and streaming.
How FLAC compresses
FLAC predicts and encodes audio samples in a way that is perfectly reversible — decoding restores the exact original PCM data. It achieves roughly 50% compression with zero quality loss.
Because it is open source and royalty-free, FLAC is supported across players, platforms and hardware.
FLAC for streaming and delivery
Lossless streaming tiers commonly use FLAC, and distributors accept FLAC masters for catalog delivery.
FLAC keeps high-resolution audio practical — hi-res masters stay manageable in size while retaining full quality.
FLAC vs WAV vs ALAC
FLAC is compressed lossless (same quality as WAV, smaller files). ALAC is Apple's lossless codec, functionally similar to FLAC but optimised for Apple devices.
Choose FLAC for general use and archiving; use WAV for the simplest universal interchange with studios.
Key Points
- Lossless compression, no quality loss
- Half the size of WAV
- Open source and royalty-free
- Standard for lossless streaming
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FLAC audible better than MP3?
FLAC contains the complete master; MP3 discards data. On good equipment, FLAC sounds more detailed and open.
Can iTunes play FLAC?
iTunes doesn't natively, but many players do. Apple users often convert to ALAC, the equivalent lossless format.
Is FLAC good for mastering?
Mastering is typically done in WAV, but FLAC is excellent for archiving and delivery once the master is final.