FLAC to MP3 converter
FileReshape's FLAC to MP3 converter decodes a lossless FLAC file and encodes it as an MP3 at 128 to 320 kbit/s with LAME, using FFmpeg in your browser. The file is not uploaded. Title, artist, album and track number are copied; the cover picture is not. High-resolution 24-bit FLAC becomes a standard MP3 at 44.1 or 48 kHz.
Did a file not convert correctly? E-mail [email protected], ideally with a small sample file, and it will be fixed.
Key facts
- Input: FLAC (.flac). Output: MP3 (.mp3).
- Your files are not uploaded: the work is done in your browser, on your own device.
- File size: up to 2 GB per file (the limit of the browser's WebAssembly memory).
- Needs a current browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari) on a computer, tablet or phone; nothing to install.
- Free to use, with no sign-up.
FLAC to MP3: why convert
FLAC is how lossless music is sold by Bandcamp, Qobuz and other download shops, and how many people rip their CDs. It sounds exactly like the CD, but an album takes 250 to 350 MB, and plenty of car stereos, older iPhones, smart speakers, MP3 players and DJ controllers do not play it at all. This converter reads the FLAC file in your browser and makes an MP3 with the LAME encoder at the bit rate you choose. At 256 or 320 kbit/s very few listeners can hear a difference from the FLAC on normal speakers or headphones, and the file is four to five times smaller. The title, artist, album and track number stored in the FLAC are written into the MP3, so it sorts correctly in your music player. Keep the FLAC as your master copy.
How to convert FLAC to MP3
- Drop the FLAC file in the box, or click to choose it.
- Check the duration and sound details, and choose the MP3 quality (256 or 320 kbit/s for music).
- Click Convert to MP3 and save the MP3 file.
What changes when you convert
Keep the FLAC
The MP3 is a lossy copy. Keep the FLAC files as your archive: if a better format or a new device comes along, you can convert from the lossless original again, without stacking losses.
High-resolution files
24-bit FLAC at 96 or 192 kHz holds more than an MP3 can store. FFmpeg converts it to the nearest sample rate MP3 supports (48 kHz), which is beyond what people can hear, so nothing audible is lost for listening.
Album art
The cover embedded in the FLAC is not copied into the MP3. Music apps such as iTunes, Apple Music, foobar2000 and MusicBee can fetch or add the cover again in seconds.
Whole albums
The page converts one file at a time. For a whole album of separate tracks, convert them one after another; each track takes a few seconds. A single FLAC file with a .cue sheet is converted as one long MP3.
About the formats
FLAC
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) compresses sound without losing anything: decoded, a FLAC file is bit-for-bit the same as the original recording. It is the usual format for lossless music downloads, ripped CDs and high-resolution audio. FLAC files are about half the size of WAV, but still five to ten times larger than MP3, and many cars, older phones and apps do not play them.
- FLAC was released in 2001 by Josh Coalson and is free and open, with no patents.
- A CD album of 45 minutes is typically 250–350 MB as FLAC and about 60 MB as MP3 at 192 kbit/s.
- Tags are stored as Vorbis comments, and the cover picture is embedded in the file.
- High-resolution FLAC files use 24-bit and 96 or 192 kHz, which needs more space than CD quality.
MP3
MP3 is the most widely supported audio format. It was developed at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany and standardised in 1993, and it plays on every phone, computer, car stereo and website. MP3 makes music about a tenth of its CD size by leaving out sounds people hardly hear.
- 128 kbit/s is fine for speech and podcasts; 192–320 kbit/s is used for music.
- The last MP3 patents expired in 2017, so the format is free to use everywhere.
- Title, artist, album and cover art are stored in ID3 tags at the start of the file.
- MP3 is lossy: every new encode loses a little more, so convert from the original when you can.
Frequently asked questions
Is my FLAC file uploaded?
No. FFmpeg runs inside your browser and decodes the FLAC on your own device. Large lossless files do not have to be sent anywhere.
Which bit rate is closest to FLAC?
320 kbit/s is the highest MP3 quality. 256 kbit/s is very close for most people and a little smaller. For speech or audiobooks in FLAC, 128 kbit/s is plenty.
Will the MP3 sound worse?
In theory yes, since MP3 discards some sound. In practice, blind tests show that most listeners cannot tell 256 or 320 kbit/s MP3 from the lossless file on ordinary equipment.
How long does it take?
A few seconds per song on a computer, once the engine is loaded. The engine is downloaded once, the first time you use one of the video and audio tools.