M4A: conversion steps
- Upload your M4A file to start.
- Convert M4A to AAC.
- Download the M4A file.
About M4A files
an MPEG-4 audio file, usually holding AAC
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.
M4A: what conversion changes
Converting M4A re-encodes audio.
M4A: settings to change
Before you convert M4A files, you can adjust: Audio codec, Rate control, Audio bitrate, Quality (VBR), Sample rate, Channels, Normalize loudness, Trim start, Trim duration, and Keep tags.
Limits of the M4A format
Whether an M4A is lossy or lossless depends on the codec inside, which the file extension does not show.
Common questions about M4A
Why won't my car radio or old speaker play my M4A files? The MPEG-4 audio container is newer than MP3, and devices that only decode MP3 cannot read it until it is converted.
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.