Significantly smaller files.
ALAC is a lossless format that prioritizes fidelity over size. Converting to M4A introduces modern compression that typically reduces file size by an order of magnitude with no perceptible difference at normal playback or viewing.
WHY CONVERT
01
ALAC is a lossless format that prioritizes fidelity over size. Converting to M4A introduces modern compression that typically reduces file size by an order of magnitude with no perceptible difference at normal playback or viewing.
02
M4A is accepted by a wider range of audio players, car stereos, and streaming services than ALAC. The conversion removes a recurring compatibility friction without changing what the file actually contains.
03
M4A files are typically smaller than their ALAC counterparts, which reduces hosting, transfer, and storage costs at scale. The savings compound when serving the same content to many recipients.
Visit this page on any modern browser — no install, no signup, no plugin.
Drag your ALAC into the drop area, or click to pick one from your device.
Conversion runs entirely in your browser. When it's done, your M4A file downloads to your device.
QUALITY & FIDELITY
FORMAT SPECS
| ALAC | M4A | |
|---|---|---|
| Extensions | .m4a .caf | .m4a |
| MIME types | audio/alac | audio/mp4 audio/x-m4a |
| Introduced | 2004 | 2004 |
| Maintainer | Apple | Apple / ISO |
| Magic # | — | — |
| Spec | View spec ↗ | View spec ↗ |
COMPATIBILITY
| Platform | Windows | macOS | iOS | Android | Chrome | Firefox | Safari | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M4A | Native | Native | Native | Native | Native | Native | Native | Native |
Why LocalConvert
| Category | LocalConvert | Cloud converters |
|---|---|---|
| PRIVACY | Files never leave your device. The whole pipeline runs in your browser via WebAssembly. | Files travel to a remote server, sit in queue storage, and may be retained for analytics or moderation. |
| COST | Free, no signup, no daily quotas. | Often free for small files; paid tiers for batch / large / commercial use. |
| LIMITS | Limited only by your device's memory and CPU. Uncompressed WAV stems handled comfortably on desktop. | Typical 100 MB to 1 GB per-file caps, plus rate limits. |
Apple's lossless audio format inside an M4A container.
Typical uses
Apple Music lossless, iTunes lossless libraries.
An AAC-encoded audio file commonly produced by Apple devices and iTunes. Better quality than MP3 at similar sizes.
Typical uses
iTunes purchases, voice memos, modern music libraries.
Yes. LocalConvert is completely free, with no signup and no per-file or per-day limits.
No. ALAC to M4A conversion happens entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — your file never leaves your device.
There's no fixed cap — the practical limit is your device's available memory. Very large files may take longer or fail on low-RAM devices.
Yes — once the page has loaded, ALAC to M4A conversion works without an internet connection. Re-open the page once to cache it.
LocalConvert uses the industry-standard tools (FFmpeg, ImageMagick, Pandoc) — quality matches what professionals use on the command line. Lossy formats will still lose some quality on each re-encode.
Last verified:
ALAC to M4A is processed in your browser with WebAssembly. No upload, no tracking, no limits. Your file never leaves your device.