WAV to FLAC Converter
Packs uncompressed WAV into FLAC without touching the audio: decode the FLAC later and you get the same samples back, at the same bit depth and sample rate. FLAC's encoder tops out at 8 channels, so larger multichannel WAVs will not convert.
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Why Convert WAV to FLAC
A WAV file stores raw PCM with almost no overhead, which is why it is the safe format for recording and editing and also why it is enormous: a stereo 24-bit 96 kHz session eats roughly 35 MB a minute, so half an hour is about a gigabyte. FLAC stores the same samples with lossless compression, so nothing is approximated or thrown away, and it carries proper tags rather than WAV's patchy RIFF INFO chunks. For storing finished recordings, that combination is the reason most archives have moved to FLAC.
On this page the WAV is decoded to PCM and re-encoded by ffmpeg's FLAC encoder at its default compression level. There is no resampling, no dithering and no bit-depth change in that path, so a 16-bit 44.1 kHz WAV comes back as a 16-bit 44.1 kHz FLAC and a 24-bit 96 kHz master stays 24-bit and 96 kHz. That is what people mean when they search for converting WAV to FLAC without losing quality: decode the FLAC and the sample values are identical to the WAV you started with. The compression level is fixed, so you cannot trade encoding time against a slightly smaller file here.
Channel layouts are kept as they are, up to the eight channels the FLAC encoder supports. A nine-channel or larger WAV, such as some immersive mixes, will fail outright at the encode step, and there is nothing to configure around that: keep those sessions as WAV or export a smaller layout. Tags already present in the WAV are carried into the FLAC, and embedded cover art is not, because every picture stream is removed during conversion. If the artwork matters, re-attach it afterwards in a tagger.
One caveat about the other direction. Our WAV output is always 16-bit, so a round trip through this site, FLAC and then back to WAV, would hand you a 16-bit file even if the FLAC holds 24-bit audio. Keep the FLAC as the archive copy and decode it locally with ffmpeg or foobar2000 when you need full-depth PCM back. Also worth knowing: if the WAV was itself made from an MP3 or AAC, FLAC preserves exactly that quality and cannot restore what the earlier encoder discarded.
How to Convert WAV to FLAC
- Check your file sizes first, because uncompressed WAV adds up fast: 50 MB per file as a guest, 100 MB with a free account, 200 MB on Plus and 1 GB on Pro. Long live recordings may need splitting beforehand.
- Confirm the channel count if the WAV is multichannel. Up to eight channels encode normally; more than eight will not.
- Drag the WAV files onto the page, up to ten per request, or pick them with the browse button.
- Start the conversion. Short files are finished almost as soon as the upload is, while a full album-length WAV takes longer in proportion to its length.
- Download the FLACs. Each keeps the original base name, so take-03.wav becomes take-03.flac, and the link stays valid for about four hours.
- If you want proof before deleting the WAVs, decode one FLAC back to PCM locally and compare it with the original; the samples will match.
What This Converter Actually Does
- Lossless FLAC encoding: the PCM that goes in comes back out identical when the FLAC is decoded
- No resampling and no bit-depth change, so 16-bit stays 16-bit and 24-bit stays 24-bit, at 44.1, 48 or 96 kHz as uploaded
- Handles mono, stereo and multichannel WAVs up to the FLAC format's eight-channel limit
- Carries existing WAV tags into FLAC's tag fields, where WAV itself stores them inconsistently
- One FLAC per WAV, named after the source file, with up to ten files converted per request
- For masters over 1 GB there is a separate pay-once large-file conversion (up to 40 GB, account required), with the result emailed as a link valid for five days
Video Tutorial
Watch this step-by-step tutorial to learn how to convert WAV files to FLAC format online for free using MiConvert.com. No software installation required.
WAV to FLAC Questions
Is this really lossless?
Yes: FLAC stores the PCM samples compressed, and decoding the FLAC reproduces the WAV's samples exactly. We do not resample, change bit depth or apply any filter. FLAC cannot improve audio that was already lossy before it reached the WAV.
How much smaller will the FLAC be?
It depends entirely on the material. Sparse acoustic recordings and quiet passages compress well, dense loud mastered music less so, and noise barely at all. We do not publish a ratio because any single number would be wrong for most files.
Will my 24-bit 96 kHz master stay 24-bit?
Yes, FLAC output keeps the WAV's bit depth and sample rate. Our WAV target is a different matter: it always writes 16-bit, so decode the FLAC locally if you need 24-bit PCM back.
Can I choose the FLAC compression level?
No. The encoder runs at its default level and there is no selector on the page. Since every level is lossless, the only thing you would change is file size and encoding time; for fine control, use the flac command line or foobar2000 locally.
Does album artwork survive the conversion?
No. Picture streams are stripped from every conversion we run, so any embedded cover is not written into the FLAC. Add it back with a tag editor such as Mp3tag, MusicBrainz Picard or Kid3 after downloading.
My multichannel WAV would not convert. Why?
The FLAC encoder refuses more than eight channels, so a nine-channel or wider WAV fails at the encode step. Keep that file as WAV, or export a stereo or 5.1 version first and convert that.
What about very large WAV files?
Per-file limits are 50 MB for guests, 100 MB with a free account, 200 MB on Plus and 1 GB on Pro. Above 1 GB, audio qualifies for the pay-once large-file conversion, which needs an account and emails you a link valid for five days.
How private is this, and how long do you keep my recordings?
Conversion runs on our servers, not in your browser, over HTTPS. Your uploaded WAV is deleted when the job finishes, and the FLAC can be downloaded from a random, unguessable link for about four hours before it is deleted automatically. File names, sizes and conversion outcomes are logged for operations, and signed-in accounts keep a history row.