M4A to MP3

Two lossy codecs in sequence, so the result is slightly worse than the M4A at a slightly larger size. Do it only when a device refuses to play M4A.

Runs in your browser // nothing is uploaded

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What survives the conversion

Derived from what each format is able to store, not from what the conversion promises.

Kept

M4A carries nothing that MP3 can also hold.
ID3 tags, which M4A could not store

Lost

Tags
Embedded cover art
Chapters

Settings used

Decoded from AAC, re-encoded with LAME VBR at -q:a 2.

When not to convert

Not for anything that plays M4A already. You are paying quality for compatibility.

About these formats

Audio

What is a MP3 file?

MP3 is the lossy audio format that made digital music portable, standardised as part of MPEG-1 in 1993. Newer codecs such as AAC and Opus sound better at the same bitrate, but nothing matches MP3 for sheer universality: it plays on essentially any device ever made.

Read the format guide

Common questions

Does converting M4A to MP3 lose anything?

Yes. Tags, Embedded cover art, Chapters cannot be carried into MP3 and are dropped. Two lossy codecs in sequence, so the result is slightly worse than the M4A at a slightly larger size. Do it only when a device refuses to play M4A.

Are my files uploaded when I convert M4A to MP3?

No. The conversion runs in your browser tab, so the file is never transmitted and the page works offline once loaded.

What settings does Filoven use for M4A to MP3?

Decoded from AAC, re-encoded with LAME VBR at -q:a 2.

When should I not convert M4A to MP3?

Not for anything that plays M4A already. You are paying quality for compatibility.