WAV to FLAC Converter
Convert WAV recordings to FLAC for lossless audio at roughly half the size.
Up to 50 MB per file. Sign up free to convert files up to 100 MB.
| File name | Size | Convert to |
|---|
Checking files and selected output formats.
WAV to FLAC: lossless compression of studio audio
FLAC applies linear prediction and Rice coding to compress PCM audio samples without any data loss. The encoder analyzes sample patterns within frames, predicts each sample from its neighbors, and encodes only the prediction residuals using variable-length Rice codes. Compression ratios of 50-60% are typical for music, meaning a 50 MB WAV becomes 20-25 MB as FLAC. The decoded FLAC output is guaranteed bit-for-bit identical to the original WAV.
Convert WAV to FLAC for archival storage of music and audio recordings where quality preservation is essential. FLAC cuts storage requirements in half while guaranteeing zero quality loss. It's the standard format for audiophile libraries, studio masters, and lossless music distribution.
WAV vs FLAC: Side-by-side
Technical comparison of the two formats, useful for deciding which to use, or for confirming what changes during conversion.
| Property | WAV | FLAC |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Waveform Audio File Format | Free Lossless Audio Codec |
| Year introduced | 1991 | 2001 |
| Developer / standard body | IBM / Microsoft | Xiph.Org |
| MIME type | audio/wav | audio/flac |
| File extension | .wav | .flac |
| Compression | Uncompressed PCM (typically) | Lossless |
| Color / data depth | N/A (audio) | N/A (audio) |
| Max dimensions / size | 4 GB file size limit (RIFF) | 8 channels × 32-bit × 192 kHz |
| Transparency | No | No |
| Animation | No | No |
| Standard / specification | Microsoft RIFF | Xiph.Org FLAC |
| Best for | Studio recording, raw audio, professional editing | Audiophile listening, lossless music archives |
Use WAV when
- You're actively editing in a DAW that prefers WAV
- You're handing files to another professional who expects WAV
- Every fraction of a second of decode CPU matters (unusual)
Use FLAC when
- You're storing a music library and want lossless quality with half the disk
- You're archiving master recordings for the long term
- You want metadata (artist, album, artwork) travelling with the file
- You're distributing hi-fi audio through modern channels
For working files during editing, WAV keeps you in the fast path. For anything you're storing longer than a session, FLAC gives you identical audio at half the storage. You can always convert FLAC back to a bit-identical WAV whenever a tool asks for it.