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WAV FLAC
File conversion

Convert WAV to FLAC

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Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 30, 2026
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Is it possible to convert WAV to FLAC?
Yes - WAV converts to FLAC.

You can do it right here with our free converter - no sign-up, and your file is deleted right after.

Upload your WAV using the converter on this page and download the FLAC - it is free and files are deleted after converting. The one thing to check afterwards is metadata: WAV stores tags differently from FLAC, so artist and album info may not carry over automatically.

Also to FLAC: SHN · OGA · CUE

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Sep 2026

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WAV → FLAC converterFREE

Why convert WAV to FLAC?

WAV files are large - around 10 MB per minute at CD quality (44.1 kHz, 16-bit stereo). .FLAC reduces that to roughly 5-6 MB per minute using lossless compression, keeping every audio sample intact. FLAC also supports standard metadata tags for artist, album, and track number, which standard WAV largely lacks, making converted files easier to manage in music libraries.

How to convert WAV to FLAC

fre:ac OPEN-SOURCE

Open your WAV in fre:ac, set the output format to FLAC, and click Convert.

Freemake Audio Converter FREE

Add your WAV file, choose FLAC as the output format, and click Convert.

MediaMonkey FREE

Right-click a WAV file in the MediaMonkey library and use Convert to export it as FLAC.

Command line - ffmpeg CLI

Run ffmpeg -i input.wav output.flac to convert any WAV to FLAC in one step.

Programs that convert WAV

Helium Music Manager
Magic FLAC to MP3 Converter
MediaMonkey
Freemake Audio Converter
Movavi Audio Suite Personal
dBpoweramp family suite
fre:ac
SUPER

About these formats

.WAV Waveform Audio File Format

A WAV file is an uncompressed digital audio file introduced by Microsoft and IBM in 1991. Double-click one and it plays in Windows Media Player, macOS Music/QuickTime, or VLC on any system.…

Open .WAV details →
.FLAC Free Lossless Audio Codec

A FLAC file is lossless compressed audio - it shrinks a recording to roughly half the WAV size with no quality loss. Play it free with VLC or foobar2000 on Windows, VLC or IINA on Mac, and…

Open .FLAC details →

Quality & what to watch

  • FLAC is lossless - decoded audio is bit-for-bit identical to the source WAV; no samples are rounded or discarded at any compression level.
  • Standard WAV tags (artist, album, track) may not carry over automatically; check metadata in your player after converting.
  • FLAC is not universally supported: older car stereos, some game consoles, and certain hardware devices only accept WAV or MP3.

Frequently asked questions

Does converting WAV to FLAC lose audio quality?
No - FLAC is lossless; the decoded audio is bit-for-bit identical to the original WAV at any compression level.
Can I convert FLAC back to WAV later?
Yes, all the same tools work in reverse and the result is identical to the original WAV.
Why is my FLAC nearly the same size as the WAV?
FLAC compresses by finding patterns in audio data; highly dynamic or noisy content compresses less, sometimes only 10-20% instead of the typical 40-60%.
Does FLAC preserve 24-bit audio?
Yes - FLAC stores the exact bit depth and sample rate of the source, including 24-bit/96 kHz and 24-bit/192 kHz WAV files.