FLAC to WAV or Vice Versa - How to Convert with Simple Steps

Usually, users consider sound quality when choosing audio, followed by compatibility, portability, etc. Both FLAC and WAV formats are lossless through certain algorithms, so from a listening perspective, there is no difference between the two formats. How do you choose to get a better experience in a given situation? Read below, and maybe you can find a good option to convert FLAC to WAV or vice versa.

Part 1: FLAC vs WAV - What Should You Choose?

Either FLAC or AAC is a lossless compression audio format. Even if the algorithms are different, no original audio information will be lost during playback. Therefore, there is no difference in sound quality between the two. However, they differ in other aspects, and you may know what to choose according to that.

Size: FLAC uses a more efficient compression algorithm and, therefore, generally has smaller file sizes. This makes FLAC superior to WAV in terms of storage space requirements.

Compatibility: WAV started to be used earlier, so most music players and devices support it. Although there are many useful FLAC players, but some devices may not support it due to copyright or other reasons.

Compression ratio: These two formats have different algorithms, so their compression rates are also different. FLAC has a higher compression ratio, so it may take longer during the audio decoding.

Part 2: Easily Convert FLAC to WAV or WAV to FLAC on Windows/Mac

All you need is a versatile and easy-to-use audio converter to convert FLAC to WAV or WAV to FLAC. An excellent desktop tool like Tipard Video Converter Ultimate is one of the best solutions. It supports almost all file formats and can also be batch processed, so you can convert many files from FLAC to WAV and WAV to FLAC simultaneously using just this one software.

Step 1On your Windows or Mac, launch Tipard Video Converter Ultimate, then add your source audio files.

Step 2Choose WAV or FLAC as your target format. You can edit the profile by changing the sample rate and channel or following the default settings.

Step 3Select the save address, then click Convert All to start the conversion process. Finally, you can check the converted audio files in the destination folder and the converted section of the interface.

Part 3: How to Convert FLAC to WAV or WAV to FLAC in VLC

VLC Media Player is another highly praised software that can process diverse audio conversions. With an intuitive interface and powerful functionality, this tool supports the most popular formats. However, it does not allow you to do additional processing on the original audio, so if you still need to edit the audio, you need to use other tools.

Step 1Run and install the VLC Media Player on your computer. Then, select Convert/Save under the Media drop-down menu.

Step 2Tap the Add button to add your WAV or FLAC files from your folder. Then click Convert/Save to open the Convert pop-up page.

Step 3In the Convert interface, tap on Create a new profile, fill out the profile name and choose FLAC or WAV as the audio codec. Click Create to complete.

Step 4Back to the Convert interface, click the button next to the Edit selected profile; you can find FLAC and WAV there. After making your changes, click Start to start the converting process.

Part 4: Convert Between FLAC and WAV in HandBrake

HandBrake is a free audio converter for Windows and Mac. The tool allows you to convert audio files into FLAC and vice versa. Although it supports most common file formats, its output formats are more limited and may not meet the needs of some users.

Step 1In the Source Selection window, click the File button to open and upload your audio files or drop them to the tool's interface.

Step 2In the next pop-up window, hit the Audio button. It requires you to choose your converted audio format like AAC, AC3, FLAC, etc.

Step 3Finally, after confirming the file storage address, press the Start Encode button to begin the format conversion process.

Conclusion

Back to the question at the beginning of the article, FLAC vs WAV, which format is better and meets your needs more? After reading this article, I believe you already have a definite answer. We also provide three converters, all of which can easily convert FLAC to WAV or vice versa; each software has its characteristics. Of course, if you want to be the most safe and efficient and meet all your needs at once, just choose Tipard Video Converter Ultimate.