XLD for MAC
Free, open-source lossless audio converter and CD ripper for Mac that decodes FLAC, APE and more, splits files by cue sheet and converts formats.
XLD Overview
XLD, short for X Lossless Decoder, decodes, converts and plays lossless audio files on a Mac. It reads formats such as FLAC, Monkey's Audio, WavPack, TTA, Apple Lossless and Shorten, and it can split a single file into tracks with a cue sheet. It decodes through libraries, so no intermediate files are created.
XLD is made by tmkk and released under the Open Software License 3.0. Its site says that it works on Mac OS X 10.4 and later, and that it is a Universal Binary for PowerPC, Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. External plugins need an ARM64 build to work with the Apple Silicon version. Version 20250302 updates FLAC to 1.5.0 and WavPack to 5.8.1. Homebrew has disabled its XLD package because the app fails Apple's Gatekeeper check, so macOS may warn you or refuse to open it at first. Decoding TAK files needs Wine, CrossOver Mac or WineBottler. The download also includes a command-line version.
Key Features
XLD handles lossless audio from CD to file.
- Decoding: Reads FLAC, Monkey's Audio, WavPack, TTA, Apple Lossless, Shorten, AIFF and WAV.
- Cue sheets: Splits supported formats directly into tracks with a cue sheet.
- Conversion: Writes WAVE, AIFF, Raw PCM, Ogg Vorbis, MPEG-4 AAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, HE-AAC, Wave64, WavPack and Opus.
- CD ripping: Converts each track of an audio CD into the format you choose.
- CD images: Saves a CD as an image with a cue sheet, such as wav+cue or flac+cue.
- Music app: Can add encoded files to the Music app.
- Tag editing: Lets you edit the tags of your files.
- Command line: Includes a command-line version for scripted work.
What’s New in Version 20250302
XLD 20250302 brings fixes and newer audio libraries.
- Fixes writing timestamps to a log file on systems that use non-Western calendar locales.
- Fixes an unexpected behaviour when detecting optical drive names.
- Updates FLAC to 1.5.0, with multithreaded encoding support.
- Updates WavPack to 5.8.1.
XLD FAQ
Is XLD free?
Yes. XLD is free and open source, released under the Open Software License 3.0. Donations are optional.
What does XLD stand for?
X Lossless Decoder.
What audio formats can XLD read?
FLAC, Monkey's Audio, WavPack, TTA, Apple Lossless, Shorten, AIFF, WAV and other formats supported by libsndfile. TAK needs Wine, CrossOver Mac or WineBottler.
What formats can XLD convert to?
WAVE, AIFF, Raw PCM, Ogg Vorbis, MPEG-4 AAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, HE-AAC, Wave64, WavPack and Opus.
Can XLD split a FLAC file with a cue sheet?
Yes. Open the .cue file from Open in the File menu. All supported formats can be split directly with a cue sheet.
Can XLD rip audio CDs?
Yes. It converts each CD track into the format you choose and can also save a CD image with a cue sheet.
Does XLD run on Apple Silicon Macs?
Yes. Its site says it is a Universal Binary that runs natively on Apple Silicon, Intel and PowerPC Macs. External plugins need an ARM64 build to work with the Apple Silicon version.
Which macOS version does XLD need?
Its site says it works on Mac OS X 10.4 and later.
Can I install XLD with Homebrew?
Not at present. Homebrew has disabled its XLD package because the app fails the Gatekeeper check, so use the download from the official site.
Where does the XLD download on xld.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to the official XLD page at https://tmkk.undo.jp/xld/index_e.html. xld.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
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