note: the OS X version of this tutorial can be found here.
You’ve downloaded a concert or two from http://bt.etree.org and now you want to convert the flac files to mp3 to take with you on your iPod or MP3 player. This tutorial will walk you through the steps to do just that, using Microsoft Windows. Read on
First things first, make sure you’ve downloaded and installed Winamp, the Flac with library support plug-in for Winamp, and iTunes, all of which are free.
There are two steps in converting your .flac files to .mp3. The first is to decode the .flac’s into .wav files. After that’s done, you’ll encode the .wav files into .mp3’s.
Decoding .flac files with Winamp
Encoding .wav files with iTunes
Decoding .flac files with Winamp
- Open Winamp and select Options and then Preferences… (note: if you’re using the “classic version” skin, open the Winamp Preferences by clicking the Control and p keys on your keyboard)
- Select Output from the Plug-ins section of the left window, and then select Nullsoft Disk Writer. Click Configure.
- Click the Directory: button so you can choose a location to save the .wav files
- Navigate to the folder you want to save the .wav files in. I usually save them in the same folder as the .flac files.
- Click OK to return to the Preferences window, and then Close to return to Winamp. Now select File -> Play file… and navigate to the folder with your .flac files. Select all of the .flac files by single-clicking the first file, holding down the Shift key on your keyboard, and then single-clicking the last file. When all of the files are selected, click Open
- Press the Play button. Winamp will now decode the .flac files and turn them into .wav files. It typically takes about 20 seconds to convert a 5 minute song, but this depends on how “fast” your PC is.
Once Winamp is done decoding the files, make sure to set the Plug-ins -> Output back to DirectSound output, or the next time you try to play a file using Winamp, it will decode that file instead.
Check to make sure all of the .wav files were created.
Encoding .wav files with iTunes
- First you need to make sure that iTunes will encode the songs to .mp3 (rather than the default, which is .aac). Start by selecting Edit and then Preferences…
- On the General tab click the Import Settings… button.
- Select MP3 Encoder from the Import Using: list, and then choose a quality from the Setting list. Click OK when you’re done.
- Back in the main iTunes window, select File and then Add Folder to Library…
- Navigate to the folder that you saved the .wav files in and select it. Click OK
- Find the newly imported .wav files in iTunes and select them all (single-click the first file, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard, and then single-click the last file). Right-click on any of the selected files and choose Create MP3 Version. You may want to get a cup of coffee right now, as this step will take a while (depending on the number of files you’re converting).
- iTunes will let you know it’s done converting the files by playing a little “beep”. Now is also a good time to remove the .wav files from your iTunes library so you don’t confuse them with the (identical looking) mp3 files. With the .wav files still highlighted, click the Delete key on your keyboard. If prompted, click the Remove button.
That’s it, you’re done! Rename the files in iTunes (if you wish), give them a listen or transfer them to your iPod/mp3 player. Don’t forget to delete the .wav files if you no longer need them – they’re pretty big and take up quite a bit of space on your hard drive.
The .mp3 files can be found by going to My Documents -> My Music -> iTunes -> iTunes Music -> Artist Name -> Album Name
If you’d like to speed up the conversion and encoding process, try out RegistryBooster 2009. Not only will it make speed up converting your flac files, your whole system will run faster.
thanks very simple to use guide much appreciated
Thanks a lot for the help! M.
Could you update the iTunes steps for the latest version? Clicking on the advanced tab does not bring up a tab called “Import”. It must be located elsewhere, but I sure can’t find it – thanks!
So straight-forward and easy to understand! Thanks heaps, much appreciated. Cheers!
Hallo,
Hoe kan ik cass bestanden omzetten naar mp3?
Regarding “Step 2″ of “Encoding .wav files with iTunes”:
It says “Select the Advanced tab”, and then the Importing tab.
I’ve selected “Advanced” like it says but there is no “Importing” option, therefore I cannot select “MP3 Encoder” from the “Import Using” list.
I have installed the latest version of iTunes whereas the original post was posted 2 and a half years ago, hence it was probably a different version.
Can somebody put me back on the right path please as everything up to this stage went okay.
Regards,
Chester.
Chester,
I’ve updated the tutorial for the new version of iTunes (all the steps should be correct now). Cheers,
Ross
sooo easy to follow! thank you soo much!!!
I have windows XP, but I don’t seem to have this “winamp” that you’re talking about.
worked great for me. thanks.
Thank you!! didn’t know that it was this simple:) better than all those stupid trial programms, that only convert 30 % of a song!
verry nice, should be at the top of hits on google.
the instructions were really easy to follow
thanks so much!
i’m listening to my newly converted music now!
Wow Ross,
Thanks so much for this. I downloaded some .flac files and was breaking my brain trying to find converters or methods to convert them, especially for free. I had to download winamp and the .flac addon and install the newest version of iTunes but converter the .flacs to mp3 files worked perfectly. Great instructions! As my payment I did the survey at the end, the least I can do.
Thanks again, so much!
Kris
I just saved over a gigabyte of space by converting some huge .flac concerts to .mp3. The only problem I had was iTunes clipping names of the final mp3s but everything else worked out great.
Thanks.
Really appreciate this. Certainly a long process…but it’s free! Gotta like that!
I followed the steps detailed above and was able to convert from flac to mp3 successfully but unfortunetly all my file names have been changed by winamp to 03_Track 2, 04_Track 8 etc., does anyone how I can preserve my file names when I do the conversion
thanks
Audacity is the way to go with this. It will do a whole load of other things as well. I was wondering about converting FLAC files, then remembered that I already had a copy of Audacity and decided to try it. It was easy.
Just imported the FLAC file and exported it as MP3. It even asked you to add the tags (title, artist, etc) when you save it. Brilliant.
I have to admit that I don’t know if it’s any good for a lot of files in one go. Easy just for one or two though…
Thanks a lot pal…
I was going to buy some stupid software to get the job done…..you really saved me. The tutorial was very helpful(Not to mention simple and very eay to understand)
That was hella helpful. First website I found on the subject and it worked perfectly exactly as explained. Much appreciated!
Thank you so much for these instructions. They worked great. I was really frustated trying to figure out how to use a converter until I tried this and it worked right away. Thanks again
tnx
Hey, I can’t set it back to direct sound output. I don’t know how to do that. When I open the output tap in preferences, direct sound is highlighted, but whenever I try to play a song, it decodes it and won’t play it. wtf.
Since this was written there are a few other progs that accomplish the same thing such as Magical Jelly Bean SHN Shortener, but I just tried this one and it still works very well but not so simple.
thanks a lot
flac had become a headake to me
WOW…. what more is there to say…works like a dream and solved a huge problem i have……had….lol
thx man. u`ve really helped me. nice and clean explanations. cheers :>
Gosh…. thanks a million, I never thought It’d work this great and easy I’ ve spent hours trying to convert and now, within minutes It was easily done.
Thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks
Thanks a lot this was really helpful. Its great you take the time to post such clear directions.
Thank You so much for the effort and time you put into making this tutorial happen. It helped me out a bunch and saved me a load of time without having the crappy music converter programs clogging my space. The instructions were clear and concise. Amazing job pal and keep up the great work!!
thanks a lot very useful.
One comment: before you convert, disable the “playback” feature of winamp, otherwise it’ll go on converting your files forever, asking you each time if you wish to overwrite the previous job. If you do this accidentally, you can of course kill the process with CTRL+ALT+DEL
Thank You, the pictures are very clear and they helped me a lot.
appreciate it, thanks a ton
it wont let me add lyrics… to it..
Instructions all worked fine and ive imported the flac files into winamp, but they aren’t saved anywhere as wav files now…. not sure what im doing wrong!?
Extremely helpful! Thank you SO much!
many thanks, big big help. The step by step instruction guide me through. Never thought that winamp is the solution. so simple, no sweat. Brilliant! Thanks a lot.
Thanks a bunch
i though this was very easy & simple.. great to follow trough 
Simple, fantastic, economical, helpful, clear and effective.
In short, everything that help should be.
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
simplest way possible. fantastic!
thanks!
Great instructions! I did not encounter a single problem.
AWESOME!! Very easy to follow and most importantly, successful.
When trying to decode the files I get:
Error While Processing Frame
(FLAC_FILE_DECODER_SEEKABLE_STREAM_DECODER_ERROR).
After this I can play about 5 seconds of the wav files and then it stops and then it repeats the same error message as above.
PLEASE HELP!
After looking through the tutorial here and started to follow it when I realised something in the configure window in Step 2.
Winamp version 5.5 and higher can directly convert flac files to mp3 without having to decode to wave then re-encode to mp3. The quality is almost the same but considering your are converting to mp3 there is a little bit of loss quality.
When you do step 2, ( clicking on the Configure button), in the configuration window on the right side middle is a Conversion section. Check the Convert to Format box and then click on the large button under that and change Format to Lame MP3 and Attributes to 48000 Hz, 320 kps CBR, Stereo 39 kb/sec (This is the highest quality available for winamp). Then click on the ok button. Click on ok button on next screen as well. Click close button to close the preferences window. Now Simply Enqueue your flac file(s) into winamp and click on Play. Winamp will now convert the flac to mp3 in the folder you set and your all done.
Moldavia
A million thanks for sharing your knowledge!
i have made all of the flacs into wavs without any trouble and they are saved in the same folder. when i select that folder in itunes under add a folder to library, nothing happens. i cant get the wavs imported into itunes even after selecting mp3 encoder on the preferences page. please help! thanks!
Thanks, worked great. Now I have to figure out how I can use Winamp.
Why do simple if we can do it complicated…
There is a simple and fast way, using only iTunes (for the wma to mp3 conversion) and Movie Maker (for the flac to wma conversion)…
Write me if you want me to do a tutorial!
Cheers
Fred: your post implies your doing it the complicated way still. winamp does the conversion in 1 step anyways so its still the easiest way.