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FLAC to M4A Converter

Turn FLAC files into M4A in a couple of clicks. Lossless compression — CD quality at roughly half the size. MP4 container holding AAC or ALAC audio. The output is re-encoded, so quality depends on the settings you choose.

On your deviceNever uploadedGone when you close the tabHow this works

Drop your files here

FLAC files (.flac) · up to 300 MB each

or paste files from your clipboard

Ready when you are

Drop a FLAC file above and FileTools360 will turn it into M4A — right here on your device, without uploading anything.

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How to use it

  1. 1

    Add your FLAC files

    Drag them onto the upload area, choose them from your device, or paste them from your clipboard. You can queue several at once.

  2. 2

    Adjust the settings if you want to

    The defaults suit most people. Open Advanced to control bitrate, sample rate and channels and start and end times.

  3. 3

    Convert and download

    Press Convert. Everything happens on your own device — nothing is uploaded. Download files one by one, or grab them all as a ZIP.

FLAC and M4A explained

FLAC compresses audio losslessly, typically to about half the size of WAV. Decompressed, it is bit-for-bit identical to the original — the compression is mathematical, not perceptual.

M4A is an MP4 container holding only audio — usually AAC, sometimes Apple Lossless. The extension exists mainly so players know not to look for a video track.

Where FLAC files come from
Hi-fi music libraries and archival rips of physical media.
Where M4A is used
iTunes purchases, Apple Music downloads, voice memos and audiobooks.

FLAC vs M4A

The two formats solve different problems, which is why converting between them involves trade-offs rather than a straight upgrade.

FLAC compared with M4A
PropertySourceTarget
CompressionLosslessLossy or lossless
Introduced20012001
Browser supportGreat on desktop and Android; iOS support is newer.Very good, especially on Apple platforms.
FLAC is stronger at
Lossless — provably identical to the source. Roughly half the size of WAV. Rich metadata and cover art support.
M4A is stronger at
Excellent quality per byte. Proper chapter support, which is why audiobooks use it. Strong metadata and artwork handling.

Why convert FLAC to M4A?

People make this switch when they run into the limits of FLAC: streaming, or converting from an already-lossy source. M4A is the better fit when apple ecosystem, audiobooks, or podcasts with chapters.

FLAC limitations that prompt the switch
Much larger than MP3 or AAC. Not supported natively by all portable devices. Pointless as a destination for already-lossy audio.
What you give up
Less universal than MP3 on older or cheaper hardware. The extension hides what codec is actually inside.

Does converting FLAC to M4A reduce quality?

Both formats store the content without discarding data, so this conversion preserves it exactly. The file size may change because the two formats compress differently, but the content itself is unaffected.

About these formats

Source

Free Lossless Audio Codec

Lossless compression — CD quality at roughly half the size.

Extensions
.flac
MIME type
audio/flac
Best for
Hi-fi music libraries · Archiving · Audiophiles
Compatibility
Great on desktop and Android; iOS support is newer.

Target

MPEG-4 Audio

MP4 container holding AAC or ALAC audio.

Extensions
.m4a, .m4b
MIME type
audio/mp4
Best for
iTunes and Apple Music · Audiobooks · Podcasts
Compatibility
Very good, especially on Apple platforms.

Going from a lossless source to a compressed format discards audio data permanently. Keep your original if it is the only copy.

Good to know

FLAC to M4A Converter — questions

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