After cd is downloaded to iTunes on my computer do I need to touch "Import Settings"?

Hello Paxton01,

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.

Import Settings is to convert a songs format.

For more information on this, take a look at:

iTunes: How to convert a song to a different file format

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1550

To convert a song's file format

1. Open iTunes Preferences.
   Windows: Choose Edit > Preferences.
2. Click the General button, then click the Importing Settings… button in the lower section of the window.
3. From the Import Using pop-up menu, choose the encoding format that you want to convert the song to, then click OK to save the settings.

Best of luck,

Mario

While the reply you've had so far is correct, it misses the fact that the Import Settings determines which format iTunes will use to import from CD.

So to address the specific question you asked, and judging by the article you were reading (Adding music and other content to iTunes) ...

You should choose which Import Setting you are going to use to import the CD, before you begin importing.

The relevance of the Import Settings after importing is when you want to convert an existing file from one format to another. For example, suppose you import a CD using m4a (AAC) format. But you then want to to add that song to another brand of media player which cannot play m4a files. The answer would be to convert the original file to MP3 (which is a universal format). However, iTunes' convert feature converts to the format used for importing from CD. So you would need to change the format to do that; from AAC Encoder (which you used to import the CD), to MP3 - using the Import Settings. (The Import Settings implies that it's from CD and makes no reference to converting existing files). Conversion creates a second file, it does not destroy the existing AAC file.