About this tool
Voice Memos, iTunes purchases, and many recorder apps produce M4A files, which some car stereos, older players, and upload forms refuse. This converter turns them into universally compatible MP3s in seconds.
About the formats: M4A is AAC audio inside an MP4 container, Apple's default for Voice Memos, iTunes purchases, and many recording apps. Quality is excellent, but plenty of players and web forms only accept MP3. MP3 is the universal lossy audio format. Practically every device, car stereo, and app made in the last 25 years plays it, and at 192-320 kbps it is indistinguishable from the original for most listeners.
M4A and MP3, side by side
| .m4a in | .mp3 out | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy (AAC) or lossless (ALAC) | Lossy |
| Typical size | 1 MB per minute | 1 MB per minute at 128 kbps |
| Plays on | Apple, Android, browsers | Everything |
| Best for | Voice memos, music from Apple | Sharing, players, podcasts |
Rows where the two differ are marked. The full story on each: M4A files and MP3 files.
How to use it
- Drop your M4A or AAC files into the box above, or click to browse. Nothing is uploaded.
- Adjust the options if you want; the defaults suit most files.
- Click Convert to MP3 and wait a moment.
- Download the results individually or all at once as a ZIP.
Questions
Does M4A to MP3 reduce quality?
Slightly, because both are lossy and the audio is re-compressed. Use 192 kbps or higher and you will not hear it.
Can I convert protected iTunes M4P files?
No. DRM-protected files cannot be decoded.
Is it free, are files uploaded, which browsers work: the general questions are answered once for the whole site.