M4A (MPEG-4 Audio) is a widely used Apple music format within the QuickTime framework. If you can't open M4A files on your device or app, converting them to the more universally accepted MP3 format is a good workaround. While there are tons of programs available, finding the right M4A to MP3 converter will ensure you a smooth experience.
Below, we've compiled a list of the best 7 M4A to MP3 converters on the market. They all can be used for free, but some includes paid features if you want to use advanced options. Without further ado, let's dive in!
| Tool | OS | Price | Recommended if you need |
|---|---|---|---|
| WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro 🏆 | Windows | Free (5-min export limit); $34.95 for lifetime | Fast, batch conversion of large music collections |
| Free HD Video Converter Factory | Windows | Free | Simple audio conversion in high quality |
| Music (iTunes) | Mac | Free | Native solution for Apple users |
| Audacity | Windows, Mac | Free | Pro-level audio editing before exporting |
| VLC Media Player | Windows, Mac | Free | Use VLC's built-in conversion feature without installing other software |
| FFmpeg | Windows, Mac | Free | Batch processing files with command lines (power users) |
| CloudConvert | All (web-based) | Free (10 conversions per day) | Casual, one-off conversions |
WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro is undoubtedly the best video and audio converter out there. While a paid program, its features and performance make it well worth the investment. It can work as an M4A to MP3 converter app to easily convert M4A files to MP3. With its batch mode, it can even process multiple M4A files at once. What's more, this program can handle other mainstream audio files and produce high-quality output.
Converting with this software is very easy as it only takes a few clicks. But you can adjust the output settings, such as audio codec, bit rate, sample rate, channel, and volume, for a more personalized output. Additionally, it provides a handy audio editor to edit M4A files before conversion, such as splitting M4A and merging M4A into one.
👉 Reasons you should use this program:
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📋 Tutorial: How to Batch Convert M4A to MP3 on Windows 10/11 using this Software
Step 1: Launch the software. Open Converter and drag in your M4A files.
Step 2: Open the Output Format panel. Under the Audio tab, select MP3.
(Optionally, you can open Parameter settings and adjust the audio bitrate to 320kbps to keep the maximum quality.)
Step 3: Click Run to start the batch processing at once.
If you're seeking a completely free M4A to MP3 converter, you can try the streamlined version of the first program - Free HD Video Converter Factory. It's designed for simple video and audio format conversions. But you are still allowed to adjust the output parameters, such as audio bitrate, sample rate, channels and volume to suit your specific needs. Compared to the Pro version, this freeware does not offer a batch mode. That said, you can import multiple files in bulk and convert them one by one.
Beyond audio conversion, this program is also useful in extracting audio from video, changing video format, and downloading videos and music from websites.
👉 Reasons you should use this program:
⇒ Download Free HD Video Converter Factory Download Free HD Video Converter Factory
📋 Tutorial: How to Convert M4A to MP3 Free on Windows 10/11 using this Software
Step 1: Run the software and enter the Converter.
Step 2: Import your M4A files and choose MP3 as the output format.
Step 3: Click Run to begin the conversion.
The Apple Music app (formerly iTunes) can also serve as a decent free M4A to MP3 converter offline to help you convert file formats between M4A and MP3. This is a native solution for Mac users, and you don't need to install any plugins. But unlike a fully-fledged audio converter, the Music app's conversion feature is hidden inside its options. And you'll need to configure the encoder settings first before performing the desired conversion. Other than that, this app is a direct, zero-cost method worth trying.
👉 Reasons you should use this program:
📋 Tutorial: How to Convert M4A to MP3 on Mac with Music (iTunes)
Step 1: Go to Edit > Preferences.
Step 2: Select Import Settings, then choose MP3 Encoder in the Import Using option.
Step 3: Select the M4A files you want to convert and click File > Convert to create the MP3 version of the M4A files.
Audacity is a free, open-source audio recorder and editor that can also be used as an M4A to MP3 converter app. It can convert M4A files to MP3 without losing quality. However, you need to install the FFmpeg plugin to open M4A files. This ability to accept third-party plugins makes Audacity more flexible than other software, enabling you to perform tasks that were previously impossible.
Although Audacity is designed for professionals, it's worth mastering if you want to use advanced features beyond audio conversion, such as cutting, copying, splicing, or mixing sounds. Devoting some time learning the program can help you enjoy the full benefits it offers.
👉 Reasons you should use this program:
📋 Tutorial: How to Convert M4A to MP3 in Audacity
Step 1: Download and install the FFmpeg library for Audacity first (See specific steps >>).
Step 2: Open Audacity. Click File > Import > Audio to import your M4A file.
Step 3: Click File > Export Audio > Export to computer.
Step 4: Select MP3 Files in the File option, and adjust other audio options as needed.
Step 5: Click Export to export M4A as MP3.
VLC is a Swiss Army knife of a program when it comes to handling video and audio files. Besides playing media files, it can edit and convert them as well. Whatever you can play in VLC, you can convert it to your desired format. But remember that VLC is not a standard audio converter, meaning it does not have an intuitive user interface for conversion. Also, it's not an ideal solution if you want to batch-process files, especially on Mac computers.
👉 Reasons you should use this program:
📋 Tutorial: How to Convert M4A to MP3 in VLC
Step 1: Open VLC. Go to Media > Convert / Save.
Step 2: Click + Add to load your M4A files. Then click Convert / Save at the bottom.
Step 3: From the Profile drop-down menu, choose Audio - MP3.
Step 4: Click Browse to set a destination folder, then name the file the .mp3 extension.
Step 5: Click Start to begin the M4A to MP3 conversion.
FFmpeg is free, multi-platform software for processing audio and video files. Due to its command-line-based nature, it's only suitable for advanced users or developers. But once you get the hang of it, it can help you make extremely fast format conversions as well as batch processing.
👉 Reasons you should use this program:
📋 Tutorial: How to Convert M4A to MP3 via FFmpeg Command Line
Step 1: Go to the folder containing the M4A file you want to convert. Replace the file path with CMD and press Enter.
Step 2: In the Prompt window, run the following command:
ffmpeg -i input.m4a output.mp3
(For exporting high-quality MP3, you can use this command:
ffmpeg -i input.m4a -ab 320k output.mp3)
* Be sure to change the input with your actual filename.
Step 3: Press Enter to start the conversion.
In addition to using M4A to MP3 converters offline, you can also explore online audio converters like CloudConvert. As a leading web-based file conversion tool, CloudConvert excels in straightforward format conversions, including converting M4A to MP3 and other popular formats quickly and efficiently. It boasts fast conversion speeds compared to similar services and supports conversions across videos, documents, and images, making it a versatile choice.
CloudConvert is convenient to use and no sign-up or payment is needed.
👉 Reasons you should use this program:
📋 Tutorial: How to Convert M4A to MP3 Online
Step 1: Visit CloudConvert's M4A to MP3 converter.
Step 2: Drop your M4A files onto the website.
Step 3: Click Convert to begin the conversion.
Step 4: Download the converted file to your device.
Many users are searching for "how to convert M4A to MP3 with Windows Media Player". But it's important to clarify that Windows Media Player does NOT have a built-in way to convert your existing digital audio files (like M4A) to MP3. WMP can only rip audio CDs to MP3.
If you try to use WMP, you would need to burn your M4A files to a blank CD-R and then rip that CD back into MP3 format, which is tedious. So, it's highly recommended for Windows users to use a dedicated audio converter, like WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro, to perform the conversion directly and successfully.
If you have M4A or AAC songs on an older iPod (iPod Touch, Nano, or Classic) and want to convert them to MP3, you can first transfer these songs to your PC and use one of the above tools to handle the conversion.
But note that only non-DRM protected M4A files can be converted. Otherwise, you need to remove the encryption or re-download the music.
The tools listed above can easily complete the M4A to MP3 conversion. But each tool is different in details. Match these tools with your actual needs to find the best one for you.
That's all I want to share and I hope this article is useful to you. Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!
Free HD Video Converter Factory is the best free software to convert M4A to MP3. Import all your M4A files into this software, select MP3 as the output format, and start converting immediately. You can download download the converter to your PC to try it out.
Besides iTunes, there are dedicated desktop tools such as WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory, free players like VLC, or open-source software like Audacity and FFmpeg, which can help you convert M4A to MP3.
Yes. Because both M4A and MP3 are lossy audio formats, so the conversion will cause a slight loss of audio quality. But, if you set the output bitrate to 256 kbps or 320 kbps, the quality difference will be almost inaudible to the human ear.
Depending on your conversion needs, the answer may be different. For example, to convert a large number of M4A files to MP3, a batch converter like WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro is your best choice. If you want to convert online, CloudConvert is a good choice.
I write about multimedia topics, including video and audio conversion, compression, editing, and downloading. I joined WonderFox in 2020, and my goal is to help readers solve everyday tech problems more easily. In this article, you can find 7 excellent M4A to MP3 converters to quickly convert your M4A files to MP3 on Windows, Mac and online.
I write about multimedia topics, including video and audio conversion, compression, editing, and downloading. I joined WonderFox in 2020, and my goal is to help readers solve everyday tech problems more easily. In this article, you can find 7 excellent M4A to MP3 converters to quickly convert your M4A files to MP3 on Windows, Mac and online.
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