How to convert FLAC to MP3
- 1. Drop in your FLAC tracksClick Choose FLAC files and select every track of an album, or drag them all onto the box at once.
- 2. Pick a bitrate, click ConvertThe default is 192 kbps; most people choose 320 kbps for music. Conversion starts when you click Convert.
- 3. Save the albumDownload all (.zip) gives you every MP3 in one file. Or save tracks one at a time from each row.
Lossless vs lossy, in one table
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) was first released in 2001 and is maintained by the Xiph.Org Foundation. It compresses audio the way a ZIP compresses a document: the decoded sound is bit-for-bit identical to the original. That's why music collectors, CD rippers and hi-res stores use it.
MP3 is lossy. It discards sounds that listeners are unlikely to notice, which makes files far smaller and playable on nearly anything.
| FLAC | MP3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
| Typical size of a CD-quality track | Often around half to two-thirds of the WAV | About one seventh of the WAV at 192 kbps |
| Hi-res audio (24-bit, 96 kHz and up) | Supported | No; at most 48 kHz |
| Plays on | Computers, Android, recent iPhones, many hi-fi players | Practically everything |
| Best for | Archiving and listening at home | Phones, cars, older players, sharing |
Why convert, and what to keep
Keep your FLAC files as the master copy of your music library. Make MP3 copies when space or compatibility gets in the way: a phone that's full, a car stereo that only reads MP3 from a USB stick, an older MP3 player, or a playlist for a friend.
Since FLAC is the original quality, converting it is a single generation of loss. That's the best starting point an MP3 can have.
Is 320 kbps worth it?
For music from a lossless source, 320 kbps is the highest MP3 bitrate and the safest choice if storage isn't tight: about 2.4 MB per minute, so a 45-minute album comes to roughly 108 MB. 256 kbps is very hard to tell apart for most listeners and takes 20% less space. 192 kbps fits even more on a phone and still sounds good on most earbuds.
Once you've picked, every track in the batch uses the same bitrate, so the album stays consistent.
Track names and tags
Each MP3 keeps its FLAC file name, so if your tracks are named "01 Song Title.flac" they come out as "01 Song Title.mp3" and stay in order.
Title, artist, album, track number, genre, comments and cover art are copied from the FLAC into the MP3, so your music player shows them as before. Set Metadata to Remove if you want untagged files.
Practical limits
- There's no limit on how many tracks you add. Several tracks convert in parallel, and on older phones smaller batches go faster.
- Very long hi-res files (for example, a single 24-bit/192 kHz concert recording) need plenty of memory; a computer handles them better than a phone.
- Most audio editors open FLAC directly. If you have MP3s that an editor or CD burner won't take, turn them into WAV files.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert FLAC to MP3 at 320 kbps?
Add your FLAC files, set Quality to 320 kbps and click Convert. That's the highest bitrate the MP3 format supports.
Can I batch convert a whole album and keep the tags?
Yes. Convert a whole album, or several, in one batch and download them as a ZIP. File names are kept, and Metadata is set to Keep by default, so title, artist, album, track number, genre, comments and cover art are copied into each MP3. Choose Remove for untagged files.
Is my music uploaded?
No. Every track is converted on your device and never uploaded. Like any website, the page loads its code, ads and cookieless analytics, but your audio files stay in your browser. See how to confirm it.
Will I hear a difference between FLAC and MP3?
At 256 or 320 kbps, most people can't tell on everyday headphones or speakers. On a quiet, high-end system, careful listeners sometimes can, which is why it's worth keeping the FLAC originals.
Do I need to install anything?
No. The converter runs in your browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, iPhone and Android.
Can I convert hi-res FLAC files?
Yes, they come out as standard MP3s. MP3 tops out at 48 kHz, so the extra hi-res detail doesn't carry over. Very large files also need a fair amount of memory.