FLAC to MP3 converter
Your files are converted on your device. They are never uploaded.
or drop them here
.flac
- Files stay on your device
- Batch + ZIP
- No sign-up, no limits
This converter runs in your browser and needs JavaScript. Turn it on to convert; the steps below explain everything.
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Make MP3 copies of your FLAC albums for devices that don’t play lossless files.
FLAC is the format for archiving music losslessly: CD rips, high-resolution downloads, recordings from audio interfaces. It is also two to three times larger than a good MP3, and some car stereos, older players, editors and Apple’s Music app won’t import it. This converter decodes FLAC in your browser with a dedicated decoder and encodes MP3 at up to 320 kbps, so you can keep the FLAC archive and carry the MP3s. Add a whole album at once and download it as a ZIP; nothing is uploaded.
How to convert FLAC to MP3
- Add the FLAC files, or drop an album folder on a computer.
- Choose the bitrate: 320 kbps for the best MP3 from a lossless source, 256 or 192 kbps to save space.
- Convert and download the album as a ZIP; file names are kept.
What happens to quality, size and metadata
FLAC decodes to exactly the original audio, so like WAV, it is an ideal source: the MP3 encoder is the only place anything is lost, and at 256–320 kbps that loss is inaudible for practically everyone. High-resolution FLACs (24-bit, 88.2 or 96 kHz) are converted to the closest MP3 sample rate, 44.1 or 48 kHz, which the result line notes. Multichannel FLACs are mixed to stereo. A 320 kbps MP3 is usually about a third to a half of the FLAC’s size. Vorbis comments (artist, album, track number) and embedded cover art are not copied; the MP3 gets the file name as its title.
- Test files
- 3
- Average input
- 1.5 MB
- Average output
- 290 KB
- Size change
- 80% smaller
- Time per file
- 345 ms
FLAC vs MP3
| Full name | FLAC | MP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Free Lossless Audio Codec | MPEG-1 Audio Layer III |
| Introduced | 2001 | 1993 |
| Defined by | Xiph.Org · RFC 9639 | MPEG · ISO/IEC 11172-3 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
| Chrome / Edge | Yes | Yes |
| Safari | Yes | Yes |
| Firefox | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone / iPad | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Typical use | Music archives, CD rips and high-resolution audio downloads. | Music, podcasts, voice recordings and any audio that has to play on every device. |
FLAC FLAC compresses audio without losing anything: decoded, it is bit-for-bit the original. Files are typically 50–70% of the WAV size. It is an open format from Xiph.Org, published as RFC 9639 in 2024, and supports tags and cover art.
MP3 MP3 is the lossy audio format standardised by MPEG in ISO/IEC 11172-3 (1993). Its patents have expired, and practically every player, car stereo, phone and editing app plays it. At 192 kbps most listeners cannot tell it from the original on typical speakers or headphones.
Sources for this table
- www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9639
- xiph.org/flac/
- caniuse.com/flac
- developer.android.com/media/platform/supported-formats
- www.iso.org/standard/22412.html
- www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3003
- caniuse.com/mp3
Browser support data: caniuse.com, CC BY 4.0.
Without this site
Windows 10 and 11 play FLAC but don’t convert it; the free Audacity opens FLAC and exports MP3 via File › Export Audio. macOS can play FLAC files, but the Music app can’t import them, so its Create MP3 Version option doesn’t help. On Linux and every desktop system, VLC’s Media › Convert / Save with the “Audio – MP3” profile works. Phones have no built-in converter.
Troubleshooting
- Tags and artwork are not copied. Album, artist and track numbers come from the FLAC’s Vorbis comments, which this version doesn’t transfer. Tag the MP3s in your music app or a tag editor.
- Gapless albums. Live albums and DJ mixes may get a tiny gap between tracks on players that ignore the gapless info LAME writes.
- Hi-res sample rates. 96 and 192 kHz become 48 kHz; MP3 can’t store more.
- Huge batches on a phone. Do one album at a time on mobile so the browser tab doesn’t run out of memory.
Questions and answers
What bitrate should I use to convert FLAC to MP3?
320 kbps is the most common choice for lossless sources: it is the MP3 maximum and sounds the same as the FLAC to nearly everyone. 256 kbps is a good compromise if you are tight on space; 192 kbps is fine for car audio and casual listening.
Does converting FLAC to MP3 lose quality?
Yes, a little, because MP3 is lossy and FLAC is not. At 320 kbps the loss is practically inaudible, but keep your FLAC files: converting again from them later is always better than converting an MP3 a second time. Hard drives are cheap; lost lossless rips are not.
Why convert FLAC to MP3 at all?
Size and compatibility. A 320 kbps MP3 is roughly half the size of a CD-quality FLAC, and it plays on car stereos, older MP3 players, smart speakers and apps that refuse FLAC. Many people keep FLAC at home and MP3 on the phone.
Can I convert a whole FLAC album at once?
Yes. Select all the tracks, or drop the album folder onto the page in Chrome or Edge on a computer. Each track becomes its own MP3 with the same file name, and you can download the album as one ZIP. Track order is kept by the file names.