Convert m4a to mp3
You can convert m4a music files to mp3 format very easily by using the same program that creates m4a files… iTunes! This is the easiest way that I know of to convert m4a to mp3 that doesn’t require any additional software downloads. Here’s how to do it:
Converting m4a to mp3 with iTunes
The first thing you’ll need to do is launch iTunes and change the default file type for imported audio:
* Go into the iTunes Preferences and under ‘General’ settings you will see an ‘Import Settings’ button, click that and you will see a screen like the one shown below. In this drop down menu, select MP3 Encoder and click ‘Ok’
now iTunes will create mp3 files rather than m4a.
* Now converting any of your existing m4a files to mp3 files is very easy and you can do it directly within iTunes. Simply select a song that you know is in m4a format, and right-click the song to bring up a menu. With the song selected, navigate to “Create MP3 Version”
Now give your computer a few seconds to convert the m4a file to mp3, it will appear at the top of the playlist, and also within the iTunes music folder, which by default is located in ~/Music/iTunes/
That’s it! Now you can convert those pesky m4a files to mp3 with ease.
awesome! thanks a million i hate m4a format this is great. mp3 rules!
Yeah, let’s replace an audio compression scheme with an older inferior one! Way to go, yeah!
tell us another way to play them besides IPOD
The could be other reasons to want to do this apart from audio quality – such as wanting to play the files on a different device.
Foolish comment.
To convert already compressed audio file is resulting much worse quality of the file.
Compressed m4a file is first transformed to aiff and that file is transformed to compressed mp3.
ONLY IF YOU MUST HAVE mp3.
I don’t see much point unless you have an mp3 player that won’t support the aac format. I’d like to find an easy way to convert my wma files to aac or mp3
The POINT is to convert the proprietary Apple format to a format that is non-proprietary. Then you can share and copy your damn files that you PAID FOR, as much as you like, without iTunes Nazi madness trying to tell you that you can’t.
Except m4a is not a proprietary Apple format – get your facts right. Another one that thinks AAC stands for Apple. No, m4a is actually less patent encumbered that mp3 is. Godwin’s law strikes again.
[...] Convert m4a to mp3 [...]
I don’t have the option to create an mp3 version.
[...] specify another choice. I chose m4a because it’s easily readable by iTunes which can then be converted to MP3, AAC, M4R (ringtone), WAV, or whatever other audio [...]
Anyone with a ps3 needs to convert to mp3.
THanks a lot, this was incredibly helpful
Yeah, I just have “convert to AAC version” which also doesn’t work with my mp3 player.
THANK YOU! This is so helpful and easy to follow. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Thanks sooo much. I have an MP3 player that will only play mp3 or wma, but I want to keep it because it has a built-in microphone. i’ve spent ages trying to work out how to conert files – your instructions are easy.. Brilliant.
Those of you saying you only have a Convert to AAC option didn’t follow all the steps above. You need to go into settings and change the default import settings to MP3 encoder.
This worked perfectly. Thanks.
omggggg your a lifesaver thank you soooo much
When I pull up my preferences, there is NOTHING anywhere with the option to change it to import mp3. The option isnt even there!
Under the general menu, click the icon “Import Settings..” Then, under this new menu should give you the option to change to mp3. It took me a few seconds to figure that out.
thanx. Happy new year
Thank you very much. One of my players will not play AAC (m4a) so this is very useful. Exactly why I try to get my music from Amazon or Walmart where they still use mp3.
Edit – Preferences – General – When You Insert A CD/Import Settings – select “MP3 Encoder”
For those of you who couldn’t follow the authors instructions.
Thank you very much, author! Saved me from purchasing a $39/year converter. Blah!
To the OP, that was too easy, ta muchly!!
I am really in debt to you for this post! Thank you so much for doing this, to people like me that are so technology impaired these tips are life savers!!! I bought my son a fisher -price mp3 player and all his music was on my i-tunes so it was all in (m4a)!!! and i had not the slightest clue how to fix it!!!
[...] Tried this? http://osxdaily.com/2009/12/03/convert-m4a-to-mp3/ [...]
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
This is terrific. Very straight-forward and clear instructions…and it worked!! Thanks!
Take that Playstation 3…you will play my music when I tell you to.
This does not work for m4a files which are protected.
You are so awesome!! I love you for this!
Thanks for the help, and btw, Grizzly Bear is my favorite band. I’m super jealous you have Horn of Plenty remix CD. The original is my favorite by them.
Thanks…seriously thought it would be a pain. Probably was the easiest thing I have ever done thanks to you. Check out the mp3′s on my website!
You are a life saver!!! Thank you so much for teaching me how to navigate itunes.
Ahh! Thanks so much
Having purchased a few songs off itunes, I still wanted to play them off Windows Media Player but it never did like the M4a format so had to find some way of converting it 
Thanks again
Thank u. This was very helpful. Good work.
Great info, but this only works for songs imported from CDs, not songs downloaded from the iTunes store.
@Amy: had the same problem.
You should try to copy the purchased songs into a playlist or the the general all music section. Mark the song(s) and right click and choose convert to MP3. It’s a step extra but should work and you do not have to use external software once you have changed the settings to MP3 as described above.
Cheers,
Phil
Awesome,
Easy to do and does not require to download fishy softwares.
@Amy: had the same problem.
You should try to copy the purchased songs into a playlist or the the general all music section. Mark the song(s) and right click and choose convert to MP3. It’s a step extra but should work and you do not have to use external software once you have changed the settings to MP3 as described above.
Cheers,
Phil
This was exactly what I needed! Thanks alot! It was sooo easy!!!
Finally a good use for that awful piece of software.
Thank you so much, gracias Dios te bendiga, God bless you a lot. Eres el mejor!
Beautiful! Thank you.
Thank You So Much! It was a breeze….
Great instructions. So clear. Many thanks.
“jpmrb says: Yeah, let’s replace an audio compression scheme with an older inferior one! Way to go, yeah!”
I just found this thread and the tip was REALLY helpful thanks, To jpmrb – you’re a smarty-pants dickhead with limited imagination as to why others might want to to this. Go back to your colouring-in book and return when you’ve grown up a little – moron.
very helpful. Thanks
Thanks, easy to follow but just causes iTunes to crash each time I click on the ‘MP3 version’ option.
Thank you so much! I was ready to go nuts when my phone wouldnt play m4a files…
Got them transferred now, you’re a star!
Thank you for this information Mac OS X and Becca it was very helpful…
Too easy. Thanks for the great info.
worked a treat
does anyone know how to compress an mp3 file? any safe free software out there for this?
Thank you very much!! for your help.
I resolved. here I posted the same in Korean at my blog ;
http://jayjeong.tistory.com/37
Many tanks! you saved me!
TANKS?! you mean that you’re going to drive a freakin TANK to him because of what he said?!
Yes, I made a spelling mistake in my comment (below) too, so jk. =)
i feel really thick because everywhere i’ve been people have managed to work it out, but on lion that’s not how my system preferences looks. when i press system prefs > general, there is absolutely nothing on import format. it just lists appearance choices… i’m so lost! haha.
I am on iTunes 10.5.1.42 & this option is not there. What next?
For 10.5, go under ‘general’ then click on ‘import settings’, make sure you’re using the MP3 Encoder, then right click on the songs you want to convert and click ‘create MP3 version’
Cheers Davit, that has been very helpful.
This was so much help! It saved my butt on a school assignment.
Thanks so much! That was TOO EASY!
Thanks Heaps!! Great Tip and very well presented.
i can’t right click on the song on my mac .. should i be able to?
Yes you should. Well I have Mac and I was able to right click…maybe you don’t have right click enabled on your computer?
Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for spending the time to write this on here! You’ve just REALLY helped me!
THANKS David!
It was soooo simple!
For those who could not find it under ‘General’tab (like me)..
Open Music/Edit/Preferences/Advanced/Importing. You will see an option ‘Import Using’ with drop down menu. Select ‘Mp3 encoder’ in the menu. Click ‘OK’.
Have fun converting!
Cheers!
*Facepalm… I should have seen that button RIGHT THERE IN FRON OF ME a while ago… I was so worried that I had wasted money on songs that I couldn’t send to my Sansa Zip Clip MP3 player. Thank you for the simple directions to save me from worrying.
thank you SO MUCH! This was driving me crazy!!! you rock!
Thank you so much! Now I don’t feel like downloading iTunes was a waste of time. This was very helpful!
thank you very, very much.
awesome! job
Thank you very much!
Thank You!
Thanks for advice, has worked a treat.