How to convert flac to mp3 and keep album art — free
- Step 1Confirm your FLAC is tagged — Check in your media player that the FLAC actually has the artist/album fields and an embedded cover. If the source is untagged, the MP3 will be too — there is nothing to carry across. The converter copies what exists; it does not invent metadata.
- Step 2Open the converter and drop the FLAC — Load the flac-to-mp3 tool and drop one tagged
.flac. The FFmpeg engine runs locally; the file is not uploaded. - Step 3Pick a bitrate — Choose
320k,256k,192k(default),128k, or64k. Bitrate only affects audio quality and size — it has no bearing on whether tags or art are kept; those are carried at every setting. - Step 4Run and download — Run the conversion. The output MP3 has the cover art and standard tags already embedded as ID3v2.3 — no second pass needed.
- Step 5Verify the artwork shows — Open the MP3 in your target player or check the file's Properties/Details. The cover should display and the artist/album fields should be populated. If the cover is missing, see step 6.
- Step 6Fix or replace metadata if needed — If a non-standard custom field didn't map, or you want different artwork, run the MP3 through id3-editor to set fields and embed a new cover, or pull the original picture out first with album-art-extractor.
How metadata maps from FLAC to MP3
FLAC stores Vorbis comments; MP3 stores ID3 frames. FFmpeg's -map_metadata 0 handles the standard-field mapping during conversion.
| FLAC Vorbis comment | Maps to ID3 frame | Survives conversion? |
|---|---|---|
| TITLE | TIT2 (Title) | Yes |
| ARTIST | TPE1 (Artist) | Yes |
| ALBUM | TALB (Album) | Yes |
| DATE / YEAR | TDRC / TYER (Year) | Yes |
| TRACKNUMBER | TRCK (Track) | Yes |
| GENRE | TCON (Genre) | Yes |
| Embedded PICTURE block | APIC (attached picture) | Yes (re-attached via -c:v copy) |
| Custom / non-standard field | (no standard ID3 frame) | May be dropped — re-add with id3-editor |
The cover-art handling, step by step
Exact FFmpeg arguments the converter builds for cover preservation. The ? on 0:v? makes the picture stream optional so art-free FLACs still convert.
| Argument | Effect | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
-map_metadata 0 | Copy all text metadata from input | Always |
-map 0:a | Take the audio stream | Always |
-map 0:v? | Take the cover/picture stream if present | Only if the FLAC has embedded art |
-c:v copy | Stream-copy the picture (no re-encode) | When art is present |
-disposition:v:0 attached_pic | Mark it as the cover, not a video track | When art is present |
-id3v2_version 3 | Write ID3v2.3 tags | Always (MP3 output) |
Cookbook
Metadata-focused scenarios. The audio bitrate is your choice; the tags and art ride along at every setting.
Fully tagged album track with front cover
A typical purchased FLAC with complete tags and a 1000x1000 front cover. Everything carries to the MP3 in one pass.
Input: 03 - Title.flac TITLE=Title ARTIST=Band ALBUM=Record DATE=2024 TRACKNUMBER=3 + embedded 1000x1000 JPEG cover Setting: Bitrate = 320k Result: 03 - Title.mp3 (ID3v2.3) Title/Artist/Album/Year/Track all set; cover shown.
FLAC with no embedded art
The cover map uses 0:v? (optional), so an art-free FLAC converts fine — the MP3 just has no picture. Add one afterward if you want.
Input: song.flac (tags present, NO embedded cover) Setting: Bitrate = 192k Result: song.mp3 (tags kept, blank cover) Add a cover later: id3-editor (/audio-tools/id3-editor)
Custom Vorbis field that doesn't map
A non-standard field like REPLAYGAIN_TRACK_GAIN or a personal MOOD tag has no standard ID3 frame and may not survive. Standard fields are unaffected.
Input FLAC comments: ARTIST=Band -> kept (TPE1) ALBUM=Record -> kept (TALB) MOOD=Mellow -> may be dropped (no std frame) Fix: re-add MOOD as a custom TXXX frame in id3-editor.
Replacing the cover after conversion
Keep the tags from the FLAC but swap in a higher-resolution cover. Convert first, then edit the artwork in the metadata tool.
1. flac-to-mp3 (192k) -> song.mp3 (old cover + tags) 2. album-art-extractor on the FLAC -> cover.jpg (optional) 3. id3-editor on song.mp3 -> embed new cover.jpg Result: MP3 with original tags + new artwork.
Verifying art survived on Windows
ID3v2.3 is what Windows Explorer reads most reliably, which is why the converter writes it. Check the thumbnail/Details pane after conversion.
After convert: right-click song.mp3 -> Properties -> Details Title / Contributing artists / Album: populated Explorer thumbnail: shows the album cover (ID3v2.3 chosen specifically for this compatibility)
Edge cases and what actually happens
Source FLAC has no tags or art
Nothing to carryThe converter copies what exists — it cannot create metadata. An untagged FLAC produces an untagged MP3. Tag the file first (in your library manager or with id3-editor on the FLAC's MP3 output) if you need fields populated.
FLAC embeds a huge cover image
Preserved as-isThe cover is stream-copied (-c:v copy), not re-encoded, so a very large embedded image is carried verbatim and inflates the MP3 slightly. If you want a smaller embedded cover, extract it with album-art-extractor, shrink it, and re-embed via id3-editor.
Custom / non-standard Vorbis comments
May be droppedFields without a standard ID3 frame (custom mood tags, some ReplayGain variants) may not survive -map_metadata 0. The standard fields always do. Re-add anything important as a TXXX user-defined frame in id3-editor.
Multiple embedded pictures (front + back)
First picture keptThe cover map (-map 0:v? with -disposition:v:0 attached_pic) attaches the primary picture stream as the cover. Secondary images (back cover, booklet) may not all carry. Use id3-editor to manage multiple APIC frames if you need them all.
Player still shows 'Unknown Artist'
Check the playerThe MP3 carries ID3v2.3 tags, but some players cache old metadata or read only ID3v1. Refresh the library/clear the player's cache. The tags are in the file — verify in Windows Details or a tag editor before blaming the conversion.
Cover shows as a video track in some apps
By design / rareThe picture is marked attached_pic so it is treated as cover art, not playable video. A few non-conformant apps still list it oddly, but standard players (iTunes, foobar2000, phones) show it as the album cover.
Lyrics / large comment fields
Usually preservedLong fields like embedded lyrics map to the appropriate ID3 frame when standard. Extremely large or unusual custom fields may be truncated or dropped — verify after conversion and re-add critical text in id3-editor.
Bitrate set very low to save space
Tags unaffectedEven at 64k the tags and cover are still carried — bitrate only changes the audio stream. There is no link between fidelity and metadata preservation here.
Re-tagging the FLAC after conversion
No retroactive syncThe MP3 is a snapshot of the FLAC's metadata at conversion time. Editing the FLAC's tags later does not update the already-converted MP3 — re-convert, or edit the MP3 directly with id3-editor.
Frequently asked questions
Will my album art actually transfer to the MP3?
Yes, if the FLAC has embedded art. The converter re-attaches it as a proper attached-picture stream using -map 0:v? -c:v copy -disposition:v:0 attached_pic, so players display it as the album cover. If the FLAC has no embedded art, the MP3 won't either — there is nothing to carry.
What ID3 version does it write?
ID3v2.3, via -id3v2_version 3. That is deliberately chosen because Windows Explorer, many car stereos, and older players read v2.3 most reliably. It avoids the 'Unknown Artist' problem some players have with v2.4 or v1-only tags.
Does it keep artist, album, and track number?
Yes. -map_metadata 0 maps FLAC's Vorbis comments to the matching ID3 frames: TITLE, ARTIST, ALBUM, DATE/YEAR, TRACKNUMBER, GENRE all carry across automatically in one pass.
What about custom or non-standard tags?
Fields that have no standard ID3 equivalent (a personal mood tag, some ReplayGain variants) may not survive. The standard fields always do. You can re-add custom fields as TXXX user-defined frames using the id3-editor tool.
Do I need to re-tag the MP3 afterward?
Not for standard fields and the cover — they are embedded during conversion. You'd only open a tag editor if you want to add missing metadata the FLAC never had, replace the artwork, or re-add a non-standard field.
Does the bitrate I pick affect the tags?
No. Bitrate only changes the audio stream's quality and size. Tags and cover art are carried at every bitrate from 64k to 320k.
The embedded cover is enormous — can I shrink it?
The converter copies the cover verbatim (no re-encode), so a large image stays large in the MP3. To shrink it, extract the picture with album-art-extractor, resize it, and re-embed via id3-editor.
My phone still shows the wrong artist after converting — why?
Almost always a stale library cache. The MP3 file itself carries ID3v2.3 tags (verify in Windows Details or a tag editor). Refresh or rebuild your phone/player's music library to pick up the correct metadata.
Can it carry two cover images (front and back)?
The conversion attaches the primary picture as the cover. Additional images may not all carry. If you need front and back booklet art, manage the multiple APIC frames in id3-editor after conversion.
Is the metadata sent anywhere during conversion?
No. The entire conversion, including reading and writing tags and art, happens in your browser via FFmpeg WebAssembly. Nothing — audio or metadata — is uploaded to a server.
How do I get just the cover image out of a FLAC?
Use the album-art-extractor tool — it pulls the embedded picture out as an image file without converting the audio. That's handy when you want the cover separately or to re-embed a resized version.
If I edit the FLAC's tags later, does the MP3 update?
No. The MP3 captured the metadata at conversion time. Later changes to the FLAC don't propagate. Re-convert the FLAC, or edit the MP3 directly with id3-editor.
Privacy first
Every JAD Audio tool runs entirely in your browser via FFmpeg (WebAssembly) and RNNoise. Your audio files never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.