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M4A to MP3 Converter — Free, No Upload, No Signup

Convert M4A to MP3 online: turn iTunes and voice-memo M4A files into MP3 for any player or device. Free, no upload, runs in your browser.

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Drop a file here or click to browseM4A files (or a video, to take its sound) — converted on your device, never uploaded🔒 Processed on your device — never uploaded

A higher bitrate loses less and makes a bigger file.

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Convert M4A to MP3 without uploading your audio file

M4A is the format of iTunes downloads, iPhone voice memos and many recordings made on Apple devices. Cars, older players, some editors and a few websites still want MP3. This converter turns an M4A into an MP3 that plays on all of them.

Why convert M4A to MP3

M4A usually holds AAC, which sounds better than MP3 at the same size, but MP3 is the one format that every device and program understands. Convert when a car stereo, an older MP3 player, a podcast host or an editor refuses an M4A, or when you simply need one format that works for everyone.

What happens to the quality

Both M4A and MP3 are lossy, so converting compresses the sound a second time, and quality can only stay the same or drop. To lose as little as possible, choose a bitrate at or above the original's: 192 kbps is a safe choice for most M4A files, and 256 or 320 kbps if the M4A was a high-quality one.

Voice memos and protected files

iPhone voice memos convert well at 128 kbps, and mixing down to mono makes them half the size. Apple Music tracks protected by copy protection cannot be converted by any tool; this converter works on your own recordings and on unprotected files. To cut a memo down first, use the MP3 cutter.

How this converter works

The sound is decoded from the M4A file and encoded as MP3 at the bitrate you choose. 192 kbps is a good balance of quality and size, and mixing down to mono halves the data for speech.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert M4A to MP3?
Drop your M4A file into the box above, or click to choose it, pick a bitrate and press Convert to MP3. When it finishes, press Download. The conversion runs in your browser, so the audio file stays on your device.
Is my audio file uploaded when I convert it?
No. The conversion runs inside your browser with a WebAssembly build of FFmpeg, and only the engine itself, about 31 MB, is downloaded, once. Your M4A file never leaves your device, and there is no watermark and no account.
Will converting M4A to MP3 reduce the quality?
Quality can only stay the same or drop. Both M4A and MP3 are lossy, so converting compresses the sound a second time. Choose a bitrate at or above the original's to lose as little as possible.
What is a M4A file?
M4A is audio stored in an MP4 container, usually as AAC and sometimes as Apple Lossless. It is the format of iTunes and Apple Music downloads, it gives better quality than MP3 at the same size, and it plays on Apple devices, Android and most apps.
What is MP3?
MP3 is the most widely supported audio format. It is lossy, meaning it discards sound you are unlikely to miss in order to make small files, and it plays on every phone, computer, car stereo and browser.
Can I convert an iPhone voice memo to MP3?
Yes. Voice memos are M4A files. Share or save the memo to your computer or phone's files, drop it into the converter and choose 128 kbps; for a single voice you can also mix down to mono.
Why does my M4A not convert?
A track bought with copy protection (older iTunes purchases, or Apple Music downloads) cannot be converted by any tool. Unprotected M4A files, including your own recordings, convert normally.

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