How do WAV and FLACcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
Waveform Audio File Format
WAV is an uncompressed audio format that stores raw audio data at full quality. It's the standard format for professional audio editing, music production, and any application where quality is paramount.
Free Lossless Audio Codec
FLAC is the leading open-source lossless audio format. It compresses audio files to about 50-60% of their original size without any quality loss — perfect for audiophiles and music archival.
| Specification | WAV | FLAC |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Waveform Audio File Format | Free Lossless Audio Codec |
| Extension | .wav | .flac |
| MIME type | audio/wav | audio/flac |
| Category | Audio | Audio |
| Developer | Microsoft / IBM | Xiph.Org Foundation |
| Year introduced | 1991 | 2001 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
Both are excellent audio formats. WAV is preferred for music production and mixing, while FLAC shines at hi-fi music collections.
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.