FLAC to MP3 Converter
FLAC files are lossless and big. Usually 60-70% the size of a WAV.
MP3 is lossy and small. If you have a FLAC library and you're moving tracks to a phone, a car stereo, or a USB stick that can't read FLAC, this is the conversion.
How it works.
- 1Drop the FLACFLAC at any bit depth or sample rate. The decoder handles 16, 24, and 32-bit; 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz.
- 2Pick a bitrate320 kbps preserves nearly all the fidelity audible from a lossless source. 256 kbps is the sweet spot for size vs quality. Below 192 you start losing high-frequency detail that was preserved in the FLAC.
- 3Downloadffmpeg maps the FLAC's Vorbis comment metadata to ID3v2 tags on the MP3, so artist, title, album, and track number carry across.
Take a lossless collection anywhere it needs to go
FLAC sounds perfect but eats space, and plenty of car stereos, USB sticks, and older players flat-out won't read it. Converting to MP3 shrinks each track to a fraction of the size in the one format that plays absolutely everywhere, so your carefully-ripped library actually fits on the thing you want to play it on.
- FLAC sizeBig, 60 to 70% of a WAV
- 320 kbps MP3A fraction of that
- Plays onEvery device made since the 90s
- Tags & artCarried across to ID3
Your album, artist, and cover art come with it
FLAC stores its tags as Vorbis comments; MP3 uses ID3. This maps one to the other automatically, so title, artist, album, track number, year, and embedded artwork all survive the trip. The MP3 lands in your library looking exactly like the FLAC did, not as an anonymous 'Track 03'.
Your phone might already play FLAC
Most modern phones and dedicated music players handle FLAC natively now, so before you convert a whole collection, it's worth a quick check on your actual device. If it plays FLAC, keep the lossless files. If it doesn't, or you're feeding a car stereo that chokes on it, this does the job in your browser with nothing uploaded.
Questions.
Will I notice the quality drop from FLAC to 320 kbps MP3?
On most equipment, no. On studio monitors with good listening conditions, you might hear softer cymbal decay and slightly less air on top. For typical phone, car, and laptop listening it's transparent.
Are FLAC tags preserved when converting to MP3?
Yes. ffmpeg automatically copies FLAC's Vorbis comments to ID3v2 tags on the MP3 output. Title, artist, album, year, track number, genre, comment all transfer. Album art carries over too if it was embedded.
What bitrate for portable players?
320 kbps for music collections, 256 kbps if storage is tight. Most modern phones and DAPs handle FLAC natively now, so check whether you actually need MP3 before converting an entire library.