FLAC
An open audio format that reduces file size without discarding any information from the original digital audio signal.
General information
- Format name
- Free Lossless Audio Codec
- Extension
.flac- MIME type
audio/flac- Category
- audio
- Data type
- Binary
- Introduced
- 2001
Media properties
- Compression
- Lossless
- Codec
- FLAC
File signatures
| Offset | Hexadecimal | ASCII | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 66 4C 61 43 | fLaC | Native FLAC streams begin with the four-byte fLaC marker. |
Common uses
Lossless music
Audio archives
Music collections
Master recordings
High-quality audio distribution
Related formats
Technical resources
| Resource | Publisher | Link |
|---|---|---|
| RFC 9639 — Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) | RFC Editor | Open resource ↗ |
| FLAC Format | Xiph.Org Foundation | Open resource ↗ |
Record information
- Verified
- October 3, 2026
- Last updated
- October 3, 2026