Free online W64 to FLAC converter

Source format overview

W64 is an audio container format from the Wave64 family, created by Sony to overcome the size limits of standard WAV files. It is used mainly in professional audio workflows where recordings can exceed 4 GB, such as multitrack recording, archiving, and post-production. A W64 file usually contains uncompressed PCM audio, so it is valued for compatibility with editing tools rather than for small file size.

Target format overview

FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec. It compresses audio without losing any quality, making files much smaller than WAV or W64 while preserving the original sound exactly. FLAC is widely supported by music players, media servers, editors, and archival systems. It is a strong choice for long-term storage, sharing high-quality audio, and reducing disk usage without sacrificing fidelity.

How to perform the conversion

The best approach is to use a desktop audio tool that can read W64 and export FLAC. Audacity is a practical option for manual conversion, while FFmpeg is ideal for fast batch conversion and automation.

Using FFmpeg

1. Install FFmpeg if it is not already available on your system.
2. Open a terminal or command prompt in the folder containing the W64 file.
3. Run a command such as ffmpeg -i input.w64 output.flac.
4. Wait for the conversion to finish, then verify that the FLAC file plays correctly.

If you want to preserve the audio exactly, this command is sufficient because FLAC is lossless. If the source contains multiple channels or unusual metadata, FFmpeg usually carries the audio data correctly, though some tags may not transfer perfectly.

Using Audacity

1. Open the W64 file in Audacity.
2. Check that the waveform loads correctly and that the sample rate and channels look right.
3. Choose File → Export → Export as FLAC.
4. Select the desired FLAC options and save the file.

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

Notes on quality, compatibility, or limitations

W64 to FLAC is a lossless-to-lossless conversion if the W64 file contains PCM audio, so the sound quality should remain unchanged. The main benefit is smaller file size and broader playback support. However, if the W64 file contains non-PCM data or unusual broadcast metadata, some information may not be preserved during conversion. Also, FLAC is excellent for archiving and playback, but it is not as universally supported in some older hardware recorders or legacy editing systems as WAV/W64.