M4A to MP3 converter

Turn an M4A file, the format of iPhone voice memos and most AAC downloads, into an MP3 that plays everywhere. Choose the quality and download the file. The conversion runs in your browser, so the recording is not uploaded anywhere.

This page needs JavaScript for the tool itself. Open it in a browser to use it.

How it works

Drop the M4A on the page. Your browser decodes the AAC audio, this page resamples or mixes it if you asked for that, and an MP3 encoder running in a background thread writes the file. The result is saved from your own device.

Voice memos and recordings

A voice memo is usually mono at 44100 or 48000 Hz. Keep it mono and choose 64 or 96 kbps: speech stays clear and the file is small enough to send in a message. For an interview or a lecture that will be edited, 128 kbps leaves more room.

Music in M4A

Music bought or ripped as AAC converts at 192 to 320 kbps. Converting from one lossy format to another loses a little more each time, so choose a higher MP3 bitrate than the source had, and keep the M4A if you may need it again.

ALAC and protected files

Some M4A files hold Apple Lossless (ALAC) rather than AAC. Safari decodes ALAC; Chrome and Firefox do not, so on those browsers an ALAC file fails to convert. Files with copy protection (older iTunes Store purchases marked M4P) cannot be decoded by any browser.

From the label's own toolbox

BeatRootRaga is an independent label. Singers send ideas as voice memos and sessions want them as files every program opens, so this converter is used in the label's own work and is online for anyone.

Remove the vocals from a song

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Questions people ask

Is the M4A to MP3 converter free, and is my recording uploaded?

Free, no account, and nothing is uploaded. The recording is decoded and the MP3 written inside your browser.

Which bitrate for a voice memo?

64 or 96 kbps in mono keeps speech clear and the file small. Use 128 kbps if the recording will be edited later.

My M4A will not convert. Why?

Most often it is Apple Lossless (ALAC), which only Safari decodes, or a copy-protected purchase, which no browser decodes. Try Safari for ALAC; protected files need to be re-downloaded in an unprotected format.

Does AAC to MP3 lose quality?

A little, because both formats are lossy. Choosing a higher MP3 bitrate than the AAC source keeps the loss small; 256 or 320 kbps for music, 96 to 128 kbps for speech.

Can I keep the sample rate and channels?

Yes, both default to the same as the source. You can also set any rate from 8000 to 48000 Hz and mix down to mono or force stereo.