How to Convert M4A to MP3 in iTunes (Windows/macOS)

Despite the MP3 format being the most ubiquitous audio file format, you will frequently run into files in the M4A format. This is because the M4A format is still used by many individuals all over the world. The reason you may not have noticed the presence of an M4A file on your device is that most media players are able to play the file and you won't see any difference between this file and the MP3 file format. However, some audio players may fail to support the M4A format and in this case, you will have to convert M4A to MP3 iTunes for playback on different devices. In this article, you'll learn the top 2 methods to convert M4A files to MP3 with iTunes and without iTunes easily.

• Part 1. How to Convert M4A to MP3 in iTunes (DRM-Free)
• Part 2. How to Convert M4A file to MP3 Without iTunes on Windows/Mac

Part 1. How to Convert M4A to MP3 in iTunes (DRM-Free)

Because of the incompatibility between MP3 and M4A files, many companies have developed software to try to bridge this gap by enabling you to convert M4A audio to MP3 in iTunes. These converted files will act just like any MP3 and will be playable on virtually any device and any media player. One of these applications and possibly the most popular one is iTunes by Apple. Like most other Apple applications, iTunes is easy to use and never disappoints. iTunes converts M4A to MP3 easily and here are the steps necessary.

Step 1: Open import settings. Click the Preference submenu item from the Edit menu item and on the resulting preferences window, click on the Import settings button. This is in the general tab of the Preferences window.

Step 2: Adjust the import settings. In the Import settings dialogue, select MP3 Encoder in the drop-down against Import Using. Choose the most appropriate bitrate for you. A higher bitrate means higher quality audio but you will be compromising on the size. A bitrate of 128kbps would be the average.

Step 3: Convert M4A files to MP3. Once all the import settings are okay and you now ready use iTunes M4A to MP3 feature, add M4A to iTunes. Finally, click on the Convert submenu item from File menu item and select iTunes Create MP3 version. Now let iTunes do its magic and in the end, you will find an MP3 version of the file in the same folder as the M4A file.

Part 2. How to Convert M4A file to MP3 Without iTunes on Windows/Mac

You may have noticed that iTunes wasn't built to be an audio converter but rather a media manager that handles audio, video, Podcasts, and even TV. It supports only a few audio formats for conversion and you can only convert iTunes DRM-Free files which are not in copyright protection. On the other hand, using iTunes to convert M4A file to MP3 is more complicated, why not find an easier alternative to complete the conversion? Wondershare UniConverter (originally Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate) is the best iTunes M4A to MP3 converter, which not only turns M4A to MP3 but also converts MP3 to M4A for iTunes. Follow the simple steps below.

Wondershare UniConverter - Best iTunes M4A to MP3 Converter

• The best alternative of iTunes to convert M4A to MP3 or other audio formats with simple steps.
• Support 1,000+ video and audio formats like MP3, WAV, OGG, WMA, AAC, M4A, etc.
• Customize audio files by changing encoder, bitrate, sample rate, and other parameters.
• Super fast converting speed and extract audio/video without any loss in quality.
• Download video/audio files from 10,000+ websites by pasting URLs.
• Transfer M4A, MP3, and other audio files from PC/Mac to iPhone/iPad/Android devices easily.
• Toolbox with additional functions including Fix Media Metadata, Video Compressor, GIF Maker, CD Burner, etc.
• Supported OS: Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista, Mac OS 10.15 (Catalina), 10.14, 10.13, 10.12, 10.11 10.10, 10.9, 10.8, 10.7, 10.6

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Steps of How to Convert M4A to MP3 Without iTunes on Windows/Mac

Steps listed below are all based on Mac version, however, Windows users can also follow similarly as both Windows version and Mac version of Wondershare UniConverter have almost the same interface and functions.

Step 1 Add iTunes M4A Files to iTunes Alternative

Launch Wondershare M4A to MP3 converter after download and installation, select the Converter option on the homepage. Click the +Add Files button to select the M4A (MPEG 4 Audio) files you want to convert. Or you can directly drag and drop M4A files to the program. Mac users can also add M4A files from iTunes directly by clicking on the Media Browser button.

Step 2 Select MP3 as Destination Format

Click the drop-down button next to the Output Format option on the bottom of the window, this is where you select MP3 as a destination format. Find an MP3 option under the Audio tab and select a resolution. If you are converting MP3 to M4A iTunes then the destination file format should be M4A.

Step 3 Convert M4A Files to MP3 Without iTunes on Windows/Mac

Lastly, click on the Start All button to convert iTunes M4A to MP3 on Mac with iTunes alternative. The process will be completed soon and be found from the Finished tab.

Tips

If you want to convert videos to iTunes, you can read Easy Steps to Convert Videos to iTunes and Vice Versa to learn more detailed steps.

Conclusion: To solve the problems of limited features on software like iTunes, Wondershare UniConverter comes with a tone of features with support of converting multiple media file types in an easy and intuitive process but yet much more powerful. Don't be scared about different incompatible file types like M4A anymore, by using Wondershare UniConverter to convert any media file you encounter to the file types you expect them to be in.