FLAC to AIFF Converter

FLAC to AIFF — Why Convert, and What Actually Changes

Both FLAC and AIFF are lossless, so this conversion does not improve sound quality — FLAC already stores the exact, bit-perfect PCM samples, and AIFF just stores those same samples without compression. The only real reasons to convert are compatibility (Apple apps and older hardware that read AIFF but not FLAC) and editing convenience (an uncompressed master). Expect the file to get substantially larger, because you are un-compressing audio, not adding any detail to it.

FLAC vs AIFF — Side-by-side

When to Pick AIFF

• You're importing into iTunes / Apple Music, Logic Pro, or GarageBand, which read AIFF natively but not FLAC.
• An older DAW or hardware sampler accepts AIFF/WAV but chokes on FLAC.
• You want a maximum-compatibility uncompressed master to edit, where decode-free random access matters more than disk space.
• You're on macOS and prefer the format Apple's tools treat as a first-class citizen.

When to Stay on FLAC (or Pick ALAC)

• You only care about storage or transfer — FLAC holds the same audio in far less space, so converting to AIFF just inflates the file with no quality benefit.
• You want Apple compatibility AND smaller files: ALAC (Apple Lossless) is compressed lossless, runs about 50–70% of an AIFF's size, plays natively in the Apple ecosystem, and is also bit-perfect.
• You need rich tagging — FLAC's Vorbis comments carry more metadata than AIFF.
• If your goal is sharing or shrinking, convert FLAC to MP3 instead of to AIFF.

How to Convert FLAC to AIFF

1. Upload Your FLAC File: Drag and drop your .flac files onto the page or click "+ Add Files". You can queue several at once and convert them with the same settings.
2. Set Audio Channel and Sample Rate: Leave Audio Channel and Audio Sample Rate on "Original" for a true 1:1 copy of the source audio, or change them only if a target device needs mono or a specific rate.
3. Trim (Optional): Use the Trim control to keep just a section of the track; leave it "Unchanged" to convert the whole file.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and download your AIFF. No sign-up, no watermark.

Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically a few hours after conversion — never shared or made public.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will converting FLAC to AIFF improve the audio quality?

No. Both formats are lossless, and the FLAC already contains the exact original PCM samples. AIFF stores those same samples uncompressed, so the output sounds identical to the FLAC — you gain compatibility, not fidelity. Anyone promising a quality boost from lossless-to-uncompressed is mistaken.

Why is my AIFF file so much bigger than the FLAC?

Because you removed the compression. FLAC shrinks audio losslessly, typically to about half its uncompressed size; AIFF writes every sample out in full. As a rough guide, CD-quality AIFF runs around 10 MB per minute, so a FLAC will usually expand to roughly 1.5x–2x its original size when converted to AIFF. The extra bytes are padding, not added detail.

Should I use ALAC instead of AIFF for Apple devices?

Often, yes. ALAC (Apple Lossless) is also lossless and native to iTunes/Apple Music and Logic Pro, but because it's compressed it's roughly half to two-thirds the size of an AIFF of the same audio. Choose AIFF when you specifically need an uncompressed master for editing; choose ALAC when you want Apple compatibility without the size penalty.

Does AIFF preserve the metadata and tags from my FLAC?

Partially. FLAC uses Vorbis comments, which carry rich tagging; AIFF's metadata support is more limited, so some fields may not survive the conversion. If keeping full tags matters, ALAC or staying on FLAC preserves more of them than AIFF does.

What's the difference between AIFF and WAV here?

They're close cousins: both are uncompressed PCM containers and sound identical. AIFF is big-endian and based on Electronic Arts' IFF format, while WAV is little-endian and based on RIFF. AIFF is the more natural fit on macOS and in Apple's apps; WAV is the cross-platform default. If you'd rather output WAV, use FLAC to WAV.

Can I convert the AIFF back to FLAC later without losing anything?

Yes. Because AIFF is lossless and uncompressed, re-encoding it to FLAC recovers the exact same PCM and re-applies compression with no quality loss — you simply get a smaller file again. Our AIFF to FLAC tool does the reverse conversion.

What bit depth and sample rate will the AIFF have?

In our testing, leaving Audio Channel and Audio Sample Rate on "Original" produces an AIFF that matches the FLAC's source — most commonly 16-bit or 24-bit PCM at the original sample rate (e.g. 44.1 kHz or 96 kHz). The converter does not upsample, so a 16-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC yields a 16-bit/44.1 kHz AIFF, not a higher-resolution one.