Audio Converter

Archive Your M4A Audio as ALAC for Native Lossless Playback on Every Apple Device

Upload your M4A file and get an ALAC that plays natively on iPhone, Mac, Apple TV, and AirPlay without any third-party app — and stops further quality degradation from any future re-encoding or processing.

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Archive Your M4A Audio as ALAC for Native Lossless Playback on Every Apple Device

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Audio Format Converter

Upload any audio file, choose an output format, and download the converted result. Supports MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, OGG, ALAC, WMA, Opus and M4A.

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Play Your M4A Library as Lossless ALAC on iPhone Without a Third-Party App

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Play Your M4A Library as Lossless ALAC on iPhone Without a Third-Party App

ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) is a lossless codec stored inside the same .m4a container that AAC uses. The iPhone Music app, iPad, Mac Music, Apple TV, and AirPlay all play ALAC natively without any codec installation or third-party player. Users who want lossless audio on their Apple devices can convert M4A files to ALAC for playback at the full fidelity the source contains, with no further quality change.

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Create a Lossless Working Copy of M4A for Logic Pro and GarageBand

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Create a Lossless Working Copy of M4A for Logic Pro and GarageBand

Logic Pro and GarageBand import ALAC natively and treat it as a lossless audio source. Producers who work with M4A recordings — iPhone voice memos, GarageBand exports, or iTunes audio — can convert to ALAC and use the resulting file as a working copy in Logic Pro. Every plugin pass and bounce from an ALAC source introduces no additional compression beyond what the original M4A contained.

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Stop Further Quality Loss When Re-Encoding M4A to Other Formats

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Stop Further Quality Loss When Re-Encoding M4A to Other Formats

When an M4A file is re-encoded directly to MP3, OGG, or another lossy format, two lossy passes compound the quality loss. Converting M4A to ALAC first produces a lossless intermediate: any future re-encoding from ALAC introduces only one new lossy pass rather than stacking degradation on top of the original AAC encoding. This is the standard approach for building a stable conversion master from existing lossy audio.

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How It Works

Three steps to an Apple-native lossless ALAC from your M4A

Upload your M4A file

Drop your .m4a file onto the tool or click to browse. iPhone voice memos, GarageBand exports, iTunes downloads, and any M4A audio are all accepted.

Convert to ALAC

Click "Convert". FFmpeg decodes the audio from the M4A container and re-encodes it losslessly using the Apple Lossless codec, wrapped in an .m4a container.

Download your ALAC file

Download your .m4a (ALAC) file ready to import into iTunes or Apple Music, play on iPhone, use in Logic Pro, or store as a lossless archive copy.

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Deep Dive

M4A to ALAC: From Compressed Apple Audio to Lossless Apple Standard

M4A with AAC is compressed and lossy. M4A with ALAC is lossless. Both use the same .m4a container and both play natively on every Apple device — the difference is whether the audio data inside can be decoded without any quality loss.

Apple device users, Logic Pro producers, and audiophiles converting M4A to ALAC

ALAC: Apple's Lossless Codec in the Same Container as AAC

ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) is a lossless codec developed by Apple and stored inside the MPEG-4 (.m4a) container — the same container that holds AAC. Apple open-sourced ALAC in 2011. It is supported natively by every Apple device and application including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, HomePod, AirPlay, Logic Pro, GarageBand, iTunes, and Apple Music. An ALAC file looks identical to an AAC M4A from the outside; the difference is entirely inside the container.

TypeLossless compression, Apple open-source codec

ContainerMPEG-4 (.m4a) — identical container to AAC M4A files

Apple device supportiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, HomePod, AirPlay, CarPlay — all native

ALAC files use the .m4a extension. They cannot be distinguished from AAC M4A files by extension alone — a media player must inspect the codec inside to determine whether the audio is lossless.

Does Converting M4A to ALAC Improve Audio Quality?

No. If the M4A holds AAC audio, converting to ALAC does not restore quality lost during the original AAC encoding. ALAC losslessly stores the PCM data that FFmpeg decoded from the AAC — exactly the audio the M4A contained, no worse and no better. The value of ALAC is that it stops further degradation: any future re-encoding from ALAC introduces only one new lossy pass instead of stacking on top of the existing AAC compression.

Quality changeNone — ALAC holds exactly what the AAC decoder produced from the M4A

Future re-encodesConverting ALAC to MP3, OGG, or Opus adds only one new lossy pass

File sizeALAC is larger than AAC M4A — typically 3 to 5x — because it stores uncompressed PCM losslessly

If the original pre-AAC recording is available (FLAC, WAV, or CD rip), use that as the ALAC source instead for true lossless quality.

Why ALAC Rather Than FLAC for Apple Workflows

FLAC is the universal lossless standard supported by most platforms. ALAC is Apple's lossless format, natively supported by every Apple application and device without any third-party codec or app. For workflows that stay entirely within the Apple ecosystem — iPhone Music, iTunes, Logic Pro, GarageBand, AirPlay, HomePod, CarPlay — ALAC is the natural lossless choice because it works out of the box. FLAC requires a third-party app on iPhone and is not recognized by iTunes or Logic Pro without conversion.

iPhone ALACPlays in Apple Music app natively; no third-party app required

iPhone FLACRequires a third-party app; not supported by native Music app

Logic ProImports ALAC natively; FLAC requires conversion before import

When ALAC Is the Right Destination from M4A

ALAC is the right destination when the audio will live in an Apple ecosystem — synced to iPhone, imported into Logic Pro or GarageBand, played through AirPlay or HomePod, or stored in an iTunes library that will be used as a source for future conversions. For non-Apple lossless workflows such as Linux servers, Roon, or Plex Music, FLAC is more universally compatible.

Use ALAC foriPhone Music, iTunes, Logic Pro, GarageBand, AirPlay, HomePod, CarPlay, Apple TV

Use FLAC forRoon, Plex, Foobar2000, Linux players, DAWs other than Logic, non-Apple archives

Our converter uses FFmpeg to decode the audio from the M4A and re-encode it losslessly using the Apple Lossless codec.

Benefits

Why Convert M4A to ALAC

🍎

Plays Natively on Every Apple Device

ALAC is Apple's lossless codec. iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, HomePod, and AirPlay all play ALAC natively in the Music app without any third-party software.

🔒

Stops Further Quality Degradation

Once in ALAC, any future re-encoding to MP3, OGG, or Opus adds only one new lossy pass. No more compounding quality loss from repeated conversions.

🎛️

Native in Logic Pro and GarageBand

Logic Pro and GarageBand import ALAC as a lossless audio source. Every processing step and bounce starts from the cleanest available version of the audio.

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Fast Conversion

Most M4A files convert to ALAC in under 30 seconds on dedicated FFmpeg servers.

Who Uses It

Who Converts M4A to ALAC

Apple Music subscribers building a lossless local library, iPhone users who want lossless playback without a third-party app, Logic Pro producers creating stable working copies from M4A sources, audiophiles archiving their Apple purchases, and anyone building a re-conversion master from existing M4A audio.

Apple Music users, Logic Pro producers, iPhone listeners, and audiophiles converting M4A to ALAC

Apple Music Subscribers Building a Local Lossless Library

Apple Music offers a lossless tier that serves ALAC. Users who have older M4A purchases or downloads in AAC can convert to ALAC so their entire local library uses the same lossless codec. The ALAC files sync to iPhone and play in the Apple Music app alongside true lossless downloads without any format inconsistency.

iPhone Users Who Want Lossless Playback Without a Third-Party App

FLAC is not supported by the iPhone Music app. Playing FLAC on iPhone requires a third-party app such as VLC or Flacbox. ALAC, however, plays natively in the built-in Music app and syncs through iTunes and Finder like any other Apple audio. iPhone users who want lossless audio in their native Music app can convert M4A to ALAC without installing any additional software.

iPhone Music appPlays ALAC natively; FLAC requires VLC or Flacbox

Logic Pro Producers Using M4A Recordings as Session Sources

Logic Pro imports ALAC as a native lossless audio format. Producers who record on iPhone (M4A voice memos) or receive GarageBand exports (M4A) can convert to ALAC for use as a Logic session source. Plugin processing and bounces from an ALAC source introduce no additional codec compression beyond what the original M4A held.

Audiophiles Archiving an Existing M4A Collection

Music enthusiasts who have accumulated a large iTunes or Apple Music collection in AAC M4A format and want to upgrade their local archive to a lossless codec can convert to ALAC. The ALAC files will be larger but will not degrade further from any future re-encode, playlist export, or format delivery.

File size trade-offALAC is 3 to 5x larger than AAC M4A; ensure adequate storage before batch converting a large library

Content Producers Building Re-Conversion Masters from M4A

Podcast editors, video producers, and content creators who receive audio as M4A and regularly need to deliver it in multiple formats — MP3, OGG, WAV — can convert to ALAC as a stable master. Every subsequent delivery format is a single lossy pass from ALAC rather than a compounding re-encode of the original M4A.

HomePod and AirPlay Users Streaming from a Local Library

HomePod and AirPlay 2 devices support ALAC streaming from a local Mac or Apple TV. Users who want to stream their M4A library at the highest available quality over AirPlay can convert to ALAC so the audio pipeline delivers lossless data to the speaker — rather than streaming an already-compressed AAC file that the speaker then decodes.

AirPlay 2Supports ALAC lossless streaming from Mac Music app to HomePod and AirPlay 2 speakers

Converts using FFmpeg on dedicated servers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does converting M4A to ALAC improve audio quality?

No. If the M4A holds AAC audio, converting to ALAC does not restore the quality that AAC compression originally discarded. ALAC losslessly stores the PCM data decoded from the AAC — exactly the audio the M4A contained, no worse and no better. The benefit of converting to ALAC is stopping further degradation: any future re-encoding from ALAC adds only one new lossy pass, rather than stacking compression losses on top of the existing AAC encoding.

Why choose ALAC over FLAC for Apple devices?

ALAC plays natively in the iPhone Music app, iTunes, Apple Music, Logic Pro, GarageBand, AirPlay, and HomePod without any additional software. FLAC is not supported by the iPhone Music app and requires a third-party app such as VLC or Flacbox for playback on iPhone. Logic Pro does not import FLAC natively. For any workflow that stays within the Apple ecosystem, ALAC is the natural lossless choice.

Will the ALAC file sync to my iPhone through iTunes or Finder?

Yes. ALAC files are standard .m4a files with a lossless codec inside. iTunes on Windows and Finder on macOS recognize them as Apple Music-compatible audio and sync them to iPhone like any other audio file. They appear in the iPhone Music app as lossless tracks and play without any additional app.

How much larger will the ALAC file be compared to the original M4A?

ALAC stores losslessly compressed PCM audio, which is significantly larger than AAC-compressed M4A. A 4-minute AAC M4A at 128 kbps is roughly 3 to 4 MB; the same audio as ALAC is typically 15 to 25 MB, depending on the original recording. The larger size reflects the absence of lossy compression in ALAC, not any addition of audio data.

Can I import the ALAC file into Logic Pro?

Yes. Logic Pro imports ALAC (.m4a) natively as a lossless audio format. The file appears in the Logic browser as a standard audio clip and can be used directly in sessions, sample libraries, and Flex Time or Flex Pitch workflows.

Is there a file size limit?

The upload limit is 100 MB per file. Most M4A audio files are well within this limit.

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