M4A to MP3 converter
Turn M4A files into MP3 in seconds, inside this tab. Nothing is uploaded.
- Runs on your device
- No upload
- No sign-up
- Free
Drop M4A files here (any other format works too)
Stays on this device: nothing is uploaded. You can also drag a file here or paste it.
MP3: sharing, podcasts, car stereos, anything that must just play.
How to convert M4A to MP3
- Choose your .m4a files or drop them on the box above. You can add several.
- MP3 is already selected. Leave the bitrate at 192 kbps or change it.
- Conversion starts straight away. Press Download next to each finished file, or Download all.
M4A vs MP3
| M4A | MP3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | MPEG-4 Audio | MPEG-1 Audio Layer III |
| Type | lossy | lossy |
| Codec | AAC in an MP4 container | MP3 (LAME encoder) |
| Size | about 1.4 MB at 192 kbps | 0.96 MB at 128 kbps, 2.4 MB at 320 kbps |
| Plays on | iPhone, Mac, Android, Windows 10+, modern browsers | Everywhere: every phone, browser, car and media player made in the last 25 years |
M4A. M4A is an MP4 file with only an audio track, usually AAC. It is what iPhone Voice Memos, Apple Music downloads and many screen recorders produce.
MP3. MP3 throws away sound the ear is unlikely to notice, using a psychoacoustic model, so a song shrinks to roughly a tenth of its CD size.
What happens to quality
Going from one lossy format to another re-encodes the audio, which costs a little quality each time. Pick a bitrate at or above the source’s to keep the loss inaudible. What bitrate really means.
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Questions people ask
How do I convert M4A to MP3 without uploading?
Choose or drop your .m4a file above. AudioKit converts it to MP3 inside your browser with ffmpeg.wasm and gives you a download. The file is never sent to a server, and you can convert several at once.
Will I lose quality converting M4A to MP3?
Going from one lossy format to another re-encodes the audio, which costs a little quality each time. Pick a bitrate at or above the source’s to keep the loss inaudible.
What bitrate should I choose for MP3?
192 kbps is a good default. Going above the source file’s bitrate doesn’t improve sound, it only makes the file larger. For voice recordings, 96–128 kbps is plenty.
Where does M4A play and where does MP3?
M4A: iPhone, Mac, Android, Windows 10+, modern browsers. MP3: Everywhere: every phone, browser, car and media player made in the last 25 years.
Is this M4A to MP3 converter safe?
It’s about as private as a converter can be: nothing is uploaded, there is no account and no installer. The page needs a modern browser with WebAssembly (any current Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari).