Bitrate has eleven presets across seven formats. The short version: AAC 256 kbps for Apple devices, MP3 V0 or 320 kbps when it has to play everywhere, and FLAC or ALAC when you want to keep every bit of the original.
Lossless
Lossless formats keep the audio exactly as it was. Files are larger.
| Preset | Good for |
|---|---|
| ALAC (Apple Lossless) | Music apps and devices from Apple |
| FLAC (level 8) | Archiving, and most other players |
| WAV 16-bit | Audio CDs and editing software |
| WAV 24-bit | Editing and mastering |
Compressed
Compressed formats make much smaller files and throw away detail you’re unlikely to hear at higher settings.
| Preset | Good for |
|---|---|
| AAC 256 kbps | Apple devices; a good default |
| AAC 128 kbps | Speech, podcasts and saving space |
| MP3 V0 (about 245 kbps, variable) | Players that only take MP3, at high quality |
| MP3 320 kbps | The highest constant MP3 quality |
| MP3 192 kbps | Smaller MP3 files |
| OGG Vorbis q6 (about 192 kbps) | Players and games that use OGG |
| Opus 128 kbps | Modern players and web audio |
Converting doesn’t add quality. Turning an MP3 into FLAC makes a bigger file, not a better one. Start from the best copy you have.
Tags and cover art
Tags are copied for every format; MP3 files get ID3v2.3 tags so older players can read them. Embedded cover art is kept when you convert to MP3, AAC or ALAC.