How to rip CDs to FLAC for a lossless music library

If you have a shelf of CDs and want to listen from a computer, streamer, phone, or portable player, ripping them to FLAC is a practical way to build a lossless digital library. FLAC reduces file size without discarding audio data; when decoded, a correctly made FLAC rip reproduces the same samples as the source rip.

The important part is not choosing an extreme compression setting. It is reading the disc carefully, checking the result, and keeping your library organized. This guide focuses on those steps.

1. Choose a secure ripper and set FLAC as the lossless output.
2. Check the album and track information before ripping.
3. Review the rip log and verification results.
4. Back up the finished files separately from your computer.

Before you start: disc, drive, software, and storage

Check that the CD is clean and that your computer has a working optical drive. Handle the disc by its edge and center hole. If it needs cleaning, use a soft, clean, lint-free cloth and wipe gently from the center toward the edge. The Library of Congress has guidance on handling and cleaning optical discs.

Choose software that can read securely and report errors. The Windows example below uses Exact Audio Copy (EAC) and AccurateRip for comparison with other rips. You will also need storage for your library and a separate backup. Make copies only where you have the right to do so; rules can vary by location and recording.

Rip a test CD to FLAC on Windows

These steps use EAC 1.8 as a text-only example. The menu names follow the EAC download information and this detailed EAC setup guide; prompts can vary with the version and drive. Start with one clean disc and one or two tracks before ripping a whole collection.

1. Install and select your drive. Download EAC from its official site and include the FLAC encoder in the installation. Open EAC, select your CD drive, and follow the first-run configuration prompts, choosing accurate extraction and FLAC output where offered.
2. Set up secure reading. In EAC > Drive Options, check that secure extraction is selected. If AccurateRip asks to configure the drive, follow its prompts with a recognized CD; you may need to try another disc. Do not assume a missing prompt means the rip has been verified.
3. Save a rip log. In EAC > EAC Options > Tools, enable Automatically write status report after extraction so you can review and keep the report.
4. Check FLAC output. The setup wizard can configure the encoder. If needed, open EAC > Compression Options > External Compression, check that the FLAC encoder and .flac extension are selected, and use Test Encoder if available. Leave normalization and other audio processing off when making a faithful library copy.
5. Review the album information. Insert the CD, use a metadata lookup if available, and check the artist, album, track names, and order against your edition. Edit incorrect or missing fields before extracting.
6. Rip selected tracks. Select the tracks and choose Action > Test & Copy Selected Tracks > Compressed. Choose the destination folder when prompted. Wait for extraction and compression to finish, then check that the expected .flac files and rip log are present.
7. Check the result. Read the per-track log, play the files, and check their titles and order in your music player. Keep the log, particularly when a track was not verified or the drive reported a problem.

This example is for Windows; other operating systems need a different ripper. Whichever program you use, the principles are the same: select lossless output, check the extraction result, review the tags, and back up the files.

What if you use macOS or Linux?

On macOS, X Lossless Decoder (XLD) can rip CDs to FLAC. fre:ac is another CD ripper with FLAC support, available for macOS and Linux. Their setup and verification options differ from EAC, so follow the program’s current instructions and test one disc before starting your collection.

Choose FLAC and keep the source settings

Select FLAC as the output format and use a lossless setting. As the FLAC documentation explains, the format uses lossless compression; its compression levels trade encoding time and file size, not audio quality. For a standard audio CD, keep the source sample rate and bit depth: CD audio is 44.1 kHz, 16-bit. There is no need to convert the rip to a higher sample rate just to make a library copy.

A secure-ripping option may take longer than a quick read because the software checks difficult sections more carefully. Keep the CD’s original audio rate and bit depth rather than enabling resampling or volume normalization during extraction.

Add album and track information while you rip

Good tags make a large library usable. Check the album artist, album title, track titles, track numbers, release year, and any compilation or disc-number fields that matter to your collection. Online databases can fill in much of this information, but they can also return the wrong edition or spelling. Review the result before ripping a whole box of CDs.

Choose one folder and naming convention and use it consistently—for example, Artist/Year - Album/Track number - Title.flac. Embed cover art if your playback software supports it, but keep the original image as well if you rely on it. FLAC supports metadata; WAV metadata handling can vary more between programs and devices, which is one reason many listeners choose FLAC for a tagged library.

Verify the rip before putting the CD away

After the rip, review the software’s log and any verification result. AccurateRip can compare a disc’s track data with matching results from other users; a match is useful evidence that your extraction agrees with those copies. It is not a guarantee about every possible playback issue, nor can a database match restore audio that was not read correctly from a damaged disc.

If you used EAC’s Test & Copy command, compare the Test CRC and Copy CRC values in the report. Matching checksums indicate that the two reads agree; they are not the same as an AccurateRip match, and the same error can occur on both reads. If they differ, investigate and try the track again.

• Accurately ripped: the track matches a result in the database, which gives useful independent confirmation.
• Not present in the database or not verified: there may be no matching entry for that edition. This alone does not mean the rip is wrong; review the log and consider another secure read or drive.
• Mismatch, read error, or suspicious position: the track needs investigation. Clean the disc, retry it, and listen to any reported time range. A different drive or disc may help.

Check that the number of files matches the album, and play the beginning and end of a few tracks—especially if a disc was scratched or the ripper reported trouble. If an error appears, clean the disc, try reading it again, or use another drive if available. Keep the rip log for albums where the software reported an issue instead of assuming every file is perfect.

Once you are satisfied, copy the album to your backup drive or other backup location. Keep the backup separate from the computer that stores your everyday library. If your collection matters to you, occasionally check that the backup is still readable; a backup that has never been tested is not much protection.

Common CD-ripping problems

• The disc does not appear: check that the drive is selected in the ripper and recognized by the computer; try another audio CD to narrow down the problem.
• Album information is missing or wrong: choose the matching release in the metadata lookup or enter the fields manually. Different editions can have different track lists.
• The output is WAV or no FLAC appears: check the encoder settings and any compression error. Do not rename a WAV file to .flac; verify that encoding succeeded and play the result.

Can you use a CD rip with Resoluna?

Resoluna’s current beta accepts compatible WAV or FLAC audio at 44.1 or 48 kHz. A standard 44.1 kHz CD rip can therefore be a convenient source to try, provided the file meets the current upload and duration limits. You do not need to resample a compatible rip first.

Resoluna creates a 24-bit / 96 kHz FLAC with a model-estimated high-frequency extension. That gives you a new version of music you already own to audition alongside the original. The extension is an estimate based on the available audio, not missing signal retrieved from the master. Keep your lossless rip as the library copy. If you are deciding between FLAC and WAV, see our format guide.

Give a favorite CD rip another listen

Keep your source unchanged and try a 24-bit / 96 kHz version with an estimated high-frequency extension. Compare both versions and decide what you enjoy.

Try the Resoluna beta Understand upsampling vs. AI upscaling