diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index a5df825..bc3d7ba 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ features, so keep layers clean and the shared models free of API details.
   routes, Compose shared-element transitions.
 - Network: Retrofit 3 + OkHttp 5 + kotlinx.serialization. Images: Coil 3 (disk cache).
 - Playback: Media3 1.11.1: ExoPlayer in a `MediaLibraryService`, `MediaController` in the UI.
+  Android has no ALAC (Apple Lossless .m4a) decoder: `org.jellyfin.media3:media3-ffmpeg-decoder`
+  (1.9.0+1, GPL-3.0, ~1.5 MB/ABI) is the fallback via `EXTENSION_RENDERER_MODE_ON` (Android's
+  decoders still first). Without it ALAC "plays" silently (position moves, no AudioTrack). Check
+  with `adb shell dumpsys media.audio_flinger` (an active track = sound). Bump it when
+  Jellyfin publishes a build for a newer Media3.
 - Storage: DataStore + Android Keystore (AES-GCM) for the encrypted login.
 - Colors from cover art: AndroidX Palette.
 - No DI framework: `AppContainer` wires everything by hand.
@@ -161,6 +166,9 @@ adb -s emulator-5554 install -r app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk
    resent when the network comes back (needs ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE) or at next app start.
    Previews never report. Verified on the emulator against the owner's server: now playing,
    offline save with original time, sent 7 s after reconnecting, preview sent nothing.
+13. ALAC fix (2026-10-13): ALAC songs (e.g. Eminem, Recovery) played silently: Android has no
+   ALAC decoder. Added the FFmpeg decoder fallback (see Tech). Verified on the emulator: "25 to
+   Life" now outputs 44.1 kHz audio via FFmpeg; FLAC still uses `c2.android.flac.decoder`.
 12. Home tab (2026-10-13), now the start tab: rows Recently Played (`recent`), Recently Added
    (`newest`), Most Played (`frequent`), Favorites (getStarred2 albums + songs), Rediscover
    (`random`), each with See all (`AlbumListRoute` grid, `FavoritesRoute`). Rows load in
diff --git a/app/build.gradle.kts b/app/build.gradle.kts
index d4c663e..d2b40ae 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ dependencies {
     implementation(libs.media3.exoplayer)
     implementation(libs.media3.datasource.okhttp)
     implementation(libs.media3.session)
+    implementation(libs.media3.ffmpeg.decoder)
     implementation(libs.kotlinx.coroutines.guava)
 
     testImplementation(libs.junit)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/tysmi/syncwave/playback/PlaybackService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/tysmi/syncwave/playback/PlaybackService.kt
index f2d8e6c..276eb81 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/tysmi/syncwave/playback/PlaybackService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/tysmi/syncwave/playback/PlaybackService.kt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import androidx.media3.common.util.UnstableApi
 import androidx.media3.datasource.cache.CacheDataSource
 import androidx.media3.datasource.okhttp.OkHttpDataSource
 import androidx.media3.exoplayer.DefaultLoadControl
+import androidx.media3.exoplayer.DefaultRenderersFactory
 import androidx.media3.exoplayer.ExoPlayer
 import androidx.media3.exoplayer.analytics.AnalyticsListener
 import androidx.media3.exoplayer.source.DefaultMediaSourceFactory
@@ -62,7 +63,12 @@ class PlaybackService : MediaLibraryService() {
             .setUpstreamDataSourceFactory(httpDataSource)
             .setFlags(CacheDataSource.FLAG_IGNORE_CACHE_ON_ERROR)
 
-        val player = ExoPlayer.Builder(this)
+        // Android can't decode some formats our libraries use (Apple Lossless / ALAC .m4a): without
+        // a decoder the player "plays" silently. The FFmpeg decoders fill in, but only for formats
+        // Android itself can't handle (EXTENSION_RENDERER_MODE_ON keeps Android's decoders first).
+        val renderers = DefaultRenderersFactory(this)
+            .setExtensionRendererMode(DefaultRenderersFactory.EXTENSION_RENDERER_MODE_ON)
+        val player = ExoPlayer.Builder(this, renderers)
             .setMediaSourceFactory(DefaultMediaSourceFactory(this).setDataSourceFactory(audioSource))
             .setLoadControl(
                 DefaultLoadControl.Builder()
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 7ab87b0..45a33df 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ coil-network-okhttp = { group = "io.coil-kt.coil3", name = "coil-network-okhttp"
 media3-exoplayer = { group = "androidx.media3", name = "media3-exoplayer", version.ref = "media3" }
 media3-datasource-okhttp = { group = "androidx.media3", name = "media3-datasource-okhttp", version.ref = "media3" }
 media3-session = { group = "androidx.media3", name = "media3-session", version.ref = "media3" }
+# FFmpeg audio decoders for Media3 (prebuilt by Jellyfin, GPL-3.0), for formats Android can't decode (ALAC).
+media3-ffmpeg-decoder = { group = "org.jellyfin.media3", name = "media3-ffmpeg-decoder", version = "1.9.0+1" }
 kotlinx-coroutines-guava = { group = "org.jetbrains.kotlinx", name = "kotlinx-coroutines-guava", version.ref = "coroutines" }
 androidx-palette = { group = "androidx.palette", name = "palette-ktx", version.ref = "palette" }
 androidx-core-splashscreen = { group = "androidx.core", name = "core-splashscreen", version.ref = "splashscreen" }