You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

đź“° Newsroom Update

Billie Eilish is Apple Music’s Artist of the Year for 2024. Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

What file-format is used when I "download" a purchased song in iTunes store?

I want to use iTunes to listen to purchased songs and albums in aiff. If I purchase a song in iTunes store, and save it to be able to listen to it offline/download the song - what format will the file be on my Mac mini/my computer? I want it to be aiff. How can I ensure that it is aiff? Thanks! /Linus

Mac mini, macOS 10.13

Posted on Nov 29, 2020 10:31 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 29, 2020 11:10 AM

All iTunes songs are delivered in 256k AAC format, unless you have some pre-2010 128k DRM laden purchases attached to your account. You cannot persuade iTunes to download them in a higher quality format, nor would there be any benefit in converting them to AIFF. You would get larger files with no increase in quality.


tt2

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 29, 2020 11:10 AM in response to Linus Magnusson

All iTunes songs are delivered in 256k AAC format, unless you have some pre-2010 128k DRM laden purchases attached to your account. You cannot persuade iTunes to download them in a higher quality format, nor would there be any benefit in converting them to AIFF. You would get larger files with no increase in quality.


tt2

Nov 29, 2020 12:37 PM in response to Linus Magnusson

How can I ensure that it is aiff? Thanks! /Linus

Linus,

By purchasing the download from an online store that sells lossless downloads (which, as provided, does not include the iTunes Store). If you are looking for downloads in AIFF/WAV/ ALAC/FLAC, check out Beatport, JunoDownload, EClassical, HDTracks, Qobuz, etc.


After you buy and download the song, you can add it to your iTunes/Music library, with the exception of FLAC format, which will first have to be converted to one of the others.

What file-format is used when I "download" a purchased song in iTunes store?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.