M4A to MP3
AudioDrop M4A files and get MP3s back — converted on your device, never uploaded.
M4A is what an iPhone's Voice Memos app records, what many recorders and podcast tools save, and the file a lot of things will not take: older car stereos and players, some editing software, upload forms that say MP3 only. MP3 plays on everything. Drop the M4A files in, press Convert to MP3, and download the result — one file, or a zip of several.
Both formats are lossy, so the MP3 will not sound better than the M4A did; the aim is to lose nothing you can hear. 192 kbps, the starting choice, does that for music. For speech — a voice memo, an interview, a lecture — 128 kbps in mono halves the file with no audible cost. The recording is decoded and encoded in your browser, so a private memo or an unreleased track is never uploaded.
Why do it here
100% private
Your audio files are processed locally and never uploaded.
Instant
No upload or download wait — it runs at the speed of your device.
Free to start
Use it free every day; go Pro for unlimited runs.
No install
Works in any modern browser. No sign-up to begin.
How it works
- 1Drop your M4A files
One or several — voice memos, recordings, songs. They stay on your device.
- 2Choose the bitrate
192 kbps is the default. Use 128 kbps and mono for speech, 256 or 320 for music you care about.
- 3Press Convert to MP3
Download the MP3, or a zip when there are several.
Frequently asked questions
Which bitrate should I choose?
192 kbps is a safe default for music. For speech, 128 kbps is plenty, and switching Channels to Mono halves the file again. 256 and 320 kbps make larger files; they cannot add quality the M4A did not have.
Will the MP3 sound worse than the M4A?
Slightly, in theory — converting between two lossy formats always loses a little. At 192 kbps and above it is very hard to hear. It will never sound better than the original, whatever bitrate you pick.
Does it work with iPhone voice memos?
Yes. Voice Memos saves M4A files with ordinary AAC audio, which every browser can read. Share the memo to Files or send it to yourself, then drop it here.
It says it cannot read my M4A. Why?
An .m4a file can hold two kinds of audio. Most hold AAC, which every browser decodes. Some — music ripped as Apple Lossless — hold ALAC, which Safari can decode and Chrome cannot: open this page in Safari for those. Songs bought from the iTunes Store before 2009 (.m4p) are copy-protected and cannot be converted anywhere.
Can I convert several files at once?
Yes. Drop them together; each is converted in turn and you can download them one by one or all as a zip.
Are my recordings uploaded?
No. The audio is decoded and encoded by your own browser, so nothing leaves your device.