SherryinDallas

Q: how to convert m4a to mp3?

I'm trying to convert a audio recording I made using Quicktime to an mp3 or WAV file for exporting to the web and uploading on ATT Office at Hand.  What's the easiest way to get my m4a file to export as an mp3 or WAV file for uploading to a website?  I have iTunes 10 installed.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Apr 20, 2012 9:35 AM

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Q: how to convert m4a to mp3?

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  • by Niel,Apple recommended

    Niel Niel Apr 20, 2012 9:41 AM in response to SherryinDallas
    Level 10 (314,476 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 20, 2012 9:41 AM in response to SherryinDallas

    Click here for information.

     

    (65808)

  • by Ylynear,

    Ylynear Ylynear Mar 27, 2013 1:15 AM in response to SherryinDallas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 27, 2013 1:15 AM in response to SherryinDallas

    Converting M4A to WAV will preserve high quality sound as well as have high compatibility. To convert M4A to WAV and MP3, finding a solution or a converter in Google will be wise choice.

  • by Benwon,

    Benwon Benwon Sep 4, 2013 7:30 PM in response to SherryinDallas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 4, 2013 7:30 PM in response to SherryinDallas

    You can download a M4A to MP3 converter for mac to convert m4a to mp3.

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Sep 4, 2013 9:14 PM in response to Benwon
    Level 9 (79,677 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 4, 2013 9:14 PM in response to Benwon

    (a year and a half later...)

     

    Benwon wrote:

     

    You can download a M4A to MP3 converter for mac to convert m4a to mp3.

    Why?

    You can convert using iTunes.

  • by Yermi,

    Yermi Yermi Oct 2, 2013 3:01 AM in response to SherryinDallas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 2, 2013 3:01 AM in response to SherryinDallas

    And I am looking for the exact opposite!!!

     

    How do I convert MP3 to m4a using iTunes???

  • by Roger Wilmut1,Helpful

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Oct 2, 2013 3:30 AM in response to Yermi
    Level 9 (78,515 points)
    iTunes
    Oct 2, 2013 3:30 AM in response to Yermi

    Start by dragging the files concerned into the Songs list in iTunes if they aren't already there.

     

    To convert files to M4a ('AAC'):

     

    In iTunes Preferences>General click the 'Import Settings' button and choose 'AAC encoder' (it may be the default) and use the next drop-down menu to choose your settings - you can choose 'Custom' and set the bitrate as suits you.

     

    Click OK, then OK again to close the Preferences.

     

    Now go to the library, select your original files and from the from the 'File' menu choose 'Create new version' then 'Create AAC version' (iTunes 11 - in earlier versions choose 'Create AAC version' from the 'Advanced' menu).. This will make duplicate AAC versions and you can delete the original versions in iTunes. (Never tamper with the actual library in the Finder).

     

    To convert files to MP3:

     

    Firstly, go to iTunes Preferences>General and click the 'Import Settings' button. Set 'Import Using' to 'MP3 Encoder' and use the next drop-down menu to choose your settings - you can choose 'Custom' and set the bitrate as suits you.

     

    Click OK, then OK again to close the Preferences.

     

    Go to the Music list; select the files you want to convert and from the 'File' menu choose 'Create new version' then 'Create MP3 version' (iTunes 11 - in earlier versions choose 'Create MP3 version' from the 'Advanced' menu).

     

    MP3 versions will be created and placed in the music list (the original versions will remain there). You can drag them out if you want to save them elsewhere (doing this will not remove them from the Library). You can select and delete any files as required in the Music list. (Never tamper with the actual library in the Finder).

     


     

    It has been suggested that converting files to WAV or AIFF will improve the quality - it won't. AAC and MP3 compression works by leaving out bits of the sound it is assumed you cannot hear because they are masked by other sounds. Copying to an uncompressed format such as WAV cannot restore the missing sounds, so you are maintaining the same quality and just making the files a lot larger.

  • by Tyncd,

    Tyncd Tyncd Oct 8, 2013 7:51 AM in response to Ylynear
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 8, 2013 7:51 AM in response to Ylynear

    Ylynear wrote:

     

    Converting M4A to WAV will preserve high quality sound as well as have high compatibility. To convert M4A to MP3, finding a solution or a converter in Google will be wise choice.

    I would like Mp3 format to listen to music, and i have lot of album music wanting to convert. If there is a fast conversion, that would be better.

  • by joshua2020,

    joshua2020 joshua2020 Oct 11, 2013 5:01 PM in response to Benwon
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 11, 2013 5:01 PM in response to Benwon

    I tried some app, and found this it the fastest m4a to mp3 converter for mac

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Oct 11, 2013 6:11 PM in response to Yermi
    Level 9 (79,677 points)
    iTunes
    Oct 11, 2013 6:11 PM in response to Yermi

    Yermi wrote:

     

    And I am looking for the exact opposite!!!

     

    How do I convert MP3 to m4a using iTunes???

    Is there some reason you want to convert to .m4a?

    You will smply lose quality when you convert.

    Anything that plays m4a will also play mp3.

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Oct 11, 2013 6:12 PM in response to joshua2020
    Level 9 (79,677 points)
    iTunes
    Oct 11, 2013 6:12 PM in response to joshua2020

    joshua2020 wrote:

     

    I tried some app, and found this it the fastest m4a to mp3 converter for mac

    iTunes will comvert just fine.

  • by nukeycookey,

    nukeycookey nukeycookey Nov 4, 2013 2:45 PM in response to SherryinDallas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 4, 2013 2:45 PM in response to SherryinDallas

    I'm having real trouble in the same realm...I rewrote the file formats of all my m4a's to mp3's in the finder so I could have them in my playlist on my phone (m4a's won't play on my phone, the designated playlist is empty which is maddening to begin with...) so then they didn't play at all anymore even in iTunes...Then I switched the formats back to m4a's and some of them still won't play! This is very important for me, most of those files are irreplacable and I need them, on the computer and on my phone (in the music player!! not the voice memos app!!!

     

    Any feedback? Anyone? What can I do? Did I just compromise all my voice memos?

  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Nov 4, 2013 3:03 PM in response to nukeycookey
    Level 9 (78,515 points)
    iTunes
    Nov 4, 2013 3:03 PM in response to nukeycookey

    nukeycookey wrote:

     

    I rewrote the file formats of all my m4a's to mp3's in the finder

    You mean you simply changed the .m4a in the filename to mp3? That won't do you any good - you just have an m4a file with the wrong extension. You have to actually convert the file using one of the methods listed above. the easiest is to use the conversion process in iTunes which I outlined on October 20.

  • by nukeycookey,

    nukeycookey nukeycookey Nov 4, 2013 3:18 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 4, 2013 3:18 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

    Yes but the problem now is not converting them. The problem is, that even after changing the extension back to m4a, they still do not work at all anywhere...

     

    So if I convert them from the current state of m4a's (current meaning totally do not play in any player) into mp3's, they'll work again? Is that what you're saying?

     

    Note:
    The reason I just converted the extensions is because this works fine with pictures. from .png to .jpg for example...

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Nov 4, 2013 3:26 PM in response to nukeycookey
    Level 9 (79,677 points)
    iTunes
    Nov 4, 2013 3:26 PM in response to nukeycookey

    nukeycookey wrote:

     

    The reason I just converted the extensions is because this works fine with pictures. from .png to .jpg for example...

    Only the extension is changed. This does not change the file type or the format.

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