Both WAV and FLAC are lossless: they store every sample of the original audio. Decode a FLAC file and you get back a bit-for-bit copy of the WAV it was made from, so there is no difference in sound quality at all.
FLAC simply packs the same data more efficiently, much like a ZIP file does for documents. That makes it 40 to 60% smaller, and it also stores tags and cover art properly.
WAV and FLAC side by side
| WAV | FLAC | |
|---|---|---|
| Sound quality | Lossless | Lossless (identical) |
| 4-minute CD-quality song | ≈ 42 MB | ≈ 20–28 MB |
| Tags and cover art | Limited, poorly supported | Full support |
| Editing software and DAWs | Accepted everywhere | Most, but not all |
| Apple Music / iTunes | Yes | No (use ALAC) |
| Hardware samplers and CDJs | Almost always | Often, not always |
When to use FLAC
- Storing a music library or CD rips: same quality in about half the space, with proper tags and artwork.
- Archiving your own recordings and masters for the long term.
- Streaming or copying lossless music to Android phones and hi-fi players.
When to use WAV
- Working inside a DAW, editor or video project, where WAV is the universal exchange format.
- Sending files to a studio, mastering engineer or distributor that asks for WAV.
- Loading samples into hardware or older software that does not read FLAC.
Converting between them
Because both are lossless, you can convert WAV to FLAC and back as many times as you like without losing anything. Keep FLAC for storage and convert to WAV when a tool needs it.
Frequently asked questions
Does FLAC sound worse than WAV?
No. FLAC is lossless, so the decoded audio is identical to the WAV. Any difference people report comes from playback setup, not the format.
Why is FLAC smaller if it is lossless?
FLAC predicts each sample from the previous ones and stores only the small differences, which compress well. Nothing is thrown away, the data is just packed tighter.
Should I convert my WAV library to FLAC?
For listening and storage, yes: you save space and gain tags and cover art. Keep WAV copies only of projects you are still editing.