Playback high-quality lossless audio files on the PC.
FLAC is probably the most-used audio codec right now, just after the popular MP3 formats.
With FLAC, you're given a very high level of quality of audio compression while maintaining an excellent quality of audio playback. As the name stands for fastest and most widely supported lossless audio codec.
Unlike MP3 files, FLAC uses lossless compression which means there's no loss in quality of what you hear with your own ears.
Installation of FLAC on Windows
As this application does not come with an installer, you can download the ZIP file and extract it. Select either win64 or win32 depending on your system architecture and copy the files inside of that directory (EXE and DLL) to the C:\Windows\System32 directory. You require administrator access.
And there you have it; FLAC is installed on your Windows system.
Features of FLAC
- Compact file size: Files are smaller than uncompressed audio files, which means that you can store more music on your device without compromising on quality.
- Easy conversion: Files can be easily converted to other formats, such as MP3 or AAC, without any loss in quality.
- Error resilience: Includes error resilience features that ensure that your music files remain intact even if there are errors during playback or transmission.
- Fast decoding: Files can be decoded quickly, which means that you can play your music without any delays.
- Fast encoding: Files can be encoded quickly, which means that you can convert your music to FLAC format without wasting too much time.
- High-quality audio playback: With FLAC, you can enjoy high-quality audio playback, as it supports resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz, which is higher than CD quality.
- High compression ratio: Provides a high compression ratio, which means that it can reduce the size of audio files significantly without compromising on quality.
- Lossless compression: Uses lossless compression, which means that it can compress audio files without any loss in quality, providing a perfect copy of the original file.
- Metadata preservation: Preserves all metadata of the original audio file, including album art, artist, album, track number and more, ensuring that your music library remains organized.
- Multi-channel support: Supports multi-channel audio, making it suitable for use with surround sound systems.
- Open-source: It's an open-source codec, which means that it is free to use and distribute and its source code is available for modification.
- Perfect for archiving: FLAC is perfect for archiving audio files, as it provides a perfect copy of the original file and its small file size makes it easy to store and transfer.
- Support for embedded cuesheets: Supports embedded cuesheets, which can be used to create seamless transitions between tracks in a continuous mix.
- Wide compatibility: Works with a wide range of audio players, media servers and streaming platforms, making it easy to use on different devices.
Compatibility and License
FLAC is provided under a freeware license on Windows from video codec packs with no restrictions on usage. Download and installation of this PC software is free and 1.4.3 is the latest version last time we checked.
What version of Windows can FLAC run on?
FLAC can be used on a computer running Windows 11 or Windows 10. Previous versions of the OS shouldn't be a problem with Windows 8 and Windows 7 having been tested. It runs on both 32-bit and 64-bit systems with no dedicated 64-bit download provided.
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