Free online FLAC to CAFF converter

Source format: FLAC

FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec. It is a widely used audio format that compresses sound without losing any original data, so the decoded audio is identical to the source. FLAC is popular among music collectors, archivists, audio engineers, and anyone who wants high-quality audio with smaller file sizes than uncompressed formats. Typical uses include music libraries, archival storage, and distribution of lossless albums.

Target format: CAFF

CAFF is the Core Audio File Format, an Apple audio container used mainly on macOS and related Apple platforms. It can store audio data and metadata, and it is often used in professional or system-level Apple workflows. CAFF is useful when you need an Apple-native audio container for compatibility with certain tools, workflows, or development environments. Compared with FLAC, CAFF is less common for general music playback and is more specialized.

How to perform the conversion

The most practical way to convert FLAC to CAFF is with a desktop audio tool that supports both formats. One of the best options is FFmpeg, which is free, widely available, and reliable for format conversion.

1. Install FFmpeg on your computer.
2. Open a terminal or command prompt.
3. Run a command like ffmpeg -i input.flac output.caff.
4. Check the resulting file in an audio player or with ffprobe output.caff if you want to verify the container and codec information.

If your FFmpeg build does not support writing CAFF directly, you may need to use an Apple-oriented toolchain or convert through a compatible intermediate workflow. On macOS, some professional audio tools and developer utilities can export or wrap audio into CAFF, depending on installed codecs and container support.

You can also convert the file on 101convert.com for free, without installing any software.

Notes on quality, compatibility, or limitations

FLAC is lossless, so the audio quality itself is preserved during conversion only if the target format and codec also store the audio without re-encoding loss. However, CAFF support is limited compared with FLAC, and many players or editors outside the Apple ecosystem may not open CAFF files. In practice, the conversion may involve re-encoding to a different audio codec inside the CAFF container, which can affect quality depending on the chosen codec settings.

If your goal is simple playback or sharing, FLAC is usually more compatible across modern audio software than CAFF. If your goal is Apple-specific workflow compatibility, CAFF can be appropriate, but test the output in the exact application you plan to use.