What is .flac?
.flac (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an open, royalty-free audio format that compresses audio data without any loss in quality. It reduces file size by 30–60% compared to uncompressed WAV while preserving every bit of the original recording.
This quick guide explains when to use .flac files, how to open them on any device, and how to share them instantly with FileXhost.
When to use .flac files
- You are archiving music or masters and want perfect, lossless quality.
- You are distributing high-resolution audio to listeners who care about fidelity.
- You want smaller files than WAV while keeping the option to convert back without quality loss.
- You are building a music library for hi-fi playback or analysis.
How to open .flac files
FLAC files are supported by many modern players and devices: VLC, Foobar2000, Groove Music, JRiver, and numerous hi-fi apps and hardware players. Some systems (like older iOS versions or basic car stereos) may not support FLAC natively, in which case converting to MP3 or AAC is recommended. You can upload .flac files to FileXhost to share them, though using MP3 for casual listeners is often more convenient.
Algorithm details
FLAC uses linear prediction, residual coding, and lossless entropy coding to compress audio. It splits the signal into blocks, predicts sample values using a fixed or LPC (Linear Predictive Coding) model, stores the prediction error (residual), and applies Rice or Huffman coding. The result is bit-perfect decompression with significantly smaller file sizes than WAV.
Browser & platform support
- Desktop: Supported in some browsers (Firefox, Chrome with proper MIME and codecs), but not as universally as MP3.
- Mobile: Many Android players support FLAC; iOS support is better in recent versions but may require specific apps.
- OS: Excellent support on desktop OSes via dedicated players; variable support on embedded devices and car systems.
Format comparison
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Quality | Lossless; identical to the source audio when decoded. |
| File Size | Smaller than WAV (typically 30–60% reduction) but larger than MP3/AAC. |
| Use Case | Ideal for archiving, hi-fi listening, and mastering deliverables. |
| Compatibility | Less universal than MP3 but widely supported in modern players. |
How to create flac files
- Rippers: Exact Audio Copy, dBpoweramp, XLD (CD to FLAC).
- DAWs/Editors: Many tools export to FLAC via plugins or built-in support.
- Converters: Converting from WAV/AIFF masters to FLAC.
How to convert flac files
- FileXhost: Upload FLAC for sharing; for casual streaming, convert to MP3 or AAC using your tools.
- Desktop: dBpoweramp, Foobar2000, XMedia Recode, Audacity (with FFmpeg).
- CLI: FLAC tools (flac, metaflac) or FFmpeg.
Advantages & disadvantages
Advantages
- Bit-perfect, lossless audio quality
- Smaller than WAV while preserving full fidelity
- Open, royalty-free, and well-documented
- Supports rich metadata and album art
Disadvantages
- Larger than MP3/AAC, so less ideal for bandwidth-constrained streaming
- Not supported on some older or basic devices
- Overkill for low-stakes listening like casual podcasts
Tools & software
Players
VLC, Foobar2000, JRiver, MusicBee, many hi-fi apps and DAPs
Editors/DAWs
Audacity, Reaper, many others via plugins or FFmpeg
Rippers/Converters
Exact Audio Copy, dBpoweramp, XLD, FFmpeg
Frequently asked questions
Is FLAC better than MP3?
Yes in terms of quality—FLAC is lossless and preserves every detail of the original audio. MP3 throws away information to reduce size. For serious listening or archiving, FLAC is superior; for casual listening and portability, MP3 is often sufficient.
Is FLAC better than WAV?
In most ways, yes. FLAC is lossless like WAV but uses compression to reduce file size. WAV is still preferred inside some DAWs and for simple workflows, but for long-term storage, FLAC is usually more efficient.
Can I convert FLAC to MP3?
Yes. Since FLAC is lossless, you can safely convert to MP3 or other formats at any time without quality loss beyond the MP3 compression itself. Keep the FLAC as your master and generate MP3 copies for distribution.
Do streaming services use FLAC?
Many high-resolution or hi-fi streaming services (like TIDAL, Qobuz) use FLAC or similar lossless formats under the hood. For typical consumer streaming, services often transcode to AAC or Ogg Vorbis for efficiency.
Technical specs
- File type
- Audio
- Extension
- .flac
- MIME type
- audio/flac, audio/x-flac
- Compression
- Lossless
- Max file size on FileXhost
- Up to 25 MB per file on the free plan and up to 1 GB on Pro FileXhost accounts.
Share .flac files instantly
Upload your .flac file to FileXhost to get a clean, shareable URL in seconds. View the file in a modern browser, protect access with optional settings, and let others download it without any confusing ads or cluttered file pages.
Upload .flac file