by Vita
Updated on Feb 20, 2023
Here, we will share three methods to convert APE files to FLAC with the original audio quality preserved. We also give a detailed comparison of APE vs. FLAC at the end of this article. For an easier conversion process, we highly recommend you use this lossless APE to FLAC converter:
APE, also known as Monkey’s Audio, is a lossless audio compression format that can reduce the audio size to 50% of the original while keeping the best quality. But it’s restricted to being played on Windows operating systems, and only a few players can recognize this audio format. By contrast, FLAC is compatible with more devices and applications. There’s no difference in the audio quality between APE and FLAC, so you can convert APE files to FLAC for wide usage. The following article shares three lossless ways to perform the conversion. Read on!
HD Video Converter Factory Pro is a specialized audio format converter for Windows. It can help you convert any APE to FLAC rapidly while keeping high audio quality. It’s also worth mentioning that this software supports batch conversion and hardware acceleration, enabling you to convert dozens of APE files to FLAC, and other formats at one go.
Now, free downloadfree download this powerful APE FLAC converter and follow the guide below to do the conversion.
InstallInstall the lossless APE to FLAC converter and launch it on your PC. Enter the “Converter” module, and click “Add Files” to input your APE files. Or you can directly drag and drop them into the software.
Press the "Click to change output format" area (the format image) on the right and extend the output format list. Then select "FLAC" under the "Audio" tab to convert APE to FLAC.
Tips: Open the “Parameter settings” and you can freely change audio bitrate, select channels, adjust volume, etc
Go back to the main interface and click the bottom triangle button to select an output folder. Finally, click on "Run" to convert APE files at once. The conversion will finish in an instant.
Tips: This versatile tool also enables you to merge FLAC files, normalize audio, batch compress audio files, download music from websites, etc. Beyond that, it also works as a video converter that helps to edit, compress, and convert between all popular video formats and devices.
Foobar2000 is a well remarked high-quality music player filled with various components. You can easily convert an APE file to FLAC with its help. The following part shows you the detailded steps of how to play APE files and how to convert APE to FLAC free with Foobar2000.
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Step 1. Install the three necessary tools and encoder packs on your PC - Foobar2000, Monkey's Audio Decoder and FLAC encoder. You can visit the link to download them and convert APE to FLAC: https://www.foobar2000.org/
Note: Foorbar2000 can work as an APE file converter only after being installed with the necessary codec packs. Beginners might find it a little complex. If you need an easy and fast solution, the APE FLAC converter in Method 1 is the better option.
Step 2. Run Foobar2000, and then click "File" > "Open" to import APE files. Or you can directly drag and drop the APE files into this program.
Step 3. Right-click the imported file and select "Convert" > "Quick Convert".
Step 4. Select "FLAC" and click on "Convert". Optionally, you can also click on "Edit" to customize audio parameters.
Step 5. Rename the output file name and choose an output path. After that, click "Save" to initiate the conversion.
If you want to play .ape files, Foobar2000 is also a high-quality music player. Just drag APE files into the program for playing.
For users who don't want to install any plugins, there are many free online converters that don't have installation requirements and allow you to convert APE files easily online. I have tried many different online services and personally, Zamzar has pretty well performance.
Note: Zamzar only allows you to free convert file up to 50MB and you need to pay for larger size conversion and more other features. Sometimes, due to unstable server, bad network conditions and so on, it would take longer time to convert a file as well.
Step 1. Open Zamzar the online converter: https://www.zamzar.com/convert/ape-to-flac/
Step 2. Click on "Add Files" to add target APE file you want to convert APE to FLAC or you can copy and paste a URL for conversion.
Step 3. Open the output format drop-list and choose "FLAC".
Step 4. Click on "Convert" to upload your APE audio.
Step 5. Download the converted FLAC file after the conversion is complete.
Although both APE (Monkey's Audio) and FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) are lossless audio compression formats, they have their own characteristics and different usages. Wonder the exact difference between APE and FLAC? Want to know which format is better? The APE vs FLAC comparison below can offer you a reference.
Encoding speed | Decoding speed | Compression | Software support | Streaming | Open source | Multichannel | OS support | |
APE | fast | slow | the best lossless compression |
good | no | yes |
no | officially Windows |
FLAC | very fast |
very fast | good lossless compression |
very good | yes | yes |
yes | all |