How Can We Convert M4A to MP3 Format on Computer for Free

M4A is an Apple proprietary audio file format that utilizes the MPEG-4 codec. It is very similar to the MP4 format, except that MP4 can accommodate video data in addition to audio files. MP3 was released much earlier, in 1993, and is still the most authoritative standard for storing music. Its biggest advantage is that it compresses audio very efficiently, ensuring that there is no significant loss of audio quality while delivering smaller file sizes.

M4A gives us better sound quality compared to MP3. If you think that M4A files are more significant than MP3 files, you are wrong. In fact, M4A files can be almost half the size of MP3, and it also supports users to add DRM protection to prevent others from unauthorized distribution of audio. M4A has been regarded as the successor of MP3, but it is still much less compatible. M4A music can only be played on some devices and platforms, so it is better to convert M4A music to MP3 if we want to share the audio files with our friends more conveniently. Here, we pick five methods for turning M4A to MP3 to recommend to you, with their respective application steps.

Part 1. Best Way to Convert M4A to MP3 [Fast & No Quality Loss]

FVC Video Converter Ultimate

After actual testing and comparison, FVC Video Converter Ultimate is the best M4A to MP3 converter worth trying. As a desktop application, it is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems and supports up to 1000+ input and output formats. It can easily accomplish almost any file conversion task. Although M4A format files will be higher than MP3, we can hardly feel any change in sound quality when we use FVC Video Converter Ultimate to convert M4A to MP3. And this app is also loaded with a hardware gas pedal that guarantees to output files at 30X faster efficiency, and even batch process multiple tasks with one click.

It's worth trying not only because of its excellent performance in format conversion. Its interface also contains a full set of audio editing tools, which can easily improve sound quality, remove noise, trim length, and more. With this all-in-one software, converting M4A to MP3 will be very easy.

Here is how to turn M4A into MP3 with FVC Video Converter Ultimate.

Step 1. Get FVC Video Converter Ultimate on your device. Finish the basic settings and launch it on your desktop. After entering the main interface, click Add Files to select your M4A audio.

Step 2. The selected audio will be loaded very soon. Go to Convert All to and choose Audio > MP3. Several output options with different bit rates and sound quality are displayed on the page. Select the one that meets your requirements.

If you want to make further editions, click the Cut icon.

Step 3. Go to Save to and set a storage path for your converted M4A audio. Then click Convert All.

Part 2. How to Convert M4A to MP3 Online

FVC Free Audio Converter

While the desktop tool is more stable and has more features, we need to complete a long list of downloads and installations before we can start the conversion. The installation package of the software will take up a lot of memory space. If we want to start the conversion immediately and save some storage space, we can seek the help of an online M4A to MP3 converter. In this area, we recommend FVC Video Converter Ultimate. the platform supports many popular audio formats, including MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, AC3, FLAC and so on. Some online converters have file size limitations, but FVC Free Audio Converter doesn't, and we can even let it convert a large number of files at once.

Here is how to change M4A to MP3 with FVC Free Audio Converter.

Step 1. Open the FVC Free Audio Converter using your browser. When the web page loads, click Add Files to Convert and upload your M4A audio.

Step 2. After adding, go to the bottom section and choose MP3 as the output format. Press on the settings icon if you want to make further adjustments.

Step 3. Finally, click Convert to start the transformation.

Part 3. How to Change M4A to MP3 on Mac

Make M4A to MP3 Using iTunes

Both of the above methods work on both Windows and Mac. If you are a Mac user and want to find a free converter that is more compatible with your operating system, we recommend iTunes. This software is built into the Apple system, and although it is often viewed as a multimedia player and management tool, it also supports performing some simple format conversion operations. As a side note, even Windows users can try iTunes.

Here is how to change M4A to MP3 on Mac using iTunes.

Step 1. If your computer has iTunes, open it. If not, download and install it. You should sign in with your Apple ID and password.

Step 2. Click File > Add Folder to Library, and choose the folder where your M4A audio is kept. Then click Open to upload your M4A file to iTunes.

Step 3. Choose Edit > Preference to open another window.

Step 4. In the new window, click Import Settings and navigate to the Import Using dialog. Choose MP3 Encoder and click OK to keep the settings.

Step 5. Go back to the iTunes library and find the target M4A file. Click File > Convert > Create MP4 Version.

Part 4. How to Turn M4A into MP3 for Free

Among the free common tools, there are two more that can help us convert file formats, FFmpeg and VLC Media Player. in this part we will show how to use them respectively.

Use FFmpeg to Transfer M4A to MP3

FFmpeg is known for the number of tasks it can perform. However, compared to traditional multimedia editing software with buttons and preview windows, FFmpeg operates uniquely. We need to prepare the code template and fill in the file storage path. Input the code command to FFmpeg, and we will get the converted file. However, this application is not very friendly to inexperienced novices; preparing the code is troublesome.

Read this guide to use FFmpeg to transfer M4A to MP3.

Step 1. Download and install FFmpeg on your computer. Open the Terminal application.

Step 2. Prepare the command you need to use.

ffmpeg -i input.m4a output.mp3

Replace the location of input in the above template with the storage path where the source M4A file is located. Then, replace the output with your desired output path. If you want to convert MP3 to M4A, swap the location of these two storage paths.

Step 3. Type the command into FFmpeg. Then press Enter to start the conversion.

Perform Conversion from M4A to MP3 via VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is one of the most recognizable of the free M4A player and format converters. It is known to open multimedia files in almost all formats and is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. On its page we can also find some essential audio editing tools.

Here is how to make M4A to MP3 with VLC Media Player.

Step 1. Open VLC Media Player on your computer. Click Media > Convert/Save.

Step 2. Launch the Open Media window. Then press + Add to upload your M4A file. Next, click Convert/Save again.

Step 3. A Convert window will appear. Choose Profile > Audio - MP3. Finally, click Start.

Part 4. Conclusion

In this article, we recommend five tools for converting M4A to MP3 and how to use them. Among the desktop software, FVC Video Converter Ultimate is the most versatile and fast converter; iTunes is suitable for Mac users; VLC Media Player is totally free but with fewer editing tools; FFmpeg can accomplish a lot of tasks but is a bit difficult to use. If you want to bypass software downloads and installations, you can use FVC Free Audio Converter.