CONVERT
ALAC → AIFF
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Fast, secure ALAC to AIFF conversion. No registration required.
Here is the short version — ALAC is Apple Lossless Audio Codec, offering FLAC-like compression inside MP4 containers. Hence the need for AIFF. A ALAC to AIFF transcode is mostly about compatibility, not fidelity. At sensible default bitrates you cannot tell the two apart by ear; what you get is a file that actually opens on the hardware or website you were aiming at. FFmpeg handles the heavy lifting and we stream the result straight back as a download. One more beat. ALAC is Apple Lossless Audio Codec, offering FLAC-like compression inside MP4 containers. Receiving format: AIFF is Apple's uncompressed Audio Interchange File Format, the macOS equivalent of WAV.
Apple Lossless Audio
Source formatALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) provides lossless compression for audio, similar to FLAC but native to Apple ecosystem.
AIFF Audio
Target formatAIFF is Apple's uncompressed audio format, equivalent to WAV in the macOS ecosystem. It stores CD-quality PCM audio and is widely used in professional audio production on Apple hardware.
Why convert ALAC to AIFF
Moving from ALAC to AIFF usually buys compatibility or a friendlier file size. For spoken-word content the difference is inaudible; for high-resolution music pick the highest bitrate the AIFF codec supports to avoid compounding compression.
HOW TO CONVERT
ALAC → AIFF
Provide the audio file
Drag the ALAC onto the uploader. Files up to 25 MB run on the free tier without registration; paid plans go up to 2 GB.
ffmpeg handles the conversion
Our ffmpeg-based pipeline reads sample rate and channel layout, then writes a matching AIFF with ID3 tags intact.
Save the output
Click to download the AIFF. Batch uploads are bundled into a ZIP for single-click retrieval.
Common Use Cases
Share across platforms
Send AIFF files to anyone without worrying about whether they have the right software for ALAC.
Embed in documents
Drop AIFF output into Word, Google Docs, PowerPoint, Notion or a website without conversion warnings.
Optimize size
AIFF often produces smaller files than ALAC for web, email and storage.
Archive & future-proof
Store in a widely-supported format that will still open on future operating systems without legacy plugins.
ALAC vs AIFF — Strengths and limitations
What each format does best, and where it falls short.
ALAC Strengths
- Lossless — bit-exact with the original PCM.
- 40-60% smaller than uncompressed WAV/AIFF.
- Native Apple ecosystem support (iTunes, Apple Music Lossless).
- Open-source since 2011 — supported in FFmpeg, VLC, Android.
Limitations
- Non-Apple devices support ALAC but rarely make it the default.
- Slower encoding than FLAC on most reference implementations.
- Large files vs lossy alternatives (AAC).
AIFF Strengths
- Lossless and uncompressed — bit-exact audio reproduction.
- Native to macOS and all Apple Pro Audio apps.
- Simple structure — trivially parsed by audio libraries.
- Supports up to 32-bit float, 192 kHz, and multi-channel audio.
- Rich metadata via named chunks (annotations, markers, MIDI).
Limitations
- Enormous file sizes — 10 MB per minute at CD quality.
- No built-in compression — use FLAC for lossless with smaller files.
- Big-endian byte order confuses tools written on little-endian hardware.
ALAC vs AIFF — Technical specifications
Side-by-side comparison of the technical details.
ALAC
- MIME type
- audio/mp4 (inside .m4a)
- Extensions
- .m4a (common), .alac
- Container
- ISO Base Media File Format (like MP4)
- Sample rates
- Up to 384 kHz (hi-res); typical 44.1-192 kHz
- License
- Apache 2.0 (since 2011)
AIFF
- Extensions
- .aif, .aiff, .aifc
- MIME types
- audio/aiff, audio/x-aiff
- Byte order
- Big-endian
- Max bit depth
- 32 bits (PCM or float)
- Max sample rate
- 192 kHz (practical); unlimited (spec)
| Specification | ALAC | AIFF |
|---|---|---|
| MIME type | audio/mp4 (inside .m4a) | — |
| Extensions | .m4a (common), .alac | .aif, .aiff, .aifc |
| Container | ISO Base Media File Format (like MP4) | — |
| Sample rates | Up to 384 kHz (hi-res); typical 44.1-192 kHz | — |
| License | Apache 2.0 (since 2011) | — |
| MIME types | — | audio/aiff, audio/x-aiff |
| Byte order | — | Big-endian |
| Max bit depth | — | 32 bits (PCM or float) |
| Max sample rate | — | 192 kHz (practical); unlimited (spec) |
ALAC vs AIFF — Typical file sizes
Approximate file sizes for common scenarios.
ALAC
- 3-min song (CD quality) 20-30 MB
- Full album (CD, 10 tracks) 250-400 MB
- Hi-Res 24-bit/96 kHz song 80-120 MB
AIFF
- 3-min song (CD quality) 30 MB
- 3-min song (24-bit / 96 kHz) 100 MB
- Full album (CD, 10 tracks) 450 MB
Quality & Compatibility
Sample rate, channel layout and bit depth are preserved by default: a 44.1 kHz stereo ALAC becomes a 44.1 kHz stereo AIFF. Metadata — title, artist, album, cover art — travels where both formats support it. Protected DRM content cannot be converted legally and is rejected.
Tips for Best Results
- Check the podcast host specification before choosing bitrate — some mandate CBR 64 kbps, others accept VBR up to 192 kbps.
- Preserve ID3 tags by editing them before conversion; Mp3tag and MusicBrainz Picard handle round-tripping cleanly.
- If the ALAC is 24-bit studio audio, the AIFF at 16-bit is sufficient for listening; higher is wasted on consumer playback gear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lossy-to-lossy conversions (most combinations) re-compress the audio, which technically introduces some loss. At a 192 kbps or higher target it is inaudible on normal equipment. Lossy-to-lossless conversions freeze the existing quality but cannot improve it; lossless-to-lossy transcodes are only as good as the target bitrate you choose.
For voice content (podcasts, audiobooks, lectures) 128 kbps is indistinguishable from higher bitrates. For music, 192-256 kbps covers most listening; 320 kbps is the ceiling for AIFF and the right choice for audio you plan to edit further. Above that, prefer a lossless target instead.
Yes. Title, artist, album, year and cover art travel from the ALAC container to the AIFF container automatically where both formats support them. If a tag field has no AIFF equivalent, it is dropped silently. Use any tag editor (Mp3tag, MusicBrainz Picard) to fine-tune afterwards.
Related comparisons
See these formats side by side to understand which fits your use case best.
Related Guides
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Read guideSecure & Private Conversion
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