YouTube to FLAC Converter

Y2WAV saves the audio of any YouTube video as a FLAC file. Paste the link, click Convert, then use the red Download button. No account, no software and no limit on how many files you convert.

FLAC is a lossless format: it shrinks the file without throwing any sound away, so it plays back bit for bit the same as a WAV at roughly half the size. Keep in mind that YouTube's own audio is already compressed. FLAC keeps it exactly as it is, it can't add back what YouTube removed.

By using Y2WAV, you agree to our Terms of Use.

How to convert a YouTube video to FLAC?

  1. Open YouTube and copy the link of the video you want.
  2. Paste the link above and click the red "Convert to FLAC" button.
  3. When it's done, click "Download FLAC File" to save it to your device.

Why FLAC?

MP3 and AAC make files small by removing sound you're not supposed to notice. FLAC works more like a ZIP file for audio: it packs the data tighter, and when you play it, every sample comes back exactly as it went in. You get the same sound as WAV without filling up your drive as fast.

That makes FLAC a good fit for a music library you want to keep for years. You can convert a FLAC to MP3 or WAV later at any time, with nothing lost, because the FLAC itself was never cut down.

Quality and file size

YouTube stores music as compressed audio, usually Opus or AAC at around 128 to 160 kbps. Y2WAV decodes that and saves it as FLAC. The file sounds exactly like the video, no better and no worse. Any site that promises "better than YouTube" quality isn't being straight with you.

Expect roughly 5 to 7 MB per minute of audio, so a four-minute song is about 20 to 30 MB. That's around half the size of the same song as WAV, and three to four times bigger than an MP3. If you just want to listen and save space, our YouTube to MP3 converter makes much smaller files.

Where FLAC plays

  • Windows and Android play FLAC out of the box, and so do VLC, foobar2000 and most music players.
  • iPhone plays FLAC in the Files app. Apple Music and iTunes don't import it, so on Apple devices it's easier to download the audio as M4A.
  • Editing: Audacity, FL Studio, Reaper and recent versions of Ableton Live open FLAC. Some older editors don't. If you're unsure, convert to WAV instead, it opens everywhere.
  • DJing: Rekordbox plays FLAC, but older CDJs and some DJ setups can't. For a USB you'll play in a club, WAV is the safe choice.

Tips for better results

  • Use the official upload. Re-uploads are often recompressed or slightly sped up. The artist's own channel, or the auto-generated "Artist - Topic" channel, usually has the cleanest audio.
  • Any YouTube link works. A youtu.be share link from the app, a Shorts link or a YouTube Music link are all fine.
  • Download straight away. Files are deleted from our server about 30 minutes after conversion. If the link has expired, just convert again.

Frequently asked questions

Is FLAC better quality than MP3?

Compared with an MP3 made from the same YouTube audio, yes: FLAC keeps everything, while MP3 removes a little more. But neither can sound better than the YouTube video itself.

FLAC or WAV?

They sound the same. FLAC is about half the size and can hold song tags, so it's better for a library. WAV opens in more editors and DJ gear, so it's better if you're going to work on the audio.

Can I turn the FLAC into another format later?

Yes. Because FLAC is lossless, you can convert it to WAV, MP3 or anything else later without losing anything extra along the way.

Why did a video fail to convert?

Usually because it's private, deleted, age-restricted, members-only or blocked in some countries. No converter can download those. If a normal public video fails, try again after a minute.

All YouTube Converters

Choose from any format below:

🎵 WAV 🎵 MP3 🎵 M4A 🎵 OGG

Thank you for choosing Y2WAV.