FormatDrop
How-To Guide

How to Convert M4A to FLAC

M4A is Apple's audio container — it usually contains AAC (lossy) but can also contain ALAC (lossless). Converting M4A ALAC to FLAC is a lossless operation useful for cross-platform library management. Converting M4A AAC to FLAC creates a lossless wrapper around lossy content — useful when FLAC is required by software.

Open M4A to FLAC Converter

Step-by-step instructions

  1. 1

    FFmpeg (handles both ALAC and AAC M4A)

    Check codec: `ffprobe input.m4a`. If 'alac': lossless conversion. If 'aac': lossless container, same AAC quality. Both use: `ffmpeg -i input.m4a -c:a flac output.flac`. Batch: `for f in *.m4a; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -c:a flac "${f%.m4a}.flac"; done`.

    Go to converter
  2. 2

    XLD on Mac (preserves metadata perfectly)

    Download XLD from sourceforge.net/projects/xld. Set Preferences → Output Format → FLAC. Drag M4A files. XLD detects ALAC vs AAC automatically. Metadata (title, artist, album art) is mapped correctly from iTunes tags to Vorbis comments.

  3. 3

    dBpoweramp (Windows)

    Install dBpoweramp with FLAC codec. Right-click M4A files → Convert To → FLAC. Handles both ALAC and AAC M4A. For ALAC M4A, the conversion is lossless. Metadata is preserved.

  4. 4

    fre:ac (free, cross-platform)

    fre:ac opens M4A (both AAC and ALAC) and exports FLAC. Add files → output format: FLAC → Convert. Uses FFmpeg internally for codec detection. Available at freac.org.

Why convert M4A to FLAC?

M4A with ALAC is lossless audio in Apple's container. FLAC is the universal lossless standard — Plex, Roon, Jellyfin, Linux, and every non-Apple player.

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

How do I know if my M4A contains AAC or ALAC?
Use FFprobe: `ffprobe input.m4a 2>&1 | grep Audio`. Look for 'aac' (lossy) or 'alac' (lossless). In Apple Music: right-click → Get Info → File tab → Kind: 'Apple Lossless Audio File' = ALAC; 'AAC Audio File' = AAC. File size per minute: ALAC is 5–10 MB/min; AAC is 1–4 MB/min.
Apple Music downloads — AAC or ALAC?
Streaming is 256 kbps AAC. Lossless (requires the Lossless Audio option in Settings → Music → Audio Quality) downloads as ALAC M4A. You can tell by bitrate: AAC shows ~256 kbps, ALAC shows ~700–1400 kbps.
Can I import FLAC into Apple Music?
Not directly — Apple Music doesn't natively play FLAC. Convert FLAC → ALAC M4A: `ffmpeg -i input.flac -c:a alac output.m4a`, then import into Apple Music. ALAC is the correct lossless format for the Apple ecosystem.
Convert M4A to FLAC Now — Free

No account. No upload. Works in any browser.

More guides

How to Convert HEIC to JPGHow to Convert PNG to PDFHow to Convert MOV to MP4How to Convert WebP to JPG