How to convert AIFF to M4A (AAC/ALAC)
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Upload your file
Drag and drop a file or click to select one. Keep this page open while the file uploads and converts.
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Convert AIFF to M4A (AAC/ALAC)
NexMedia converts AIFF to M4A (AAC/ALAC) on its own servers. Processing time depends on the file size and how busy the queue is.
- 3
Download the converted file
When the conversion finishes, the download appears on this page. Your converted file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
About AIFF
AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) was developed by Apple in 1988 on the basis of the Electronic Arts IFF format, and it normally stores uncompressed PCM audio in big-endian byte order.
Professional audio on the Mac: Logic Pro and GarageBand projects, sample libraries and CD-quality masters.
AIFF files are as large as WAV files, about 10 MB per minute of CD-quality stereo, and some Windows programs handle them less readily than WAV.
Convert AIFF to M4A online free, no account required — M4A is an MPEG-4 audio file, usually holding AAC.
Change AIFF to M4A without losing quality — convert AIFF to M4A free in your browser.
Why is my AIFF file so large? Like WAV, it stores every sample uncompressed, so switching to a compressed format is the only way to shrink it — lossless ALAC keeps every detail, MP3 trades some quality for size.
About M4A (AAC/ALAC)
M4A is an MPEG-4 audio file: the MP4 container holding only audio, usually AAC and sometimes Apple Lossless (ALAC).
Music bought on iTunes, iPhone voice memos and many podcast downloads.
Whether an M4A is lossy or lossless depends on the codec inside, which the file extension does not show.
Why convert audio to M4A? It wraps efficient AAC audio with chapter marks and cover art in one small file that Apple, Android and Windows all play.
What changes when you convert AIFF to M4A
- The audio is decoded and re-encoded as M4A at the default settings, so the result is close to the AIFF but not bit-identical.
Settings you can change
Before you convert AIFF to M4A, you can adjust: Audio codec, Rate control, Audio bitrate, Quality (VBR), Sample rate, Channels, Normalize loudness, Trim start, Trim duration, and Keep tags.
Limits
Each plan sets a maximum file size and a number of conversions per day, and video and audio files also have a maximum length. Guests can convert files up to 100 megabytes and 5 per day; a free account raises this to 500 megabytes and 25 per day; paid plans go up to 100 gigabytes.
Your converted M4A file is kept for 2 hours, then deleted.
AIFF to M4A: questions and answers
Does converting AIFF to M4A reduce quality?
The audio is decoded and re-encoded as M4A at the default settings, so the result is close to the AIFF but not bit-identical.
What is the difference between AIFF and M4A?
AIFF is Apple's uncompressed audio format. M4A is an MPEG-4 audio file, usually holding AAC.
Can I change the settings when converting AIFF to M4A?
Before you convert AIFF to M4A, you can adjust: Audio codec, Rate control, Audio bitrate, Quality (VBR), Sample rate, Channels, Normalize loudness, Trim start, Trim duration, and Keep tags.
Do I need an account to convert AIFF to M4A?
No. You can convert AIFF to M4A without an account; signing in raises the file-size and daily limits.
How long is my converted M4A file kept?
The M4A file you convert from AIFF is kept for 2 hours, then deleted automatically.
When I convert AIFF to M4A, is the audio re-encoded?
The audio is decoded and re-encoded as M4A at the default settings, so the result is close to the AIFF but not bit-identical.
Will converting AIFF to M4A change my original file?
No. The conversion reads your AIFF and writes a new M4A file, leaving your original AIFF file untouched.