How to convert M4A to MP3
- 1. Select your M4A filesClick Choose M4A files, drag them in, or paste them. AAC files and MP4 audio are accepted too.
- 2. Choose a quality and click Convert192 kbps is the default. For voice recordings, 128 kbps is plenty. Click Convert when you're ready.
- 3. DownloadSave each MP3 with its own Download button, or get them together with Download all (.zip).
What's in an M4A file
M4A is an MPEG-4 file that holds only audio. The audio inside is usually AAC, a lossy codec; occasionally it's Apple Lossless (ALAC). The .m4a extension tells apps "this is audio, not video".
You'll find M4A files from iPhone Voice Memos, songs bought or ripped with iTunes and Apple Music, GarageBand exports, and many Android recorder apps.
| M4A | MP3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Container | MPEG-4 | MP3 stream (with optional ID3 tags) |
| Usual codec | AAC (sometimes Apple Lossless) | MPEG-1 Audio Layer III |
| Quality at the same bitrate | Slightly better | Slightly worse |
| Compatibility | Apple devices, modern players and browsers | Practically every player, car stereo and app |
| Common sources | Voice Memos, iTunes, Apple Music, GarageBand | Downloads, podcasts, older libraries |
Getting a voice memo off your iPhone
Voice Memos saves recordings as .m4a files. To get one into this converter on the iPhone itself, open the recording in Voice Memos, tap the more (…) button, choose Share, then Save to Files. Then open this page in Safari, tap Choose M4A files and pick it from Files.
On a Mac, drag a recording from the Voice Memos app to your desktop, then drop that file onto this page.
Voice recordings are often personal: interviews, lectures, notes to yourself. That's exactly why it helps that they're converted on your phone and never sent to a server.
M4A to MP3 on Windows
Windows 10 and 11 can play M4A files, but plenty of other things can't: older car stereos, some MP3 players, voicemail and phone systems, and upload forms that list MP3 only. Open this page in Edge, Chrome or Firefox, convert, and the MP3s land in your Downloads folder. There's nothing to install.
Picking a bitrate without wasting space
M4A audio is already compressed, so converting it to MP3 is lossy to lossy. You can't gain quality, only try not to lose more. A good rule: choose an MP3 bitrate at least as high as the original's.
For speech and voice memos, 128 kbps is more than enough. For music bought from iTunes (256 kbps AAC), choose 256 or 320 kbps.
What won't convert
- Copy-protected tracks. Older iTunes Store purchases with DRM (usually .m4p files) can't be converted here, and Apple Music downloads are protected too.
- Damaged files. If a recording was cut off mid-save, the tool will say it can't read it.
- Need the sound from a video rather than an audio file? Use the tool for extracting audio from videos.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert an iPhone voice memo to MP3?
In Voice Memos, tap the recording's more (…) button, then Share → Save to Files. Open this page in Safari, choose the file, tap Convert and then Download.
How do I convert M4A to MP3 on Windows?
Open this page in any modern browser, drop your M4A files on the box, click Convert and download. No software or codecs are needed.
Are my recordings uploaded?
No. Your M4A files are converted on your device and never uploaded. The page loads code, ads and cookieless analytics like any website, but your audio stays in your browser. Here's how it works.
Can I convert M4A files from iTunes?
Yes, if they aren't copy-protected. DRM-free iTunes purchases and tracks you imported yourself convert fine. Protected .m4p files and Apple Music downloads don't.
Will M4A to MP3 lose quality?
A little, because both formats are lossy. Choose a bitrate at least as high as the original's, such as 256 kbps for iTunes music, to keep the loss inaudible.
Is M4A the same as MP4?
They use the same MPEG-4 container. An .m4a file contains only audio, while an .mp4 usually contains video too. This tool accepts both and keeps only the audio.
Are song titles and cover art kept?
Yes, by default. Metadata is set to Keep, so the M4A's title, artist, album, year, track, genre, comment and cover art are copied into the MP3's ID3 tag. Choose Remove for an MP3 without tags.