M4A to MP3 your iPhone recording, playable anywhere.
To convert M4A to MP3, pick the .m4a file, leave the format on MP3 and download. It works for iPhone Voice Memos, GarageBand exports and course downloads. The MP3 comes out at a constant 192 kbps, about 1.4 MB per minute, and opens in car stereos, Windows, Android and any upload form.
Free, no sign-upLarge video: extracting can take a few minutes. Keep this tab open until it finishes.
How to turn M4A into MP3
- 01
Pick the .m4a
Drag the file onto the dashed area or tap to choose it. On an iPhone, Voice Memos land in the Files app once you share them there.
- 02
Set channels and rate
A voice recording made on a phone works well in mono. Music exported from GarageBand sounds best in stereo at 44.1 kHz.
- 03
Download the MP3
Follow the percentage on the button and download the .mp3 with the same name as the original file.
Where M4A files come from
M4A is audio inside the same kind of container as MP4, without the picture. It's the default format across Apple devices: Voice Memos on iPhone and Mac saves it, GarageBand exports it and many iTunes music purchases come in it. Outside Apple, the voice recorder on many Android phones, Samsung's included, also records M4A, and course and podcast platforms offer .m4a downloads.
Some WhatsApp audio saved on an iPhone also arrives as M4A. If your WhatsApp voice note ends in .opus or .ogg, the page you want is OGG to MP3.
| Source | What's usually inside |
|---|---|
| iPhone Voice Memos (Compressed) | AAC, compressed |
| iPhone Voice Memos (Lossless) | ALAC, lossless |
| GarageBand and Logic | AAC or ALAC |
| Android voice recorder | AAC |
| Course or podcast download | AAC |
Why the MP3 can end up bigger than the M4A
The MP3's size depends only on its length: it always comes out at 192 kbps, about 86 MB per hour, in stereo or mono. An M4A can have any bitrate. A voice recording compressed at 64 kbps takes under 30 MB per hour, so its MP3 is almost three times larger. That doesn't improve the sound: converting can't bring back what the M4A's compression removed.
With a lossless M4A, the opposite happens. Lossless Voice Memos and ALAC exports take hundreds of megabytes per hour, and the MP3 shrinks the file several times over. That's where converting helps most, for example to email a long interview.
| 1-hour M4A | M4A size | 192 kbps MP3 |
|---|---|---|
| AAC at 64 kbps | 29 MB | 86 MB |
| AAC at 128 kbps | 58 MB | 86 MB |
| AAC at 256 kbps | 115 MB | 86 MB |
| ALAC, lossless | 300 to 600 MB | 86 MB |
When converting M4A to MP3 is worth it, and when it isn't
It's worth it when the destination can't read M4A. Older car stereos, USB sticks in speakers, some Windows players, simple audio editors and lots of upload forms, like the ones for contests, radio stations or schools, accept only MP3. It also makes sense when you send the file to someone who will open it on a device you know nothing about.
It isn't worth it when the audio stays on an iPhone, a Mac or Apple Music, which all play M4A fine. And if the audio is headed for professional editing, choose WAV instead of MP3, so you don't stack a second round of compression on top of the M4A's.
More than M4A to MP3. Your recording becomes searchable text.
See also
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert M4A to MP3 for free?
Pick the .m4a file on this page, leave the format on MP3 and click convert. The MP3 comes out at 192 kbps, with the same name as the file. It's free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no usage limit.
How do I turn an iPhone Voice Memo into an MP3?
In Voice Memos, tap the recording, open the share menu and save it to Files or send it to your computer. Then pick the .m4a on this page and convert it. On the iPhone itself, you can choose the file straight from the Files app.
Why is the MP3 bigger than the M4A?
Because the MP3 always comes out at 192 kbps and your M4A was more compressed, which is common for voice recordings. The size goes up, but the sound stays the same as the M4A. If the bigger file gets in the way, keep the M4A wherever it already works.
Does converting M4A to MP3 lose quality?
A little, because the M4A's AAC audio is compressed again as MP3. At 192 kbps you won't hear it in speech. If the M4A is lossless (ALAC), the MP3 is as good as one made from the original.
Does it work with lossless M4A (ALAC)?
Yes. Lossless Voice Memos and Apple Lossless exports open the same way. For editing, pick WAV and keep the full quality.
Can I convert M4A on Windows or Android?
You can. Open this page on a Windows computer or an Android phone, pick the .m4a and convert it. No program or app to install.
Your M4A recording, as text. With who spoke and when.
Upload the .m4a straight from your iPhone. We transcribe it word by word, with speakers and timestamps, and you download TXT, PDF or SRT.
See the result on your own recording before adding a card.