How to Download Tidal to FLAC Free/Paid/Online [7 Ways]

By Miley Swift Updated on 2024-05-15 / Update for Tidal Tips

Tidal is the leader in high-fidelity music streaming services. With the TIDAL subscription, you can access to a huge collection of tracks in lossless FLAC quality (1411kbps), and enjoy Master Quality Audio/Dolby Atmos/Sony 360 Reality Audio.

Besides online streaming, you also have the option to download Tidal FLAC music for offline playback. But the downloads are just cache files that cannot be transferred to other devices. Therefore, many users want to know a good Tidal FLAC downloader to download Tidal to FLAC in real files. To meet this requirement, we list other 6 tools for you.

tidal to flac

Part 1. How to Download FLAC from Tidal Officially

What Is Tidal FLAC?

Some people may wonder about more specific information. FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec. It is a type of audio compression that preserves the original audio quality without any loss in fidelity. In Tidal, you can access HiRes FLAC and FLAC. Tidal HiRes FLAC offers a bit depth of 24 bits and a sampling rate of 192 kHz, while FLAC is 16-bit, 44.1 kHz. They provide listeners with a better high-resolution audio experience compared to standard audio streaming formats like MP3 or AAC.

See also: How to Download Tidal Hi-Res Music

tidal sound quality

How to Download Tidal FLAC - Tidal Mobile App

Tidal offers a download function on its mobile app. If you subscribe to a paid plan, just follow the steps below to make Tidal download FLAC songs. Please note that your Tidal downloads will expire after canceling the plan. To play your downloaded songs forever, you are advised to get help with third-party software like AudFree Tidal Music Converter.

Step 1. Open the Tidal mobile app and sign in to your account. If you don't have an account, you can create one within the app. New users can use Tidal for free within 30 days.

See also: How to Get Tidal Free Trial 6 Months

Step 2. Browse or search for the music you want to download. You can explore artists, albums, playlists, and more.

Step 3. Tap on the 'Download' icon to start the download process. The app will indicate when the download is complete.

download tidal flac songs on mobile

See also: How to Download Songs from Tidal to Computer? Solved!

Step 4. Once music is downloaded, you can access it in Tidal Offline Mode. This mode allows you to listen to downloaded music without an internet connection.

open offline mode tidal

See also: How to Download Music from Tidal to Play Offline

Part 2. How to Convert Tidal to FLAC Losslessly - AudFree Tidal Music Converter

AudFree Tidal Music Converter is the top 1 best Tidal FLAC downloader in our list. It is specially designed for downloading FLAC from Tidal losslessly. All the downloaded tracks have no copyright restrictions, and you can use them freely.

As an all-in-one Tidal music solution, this smart software can do more than just a FLAC Tidal music converter. It is also capable of converting Tidal to 5 other audio formats including MP3, WAV, AAC, M4A and M4B. It can also detect and preserve all ID3 tags of Tidal music, such as title, genre, year, album art, etc.

AudFree Tidal Music Converter runs at 5X faster speed to get Tidal FLAC download on Windows and Mac computers. With this tool, you can play Tidal files on any media player, game console, smartphone or Bluetooth speaker outside of the Tidal app.

AudFree Tidal Music Converter

audfree tidal downloader for flac
  • Keep original ID3 tags and 100% lossless audio quality
  • Download music from Tidal Locally
  • Convert Tidal to FLAC, MP3, M4A, WAV, AAC, etc.
  • Work at 5X fast speed, support to edit other audio parameters

How to Download FLAC from Tidal Losslessly

Please first download and install the AudFree Tidal Music Converter on your computer to get ready. And then refer to the following detailed tutorial to locally get Tidal download FLAC for offline playing on all devices and players.

Step 1Load Tidal music to AudFree Tidal to FALC Converter
load tidal music to audfree tidable
AudFree Tidal Music Converter allows you to add your Tidal songs, playlists or albums from the Tidal desktop app. Simply find the album or playlist you want to download from Tidal and click them to go for details. Then, copy the song URL and paste it to the search bar of this best Tidal converter. Tap the '+' button to load the whole Tidal playlist. Alternatively, you can directly drag and drop music from Tidal to add.
See also: How to Share Tidal Playlists
Step 2Set Tidal output format as FLAC
set flac as tidal output format
As the default output format of AudFree Tidal Music Converter is MP3, you need to change it manually. Go to 'Menu' from the upper-right corner and select the 'Preferences' > 'Convert' option. Here in this settings window, you can select FLAC as the Tidal output format and customize other parameters according to your needs.
Step 3Convert Tidal to FLAC Losslessly
convert tidal to flac via audfree tidable
The final step is to hit the 'Convert' button to launch the converting process. AudFree Tidal Music Converter will start to convert Tidal to FLAC local files while keeping the original sound quality. Once completed, you can hit the 'Converted' icon to open the history list and locate all downloaded Tidal FLAC files in the destination folder.

Part 3. How to Rip Tidal to FLAC

Apart from using the Tidal downloaders for FLAC to get lossless FLAC files, you can also apply a traditional ripping and recording way. They not only can grab Tidal audio but also offer functions for editing and trimming your recordings. Here are 2 Tidal music recorders you can see.

How to Rip Tidal Music to FLAC via AudFree Audio Capture

As a full-featured streaming music recording tool, AudFree Audio Capture can not only grab any audio from applications on your computer (including Tidal) without losing the original quality but also save recordings as FLAC, MP3, WAV, AAC, M4A and other formats. With the built-in audio editor, it can also split recorded Tidal FLAC tracks and customize ID3 tags of Tidal audio.

The flexible output setter is another attraction of this tool. It enables you to adjust the encoder, channels, sample rate, bit depth, and even output presets of Tidal music according to your needs.

Step 1. To begin with, please install the AudFree Audio Capture and Tidal app on your desktop. Then, open AudFree software and choose the "Select/Add an App" area to add the Tidal app to AudFree Audio Capture.

add tidal to audfree audio capture

Step 2. Next, head to the "Format" section at the bottom. Here, select "FLAC" as the output format and choose the quality you want. Next, locate the "Edit" icon next to it and hit on it. Then you can go to customize other parameters like encoder, sample rate, bit depth, etc.

customize tidal flac parameters on audfree audio capture

Step 3. Once set up, click "Create and apply" to save your settings and leave for the main interface. Now, touch the Tidal option from the added apps list and hit "Start" to open the Tidal app. Then you can start to play your favorite Tidal song. Then AudFree Audio Capture will automatically start ripping Tidal HiFi or MQA tracks to FLAC without protection.

rip tidal to flac via audfree sound capture

Step 4. After recording, touch "Stop" to finish the process. If needed, touch the "Trim" and "Edit Tag" buttons on Tidal recordings to trim unpleasant tracks and edit metadata info of Tidal music. Whereafter, you can save FLAC files to your local computer by using the "Save" button.

save tidal flac files

How to Download from Tidal FLAC via Audacity

Audacity is a free and open-source audio recorder and editor that can record Tidal music and export the recordings for offline listening. It can keep high-quality Tidal audio and allows you to export Tidal recordings to multiple file formats, like FLAC.

Moreover, Audacity provides a range of editing tools to enhance the audio quality, trim unwanted portions, and apply effects, thus you can customize your Tidal FLAC recordings to your liking. However, there are some drawbacks to downloading FLAC from Tidal using Audacity, such as it's not user-friendly for new users. If you don't mind that, you can follow the steps below to how to get Tidal FLAC download for free.

Step 1. Download and install Audacity on your desktop, then open it.

Step 2. Click the "Edit" option from the top-left corner and choose "Preferences" > "Audio Host Box" > "Windows WASAPI" to set up the playback devices.

set audacity playback devices

Step 3. Set "Recording Device" to "Loopback: Tidal", then play the Tidal song or album you want to download in FLAC format.

audacity settings for recording

Step 4. Press the red "Record" button in Audacity to start recording.

record tidal to flac with audacity

Step 5. After recording, you can edit the audio as you like with the provided functions.

edit tidal audio on audacity

Step 6. Once you have recorded the Tidal song, you can export the recording as a FLAC file by clicking on "File" > "Export" > "Export as FLAC". Choose the location where you want to save the FLAC file and click the "Save" icon.

Part 4. How to Get Tidal Download FLAC Online - Apowersoft

Eager to convert Tidal to FLAC online? Apowersoft Free Online Audio Recorder can be used. It is a free Tidal downloader online that can rip any sound from your computer and microphone. It supports multiple output formats, including MP3, FLAC, OGG, etc. Therefore, it can be used to record FLAC from Tidal with ease. However, it has a shortcoming, which is that it relies on your web browser.

How to Make Tidal Download FLAC Online

Step 1. Visit the Apowersoft Free Online Audio Recorder website and click "Start Recording".

apowersoft tidal downloader online

Step 2. Before the recording, select the system sound (output) as your audio source.

select system sound on apowersoft

Step 3. To record the audio of Tidal music, you can select "Browser Tab".

Step 4. Then select the Tidal tab and tap "Share tab audio" > "Share".

share system sound and screen with apowersoft

Step 5. Once the Tidal recording is started, you can use "Pause" to leave the recording for later and resume the recording when you're back.

record tidal music online with apowersoft

Step 6. After stopping the recording, you can simply click "Save" to download the Tidal audio file in FLAC format.

Part 5. How to Download FLAC from Tidal Free

How to Get Tidal FLAC Download - Tidal-dl & Tidal-gui

Tidal-Media-Downloader is a free Tidal converter to FLAC on GitHub. It is an open-source and cross-platform tool that allows you to download tracks, albums and playlists from the built-in Tidal web player. What's more, it is also convenient for you to download Tidal videos to M4A. It has two versions. Tidal-gui for Windows and Tidal-dl for Windows, Mac, Linux and even Android.

When working as a Tidal music downloader, it is able to automatically add metadata information to Tidal songs. You can choose the output Tidal quality from Normal to Master. However, note that you must rely on a paid Tidal subscription. In addition to that, some newly released Tidal songs cannot be downloaded timely.

Download Tidal FLAC via Tidal-gui

Step 1. Open Tidal-gui and it will bring you to the Tidal web player.

Step 2. Please sign in to your Tidal account. And then it will require you to link your device to your Tidal account by entering the device code.

link device to tidal account

Step 3. After that, please go back to the Tidal-gui and it will show a new window below.

Step 4. You can copy & paste the link of Tidal music to the search box of Tidal-gui or search for a certain song to download.

search tidal music to download on tidal gui

Step 5. Click the target Tidal music that you want to download to FLAC. Then the download window will pop up.

Step 6. Now, you can customize output Tidal FLAC download quality as Normal, High, HiFi, or Master.

Step 7. Once done, please hit on the 'Download' button to download Tidal music to local FLAC files.

download tidal flac files via tidal gui

How to Download Music from Tidal to FLAC via Tidal-dl

download tidal to flac via tidal dl

Step 1. Run Tidal-dl and enter "1" to log into your account.

Step 2. Type "2" and click "Enter" to configure FLAC as output format and HiFi as audio quality.

Step 3. Copy the Tidal music link to Tidal-dl to download Tidal as FLAC files.

How to Download FLAC from Tidal for Free - Athame Tidal Downloader

Athame Tidal Downloader is also a free, open-source tool released on GitHub specifically for downloading music from Tidal and Google Play Music streaming services. It offers a straightforward way to download Tidal music for offline listening and provides a user-friendly method for building an offline collection of your favorite tracks.

However, it is worth noting that the Athame Tidal Downloader is only available for Windows. And it may take a long time to rip Tidal playlists, and the output quality is not ideal.

open athame tidal downloader

Step 1. Find the Athame Tidal Downloader software on GitHub and download the software.

Step 2. Once installed, open it and enter your Tidal account credentials (username and password). Click "Log in" to access your Tidal account.

Step 3. Click the "Settings" icon in the top-right corner and choose the output format as FLAC and customize other settings according to your preferences.

Step 4. Open the Tidal app and find the Tidal playlist that you want to download to FLAC.

Step 5. Copy the playlist link, go back to Athame Tidal Downloader, and paste the link into the "URL" textbox.

Step 6. Click the "Add" button to load the Tidal playlist, then you will see Tidal music show up in the download queue.

add flac from tidal to athame

Step 7. Click the "Start" icon to start getting Tidal FLAC downloads.

Part 6. Comparison Table of the 7 Tidal to FLAC Ways

Tidal Mobile App AudFree Tidable Tidal-dl & Tidal-gui AudFree Audio Capture Athame Tidal Downloader Audacity Apowersoft
Supported OS Android, iPhone Windows, Mac Tidal-gui: Windows
Tidal-dl: Win/Mac/Linux/Android
Windows, Mac Windows Windows, Mac, GNU, Linux Online
Input Formats Any Tidal music Any Tidal music Tidal music and videos Any audio Any Tidal music Any audio Any audio
Output Formats Protected AAC and FLAC FLAC, MP3, M4A, AAC, M4B, WAV FLAC, M4A FLAC, MP3, M4A, AAC, M4B, WAV, AIFF, OGG, MP2, WMA, AU, etc. FLAC, MP3 WAV, AIFF, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC and MP2 MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC, WAV, M4A, OGG
Output Quality Lossless Lossless Lossless Lossless Lossy Lossy Lossy
Conversion Speed Depend on network 5X Real-time Real-time 1X Real-time Real-time
Tidal Paid Subscription Needed
Batch Download
Retain ID3 Tags
Customize Output Parameters
Easy to Use
Price $10.99/month $14.95/month Free $14.95/month Free Free Free

After carefully evaluating various ways, it is evident that AudFree Tidal Music Converter stands out as the top choice. It is the ideal tool for obtaining high-quality FLAC files from Tidal. Its seamless integration with Tidal, lossless conversion capabilities, and user-friendly interface ensure an unparalleled listening experience.

Part 7. FAQs about Tidal FLAC

Q1: Does Tidal Use FLAC?

A: Yes. Tidal provides with audio in FLAC format at 1411kbps or 44.1 kHz/16-bit. Tidal FLAC streams are CD-quality lossless tracks, which are improved audio tracks over MP3 and AAC files.

Q2: What's the Difference between Tidal FLAC vs AAC vs MP3?

A: FLAC is short for Free Lossless Audio Codec, which is similar to MP3 but in a lossless format. AAC stands for Advanced Audio Coding, which is an audio coding standard for lossy digital audio compression. AAC is the successor of MP3 but with better sound quality when encoding the same bit rate. The 'high-quality' tracks offered by Tidal Free stream in 160 kbps AAC format.

Q3: What's the Difference between Tidal Master vs Tidal FLAC?

A: The audio quality of Tidal FLAC is 16bit/44.1kHz, while Tidal MQA has the highest possible resolution at typically 192 kHz/24 bit.

tidal music quality

See also: Tidal HiFi vs Master: Which One Is Better

Q4: Can You Convert Tidal MQA to FLAC?

A: Yes. You can use the FLAC downloaders for Tidal in this article to give you a hand.

See also: How to Save Tidal MQA Downloads Free on Desktop/Mobile

Q5: Are There FLAC Converters for Tidal Music?

A: Yes. There are many Tidal music converters that allow you to convert Tidal to FLAC. Above we've introduced you to six of the best on the market. You can choose your favorite to get Tidal FLAC downloads. If you don't know which one to use, we recommend AudFree Tidal Music Converter.

Q6: What Is the Best Tidal FLAC Downloader?

A: From the comparison table in Part 6, you can see that AudFree Tidal Music Downloader is the best one for FLAC Tidal.

Part 8. Summary

With lots of Tidal to FLAC converters in the market, you can easily get and enjoy Tidal FLAC audio on your devices. But for a better listening experience, you can't miss the AudFree Tidal Music Converter. It downloads music from Tidal in lossless audio quality. And it provides 5 output formats for Tidal tracks besides FLAC so you can upload the downloaded music to plain platforms.

Miley Swift

Miley Swift

Staff Editor

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Miley Swift is a professional content creator in the field of music entertainment and tech. Passionate about Tidal streaming technology, she is adept in offering and updating relevant tech skills and tools of Tidal music.
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