Free online M4A to ALAC converter

Some media players, editing applications, or Apple-focused workflows require ALAC instead of the AAC audio commonly found in an M4A file. Converting creates a separate ALAC file for lossless-compatible editing, archiving, or playback while leaving the original unchanged.

What the M4A format is

M4A is a filename extension for audio stored in an MPEG-4 container, not a specific audio codec. Most M4A files contain AAC, a lossy codec used by Apple devices, Apple Music and iTunes libraries, phones, QuickTime, media players, and recording or download applications. M4A can also contain ALAC or another MPEG-4-compatible audio stream.

Check the actual codec before converting. A file named recording.m4a may already contain ALAC, in which case re-encoding is unnecessary. Media-information tools and FFmpeg's ffprobe can identify the stream codec, sample rate, channels, and other properties.

What the ALAC format is

ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) compresses PCM audio without discarding audio data. It is normally stored in an MPEG-4 container with an .m4a extension, so an ALAC file is usually still an M4A file; .alac is not the standard file extension for this container.

ALAC preserves the decoded source samples and is supported by Apple Music, iTunes, macOS, iOS, many modern media players, and audio applications with Apple lossless support. It uses less storage than uncompressed WAV or AIFF, but substantially more than AAC because it retains all source audio information.

How to convert with 101convert.com

1. Open the M4A-to-ALAC converter on 101convert.com.
2. Upload the M4A file and choose ALAC as the output format.
3. Start the conversion and download the resulting file when processing finishes.

This option requires no installed software and is free to use. Do not upload confidential recordings, private data, or material subject to handling restrictions unless the service's storage and privacy terms are acceptable.

How to convert with FFmpeg

FFmpeg is suitable for local or batch conversion. With FFmpeg installed, run:

ffmpeg -i input.m4a -map 0 -c copy -c:a alac output.m4a

This copies non-audio streams when the M4A container supports them and re-encodes the audio as ALAC. For an audio-only output that avoids unsupported artwork or data streams, use:

ffmpeg -i input.m4a -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -c:a alac output.m4a

The second command keeps general metadata but may not copy embedded cover art. Verify the codec with:

ffprobe -v error -select_streams a:0 -show_entries stream=codec_name,sample_rate,channels,bits_per_sample -of default=noprint_wrappers=1 output.m4a

The result should report codec_name=alac. Check the output's artwork, tags, chapters, and lyrics separately because their preservation depends on the source and the conversion tool.

How to convert with Apple Music or iTunes

1. In Apple Music on macOS, open Music → Settings → Files → Import Settings. In iTunes for Windows, open Edit → Preferences → General → Import Settings.
2. Set Import Using to Apple Lossless Encoder and confirm the settings.
3. Import the M4A file into the library if it is not already present.
4. Select the file, then choose File → Convert → Create Apple Lossless Version.
5. Locate the new ALAC copy and confirm that the original remains available.

Apple Music or iTunes may refuse files protected by DRM. A normal unprotected AAC M4A can be converted, but a lossless output cannot restore restrictions or inaccessible source data.

Quality and compatibility caveats

Converting AAC M4A to ALAC does not restore audio information removed by AAC encoding. The ALAC file is lossless only from the decoded AAC source, so it retains the source's existing quality and cannot equal an original lossless recording.

If the source already contains ALAC, use a stream copy instead of re-encoding:

ffmpeg -i input.m4a -map 0 -c copy output.m4a

Conversion normally retains the source sample rate and channel configuration, but applications can change metadata, artwork, or other container contents. Inspect the output before deleting the original, and keep the .m4a extension unless the target application explicitly requires a different name.