Convert AAC files to MP3 in iTunes?

Question

Level 1

129 points

Convert AAC files to MP3 in iTunes?

On my Mac, I can download from the internet in either MP3
or AAC. I can also change MP3 files to AAC. But, can I
change AAC files to MP3? I'm sure Apple had me do this one
time to override some iTunes error, but I can't seem to do
it now. I used this MP3 format for a long time so a lot of
my downloaded songs are in this format. Now I'd like to
change them back to AAC because it says I can't make a CD
from MP3 files. Can I change the format or is there some
way I can make a CD with MP3 files? I think I did it before
on my old computer....I MUST have done it before because so
many songs are in MP3 but it says I can't do it on the new
mac.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on May 16, 2008 4:16 PM

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Answer 1

Chris CA

Level 10

82,440 points

May 16, 2008 4:43 PM in response to Janice Fisher

because it says I can't make a CD from MP3 files.

Very easy.
iTunes prefs -> Advanced - Burning.
Select Audio CD.
Add the song you want to a playlist and click Burn.
Make sure the time of the playlist is less than ~70 minutes (the size of an audio CD).

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Answer 2

Limnos

Level 10

411,265 points

May 16, 2008 4:46 PM in response to Janice Fisher

But, can I change AAC files to MP3?

You can do this conversion if the files are in normal AAC format. iTunes also uses a protected AAC format which will not let you do conversions to other formats, just burn to audio CDs.

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Answer 3

jere7my

Level 4

1,815 points

May 17, 2008 9:58 AM in response to Janice Fisher

Note that you lose file quality every time you convert between AAC and MP3. They're both lossy formats — it's like making a photocopy of a photocopy.

You should certainly be able to burn a CD with MP3 files, though.

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Answer 4

May 17, 2008 1:24 PM in response to Janice Fisher

Janice.

You can convert AAC files to MP3 by using the Advanced > Convert menu. However, you must first go to the Preferences > Advanced menu and change "Import Using AAC Encoder" to "Import using MP3 Encoder". This setting is used for both importing and converting. When you are finished converting, change the Preferences setting back to the encoder you prefer for importing.

You can burn an MP3 CD if your CD player can play that format. You can fit a lot more songs on an MP3 CD than an Audio CD, but not all CD players can play an MP3 CD. Just go to iTunes > Preferences > Advanced >Burning and select the type CD you want. Note that songs must first be converted to MP3 format to burn to an MP3 CD. If your songs are in AAC format, iTunes converts them on the fly to AIFF when burning an Audio CD, but cannot burn them to an MP3 CD unless you convert them to MP3 files first.

Hope this helps.

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