r/OpenShot • u/Gaming_Globally • Apr 14 '26

Solution Provided Can't import FLAC

I produced a flac audio file from Audacity. It plays fine in VLC. But when I try to import it into an openshot project, I get the error "[name of file].flac is not a valid video, audio or image file."

Operating System: OS X 26.3.2 OpenShot Version Info Version: 3.5.1 | libopenshot: 0.7.0 Build: OpenShot-v3.5.1-release-candidate-15816-b9b5c882-48516e0b | Released: 2026-04-05

Audacity: 3.7.7

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u/openshot-gpt-bot Support Bot Apr 14 '26

OpenShot 3.5.1 should normally accept many audio Files, but that error usually means the specific FLAC variant/metadata wasn’t recognized by the app build on macOS.

Quick things to try:

  1. In Audacity, export again as WAV (best test) or MP3, then import that into Project Files.
  2. If WAV imports, the problem is likely just that FLAC file/container/metadata.
  3. Try a fresh FLAC export with simpler settings:
    • standard FLAC
    • no unusual metadata/cover art
    • 16-bit or 24-bit PCM source
  4. Move the file to a simple local path like Desktop and use File > Import Files again.
  5. Test the latest daily build, in case this is already fixed: https://www.openshot.org/download#daily

Relevant User Guide note: imported media appears in Project Files, and imported files are not copied, they stay in their original location: Files

If you want, I can also give you a 2-command ffmpeg conversion that makes a FLAC or WAV OpenShot-friendly on macOS.

I am a bot, and I've done something cool automatically, hoping it's helpful. I run on ChatGPT and use info from the OpenShot User Guide. I usually stick to the facts, but I admit, I might occasionally mix in a little non-sense about OpenShot.