FormatDrop
How-To Guide

How to Convert AIFF to FLAC

AIFF is Apple's uncompressed audio format — bit-for-bit identical to WAV but structured for macOS tools. Converting to FLAC reduces file size by 40–60% (FLAC compresses losslessly) while maintaining perfect audio fidelity. FLAC is supported by every major music player, DAW, NAS, and streaming server on every platform — AIFF is primarily useful only within macOS audio tools.

Open AIFF to FLAC Converter

Step-by-step instructions

  1. 1

    FFmpeg (command line, any OS)

    Lossless conversion: `ffmpeg -i input.aiff -c:a flac output.flac`. No quality settings needed — FLAC is lossless at all compression levels. For FLAC compression level (affects encoding speed and file size, not quality): `ffmpeg -i input.aiff -c:a flac -compression_level 8 output.flac` (level 8 = maximum compression, level 0 = fastest). Batch: `for f in *.aiff; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -c:a flac "${f%.aiff}.flac"; done`.

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  2. 2

    XLD on Mac (preserves all metadata)

    Download XLD from sourceforge.net/projects/xld. In Preferences, set Output Format to FLAC. Drag AIFF files into XLD. XLD converts them to FLAC in the same folder (or a specified output folder). XLD handles AIFF metadata (title, artist, album art) and maps it to FLAC/Vorbis comment tags correctly — FFmpeg sometimes drops uncommon AIFF chunks.

  3. 3

    dBpoweramp on Windows

    Install dBpoweramp and the FLAC codec from its Codec Central. Right-click the AIFF files in File Explorer → 'Convert To' → choose FLAC → set Compression Level to 8 (still lossless). dBpoweramp preserves all metadata including embedded cover art. It can batch-convert entire folders and includes built-in AccurateRip verification for ripped CDs.

  4. 4

    Audacity (GUI, when you need editing too)

    Open Audacity. File → Import → Audio → select the AIFF file. Once imported (as uncompressed PCM internally), File → Export → Export as FLAC. Set the bit depth to match the original AIFF (usually 16-bit or 24-bit). Quality level affects compression ratio, not audio fidelity. Audacity is useful when you want to trim, normalize, or edit before exporting — otherwise FFmpeg is faster.

Why convert AIFF to FLAC?

AIFF and WAV are both uncompressed — they're massive. FLAC gives you the same lossless quality at half the storage footprint, supported everywhere outside Apple's native apps.

Your files never leave your device

FormatDrop runs the conversion engine entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly. No file upload. No server. Nothing stored. You can verify this by opening DevTools → Network tab and watching: zero upload requests.

Frequently asked questions

Does AIFF to FLAC conversion lose any audio quality?
No. AIFF stores uncompressed PCM audio. FLAC encodes that same PCM losslessly — every sample value is preserved exactly. Decoding FLAC back to WAV produces an identical file to decoding AIFF to WAV. You can verify this by computing an MD5 checksum of the decoded PCM from both files. This is a fundamentally different operation from lossy transcoding (like AIFF to MP3 or AIFF to AAC).
How much smaller will FLAC be compared to AIFF?
FLAC typically achieves 40–60% compression on audio. A 100 MB AIFF at CD quality (16-bit/44.1 kHz stereo) will become approximately 50–60 MB as FLAC. For 24-bit/96 kHz high-resolution audio, FLAC compression is similar proportionally. The exact ratio depends on the audio content — silence and simple tones compress more, complex music compresses less. FLAC compression level (0–8) affects encoding speed and final size but all levels produce identical decoded output.
Can I convert AIFF to FLAC on my iPhone or iPad?
Not natively — iOS doesn't have FLAC encoding built-in. On iPhone/iPad, use an app like Flacbox or Transcribe+ which support FLAC output. Alternatively, AirDrop the AIFF to your Mac and convert there with FFmpeg or XLD. The Files app can move audio between apps but can't transcode formats.
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