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FDK AAC Codec is Fraunhofer's AAC encoder and decoder for Windows, the same engine originally written for Android, supplied as command-line builds you point a front-end at rather than a program you open, and free to download and use.
FDK AAC Codec is Fraunhofer's AAC engine for Windows - the same encoder they originally wrote for Android, later opened up and ported.
It is not a program you double-click.
It is a command-line encoder you point a front-end at, such as qaac or ShanaEncoder, and it then handles the full family of MPEG-4 AAC profiles.
It is the practical successor to the discontinued Nero AAC Codec toolchain, and at low bitrates it is the best free AAC encoder on Windows.
What FDK AAC Actually Does
FDK stands for Fraunhofer Development Kit. The library does two jobs: it turns WAV and raw PCM audio into AAC files, and it reads AAC files back out to audio.
Where it beats the older FAAC encoder is profile coverage. FAAC writes plain AAC-LC only, while FDK writes the high-efficiency profiles as well - and those are what make 64 kbps music sound like music.
You call it as fdkaac.exe, or you let a front-end call it for you. There is no installer, no window and no settings file.
What Is in the Download
This page carries several builds, and they are not interchangeable. Take the newest FDK build unless a tool asks you for a specific one.
| Download | What it is | Take it if |
|---|---|---|
| FDK AAC 1.0.9 | The newest build here, compiled by Barough | You just want the current encoder |
| FDK AAC 1.0.5 | Built by nu774, the author of the frontend, in 64-bit and 32-bit packages | Your front-end documentation names 1.0.5 |
| FDK AAC Codec 1.3 | The CodecLibrary bundle, version 1.3 - the package ShanaEncoder uses | You are feeding ShanaEncoder or want the library rather than the tool |
| FDK AAC Encoder 0.6.3m8 | An older modified build from Poikosoft | Only if something old specifically needs it |
| FAAC and libFAAC | A different AAC encoder that shares this page - see FAAD2 and FAAC | You need maximum compatibility with old decoders |
About the version numbers.
The 1.3 package is version 1.3 of the CodecLibrary bundle, not version 1.3 of FDK AAC. The encoder itself is at 1.0.9 here, which is why the page carries that number.
AAC Profiles It Supports
FDK AAC handles every AAC variant a Windows user is likely to meet:
- AAC-LC - the default profile in iTunes, YouTube and most MP4 video.
- HE-AAC - AAC-LC plus spectral band replication, the sweet spot between 48 and 96 kbps.
- HE-AACv2 - adds parametric stereo, for the very low bitrates used in DAB+ and mobile radio.
- AAC-LD - low delay, for real-time communication where latency beats absolute quality.
- AAC-ELD - enhanced low delay, the modern choice for video calling and VoIP.
It goes up to 96 kHz and eight channels, which covers 7.1 surround masters.
Not sure which profile you want? Our guide to AAC-LC versus AAC-HE walks through the trade-offs, and DTS versus AAC covers multichannel.
Who It Is For
- Archivists and rippers building low-bitrate libraries who want HE-AAC rather than a bigger AAC-LC file.
- Video encoders using StaxRip or MeGUI who need clean AAC audio in an MP4.
- Command-line users running batch pipelines with FFmpeg, MP4Box or their own scripts.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
The tell is simple: open the folder after downloading. If there is no window to click and that bothers you, this is the wrong tool.
X AAC Encoder gives you a proper window to drop files into, though it uses the FAAC engine rather than FDK. For MP3 instead of AAC, LAME MP3 Encoder is the one you want.
How It Fits Real Workflows
Music libraries. Rip to WAV with CDex, then encode to HE-AACv2 at 64 kbps for portable use while keeping lossless masters at home.
foobar2000 can drive the encoder directly once you add the Free Encoder Pack.
Video re-encoding. StaxRip and MeGUI use FDK AAC for the audio track while x265 or x264 handles the picture, and MP4Box muxes the result.
Batch scripts. Pair it with a build from the FFmpeg page and you have an unattended AAC pipeline over a folder of WAV files.
To check what you actually produced, MediaInfo prints the profile, sample rate and channel layout - useful for catching an HE-AAC job that quietly fell back to AAC-LC.
FDK AAC, FAAC or qaac?
| Encoder | Profiles | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| FDK AAC | LC, HE, HEv2, LD, ELD | Low bitrate matters, or you need a profile beyond plain LC |
| FAAC | AAC-LC only | You are feeding an old decoder that refuses anything clever |
| qaac | Apple's encoder | You encode at 96 to 160 kbps and can install Apple's audio components |
FAAC is maintained again and has moved on to 2.x, which you will find on the FAAD2 and FAAC page along with the decoder side.
Below about 96 kbps, Opus Audio Codec generally beats HE-AAC outright. AAC is still the right answer when the file has to play on an iPhone, a car stereo or anything older.
Before You Download
Both 64-bit and 32-bit builds are here - match the one your front-end expects, not the one your Windows install is.
Put the binary somewhere on your PATH, or beside the tool that calls it, and any front-end that knows FDK AAC will find it.
Check the licence before you ship anything.
FDK AAC uses the Software License for the Fraunhofer FDK AAC Codec Library for Android. It is permissive enough for personal use and most open-source projects, but it carries a patent notice that matters if you bundle the library into a product you distribute.
Quick questions
Is there a version with a window I can click?
Not for FDK itself. Use a front-end such as ShanaEncoder, StaxRip or foobar2000, which drive it for you, or X AAC Encoder if you want a simple converter and can live with the FAAC engine.
Which file should I download?
The newest FDK AAC build, 1.0.9, in the bit depth your front-end expects. The 1.0.5 packages are the frontend author's own builds, and the CodecLibrary 1.3 package is the bundle ShanaEncoder uses.
Is FDK AAC better than FAAC?
Below about 96 kbps, clearly. FAAC writes plain AAC-LC only, while FDK writes HE-AAC and HE-AACv2, which is what keeps low-bitrate music listenable. Higher up, the gap narrows.
Is qaac better?
At 96 to 160 kbps Apple's encoder still has the edge, and qaac is the way to use it. It needs Apple's audio components installed first, which FDK does not.
Can I use it in a commercial product?
Read the licence in the package first. It is permissive for personal and most open-source use, but there is a patent notice that applies when you distribute software containing the library.
Download FDK AAC Codec 1.0.9 and point your encoder at it, or tell us how you got on if you have used it before.
AN
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