Developed by Apple Company, M4A is a kind of format that is encoded with AAC lossy compression, commonly used in the non-DRMed Apple music from iTunes. In comparison with MP3, M4A has obvious advantages: the size is smaller and the audio quality is better.
And yet for all that, MP3 is still the most popular audio format for the reason of its better compatibility, while M4A is only suitable to play on Apple devices. That is to say, if you would like to play M4A on any non-Apple devices, it is necessary to convert M4A to other common formats such as MP3. In this article, I will share 4 best ways to tell you how to convert M4A to MP3. Just pick up the most appropriate one.
Part 1. How to Convert M4A to MP3 via AudFree
Even though the music in M4A format is DRM-free, audiobooks saved as M4A formats are not. But don't worry, now I am going to introduce a practical method to turn the protected M4A to MP3.
To remove DRM from the locked M4A files, you need a powerful DRM converter. Here, AudFree DRM Audio Converter is the first choice for you, which is designed for unlocking DRM constraints from M4A audio, converting it to multiple formats like MP3, FLAC, WAV, AAC, M4A, M4B, etc. without losing any quality. Now let's see how this smart tool works in detail.
Step 1. Download and run AudFree DRM Audio Converter and the iTunes will be auto-opened.
Step 2. Drag and drop the M4A files from iTunes Library to AudFree. Or click the "load iTunes Library" icon to add M4A files to AudFree.
Step 3. Click the "audio" icon > "Format Setting". Switch the output format to MP3. You can also change the bitrate and sample rate of audio.
Step 4. Hit the "Convert" button to remove DRM from M4A audio and recode it to MP3. Then please follow the on-screen prompts to browse the destination folder where MP3 saved.
Part 2. How to Convert Unprotected M4A to MP3
Except for Audiobook in M4A formats, other M4A audio files are all free from DRM. In this paragraph, you will find 3 useful ways to transfer the unprotected M4A to MP3.
Convert M4A to MP3: iTunes
iTunes Store offers millions of M4A music for listening and downloading. More importantly, it has a built-in function to convert M4A to MP3 directly. Now let's see how to convert from M4A to MP3 in iTunes.
Step 1. Launch iTunes. Hit on "File" > "Add Folder to Library" and find the folder where the M4A files are stored. Then tap on "Open" to add them to iTunes.
Step 2. Select "iTunes" > "Preferences". Then open "Edit" to find "Import Settings". Find "MP3 Encoder" under the "Import Using" option. Then click "OK" on both open windows to preserve the changes.
Step 3. Choose "Music" in the "Library" on the left side list in iTunes. Select the M4A songs or album, and check the "Advanced" menu. Then press "Create MP3 Version" to create MP3 copies from M4A. Locate the iTunes folder on your computer to find the MP3 files.
Convert M4A to MP3: Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player is widely installed on many Windows machines, but it may not easy for many Windows users to answer "how do I convert M4A to MP3 in Windows Media Player?". Don't worry, let's follow the detailed instructions below to find the answer.
Step 1. Open Windows Media Player. Then just the and drag and drop M4A files to Windows Media player.
Step 2. Find the "Organize" button on the top left menu. Next, click on "Options" > "RIP Music" selection.
Step 3. On the new window please hit on "Change" to confirm the target M4A file.
Step 4. Under the "Format" option, please scroll down and choose MP3. In here, you are also available to reset the bitrate of music.
Convert M4A to MP3: Audacity
There is another answer to the question of "how to convert M4A to MP3 without iTunes". That is to use Audacity, a digital audio editor and recorder which can capture M4A music and transfer it to MP3. Now check how it works step by step.
Step 1. Download and install Audacity on your computer.
Step 2. Install and run LAME and FFmpeg on your machine, which both are third-party encoders to convert M4A to MP3.
Step 3. Locate to the menu bar, move to "Edit", and find "Preferences". Then select the Library folder and then browse the location of lame and FFmpeg.
Step 4. Directly drag and drop the M4A files to Audacity. Go to "File"> "Export" on the menu.
Step 5. On a new box, find the location and input the file name. Then press on the dropdown button of the "Save as type" to choose MP3. After that, Click "Save" to keep the settings.
Besides, there are many alternatives to Audacity, which also works well on recording, editing and converting M4A to MP3.
Sep 6, 2019 4:50 PM
Posted by James Blair to Apple Music Tips
