How to convert Apple Lossless (ALAC) 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 Apple Lossless (ALAC) to M4A (AAC/ALAC)
NexMedia converts Apple Lossless (ALAC) to M4A (AAC/ALAC) on its own servers. Processing time depends on the file size and how busy the queue is.
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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 Apple Lossless (ALAC)
Apple Lossless (ALAC) is Apple's lossless audio codec, usually stored in an .m4a file; Apple released it as open source in 2011.
Lossless music in iTunes, Apple Music and on iPhones.
ALAC files are smaller than WAV but several times larger than AAC, and many devices outside Apple's prefer FLAC.
Convert ALAC to M4A online free, no account required — M4A is an MPEG-4 audio file, usually holding AAC.
Change ALAC to M4A without losing quality — convert ALAC to M4A free in your browser.
Why won't my Windows PC or Android phone play my ALAC files? Apple Lossless rarely ships outside Apple software, so converting to FLAC keeps the lossless quality on the rest of your devices.
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 ALAC to M4A
- The audio is decoded and re-encoded as M4A at the default settings, so the result is close to the ALAC but not bit-identical.
Settings you can change
Before you convert ALAC 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.
ALAC to M4A: questions and answers
Does converting ALAC to M4A reduce quality?
The audio is decoded and re-encoded as M4A at the default settings, so the result is close to the ALAC but not bit-identical.
What is the difference between ALAC and M4A?
ALAC is Apple's lossless audio codec. M4A is an MPEG-4 audio file, usually holding AAC.
Can I change the settings when converting ALAC to M4A?
Before you convert ALAC 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 ALAC to M4A?
No. You can convert ALAC 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 ALAC is kept for 2 hours, then deleted automatically.
When I convert ALAC 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 ALAC but not bit-identical.
Will converting ALAC to M4A change my original file?
No. The conversion reads your ALAC and writes a new M4A file, leaving your original ALAC file untouched.