How to convert M4A to FLAC
- Add your .M4A file - drop it in the box above or click to browse.
- Convert it to .FLAC in a few seconds.
- Download your new .FLAC file.
What to expect
- M4A is a container: if it holds ALAC audio the resulting FLAC is bit-perfect lossless; if it holds AAC the FLAC will be larger but no higher quality than the AAC source.
- Embedded metadata - title, artist, album, and cover art - carries over correctly with all listed programs.
- Expect the FLAC file to be two to four times larger than an AAC M4A; this reflects lossless storage, not improved audio quality.
Frequently asked questions
Does converting M4A to FLAC lose quality?
Only if the M4A already holds AAC - the quality is bounded by the original AAC encode and converting to FLAC cannot restore it. If the M4A holds ALAC, the conversion is lossless and no audio data is changed.
How do I know whether my M4A is ALAC or AAC?
Open the file in fre:ac or MediaMonkey and check the codec field in the file properties - it will show either
alac or aac.Why is the FLAC file so much bigger than the M4A?
AAC is a lossy compressed format; FLAC stores the full decoded audio waveform without compression loss, which takes more space. A larger file does not mean better sound than the AAC original.
Can I convert M4A to FLAC on Mac without paid software?
Yes - Max for Mac and fre:ac are both free; alternatively, install ffmpeg via Homebrew and run a single terminal command.
Programs that convert M4A: Helium Music Manager · MediaMonkey · Freemake Audio Converter · dBpoweramp family suite · fre:ac · SUPER · xrecode · Max for Mac
