What is a AAC file?
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding (ADTS stream)) is the successor to MP3, giving better sound than MP3 at the same bitrate, stored here as a raw AAC stream. It was introduced in 1997 by MPEG (Fraunhofer, Dolby, Sony and others).
What AAC is good at
- Better quality than MP3 at the same size
- The default audio of YouTube and Apple
- Efficient at low bitrates
Where AAC falls short
- Raw .aac files carry no tags or cover art
- M4A is more convenient for music libraries
When to use AAC
- Streaming and broadcast
- Radio and live audio
- Compact files for phones
Where AAC files open
AAC files open in iPhone, Android, Windows, macOS, VLC and most hardware players.
AAC compared with MP3
AAC or MP3? AAC is best for streaming and broadcast. MP3 is best for music libraries and downloads. Convert AAC to MP3 or convert MP3 to AAC.
Frequently asked questions
What is a AAC file?
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding (ADTS stream)) is the successor to MP3, giving better sound than MP3 at the same bitrate, stored here as a raw AAC stream. It was introduced in 1997 by MPEG (Fraunhofer, Dolby, Sony and others).
What are the advantages of AAC?
Better quality than mp3 at the same size; the default audio of youtube and apple; efficient at low bitrates.
What are the drawbacks of AAC?
Raw .aac files carry no tags or cover art; m4a is more convenient for music libraries.
What programs open AAC files?
AAC files open in iPhone, Android, Windows, macOS, VLC and most hardware players.
How do I convert a AAC file?
Choose the AAC converter you need from the list on this page, drop in your file and press Convert. You get your new file in seconds, free and without sign-up.