Convert iTunes M4P to MP3

iTunes M4P is an encoded audio file format which limits the number of computers that can share a given file. MP3 is a much less restrictive file format that features similar sound quality. If you pay for iTunes Plus, you can convert existing protected files to less restrictive files. If you don't want to pay, then you may be able to convert the files using a third-party file-conversion program. Alternately, try burning the songs to a CD and re-importing them as MP3 files.

Steps

Converting Within iTunes

  1. Open the iTunes Preferences. You will need to navigate to your Importing Settings in order to change the encoding format. Before iTunes Plus, all of the music sold on iTunes was encoded using proprietary software called Digital Restrictions Management. DRM allows Apple to track how many computers have decoded the file you downloaded, which is why you must register your music every time you format your hard drive or change computers. There is a limit to the number of computers that can decode a given file.
    • Windows: Click Edit, then Preferences.
    • Mac: Choose iTunes, then Preferences.
  2. Navigate to the Importing Settings and choose the MP3 format. First, click the General button, then click the Importing Settings... button in the lower section of the window. Choose "MP3" from the Import Using pop-up menu. Then click OK to save the settings.
  3. Check that all of the files you want to convert are already imported into iTunes. If you still need to import some songs, you can choose to import and convert them at the same time. The new songs will show up as MP3 files in your iTunes library.
    • Some older purchased songs may be encoded using a Protected AAC format, which blocks the in-iTunes conversion. You may be able to convert these files using a third-party file converter program or website. You can also convert these files by paying for iTunes Plus.
  4. Convert the files. Select one or more songs in your library, then select Create MP3 version from the File > Create New Version menu. To convert all the songs in a folder or on a disk, hold down the ⌥ Option (Mac) or ⇧ Shift (Windows). Then, select File > Create New Version > Convert [import preference setting]. The Import preference" should be set to the file encoding format that you chose on the Importing Preferences page. iTunes will prompt you for the location of the folder or disk you want to import and convert.[1]
  5. Wait for the files to convert. Two copies of the song will show up in your iTunes library: the original M4P file, and the new MP3 file. You should be able to play both files in iTunes.
    • If you don't want to see both copies of the song file in your iTunes library, move the M4P file somewhere else. Try consolidating unwanted M4Ps into another folder, or removing them from the library but keeping the files on your computer for future use. Consider simply deleting the old file, if you don't think you'll need it.
    • Be aware that conversions between compressed files can cause a slight loss in sound quality. Consider keeping the M4P files around until you're sure that the sound is still solid.[1]

Using a Third-Party File Converter

  1. Find a file converter. Run a web search for "safe online file converter" and look for a website that seems legitimate. Be aware that many such websites may feature spyware, adware, and "pay-traps" – so read reviews about any file converter that you're considering. Try using free, safe online converters Zamzar,[2] FileZigZag,[3] and Online Convert.[4]
    • If you want to safely convert a lot of files, consider downloading a dedicated file converter program. You may need to pay for the software – but you will also make the process quicker and easier to regulate.
  2. Upload your files. The file converter should prompt you to upload the files that you want to convert. Select all of the M4P audio files that you wish to convert. If you're using an online program, then you may only be able to upload a certain amount of files at once.
    • Depending on the capacity of the website and the volume of files that you want to convert, you may need to repeat this process multiple times over.
  3. Choose the new file format. If you want to convert these audio files to MP3, then choose MP3 from the list of available formats. You may have the choice of various other formats. Be aware that because M4P is a protected format, not all file converters will work with it.
  4. Click "Convert." Look for some variation of an "OK," "Go," or "Convert" button on the file-conversion site. Tell the website to convert your files, and wait for it to do its job.

Burning the Files to CD

  1. Create a new smart playlist for your iTunes library. Select "Kind" in the drop-down list of parameters and then type in Protected AAC Audio File. Name this list something that you'll remember, like "DRM smart list".
  2. Create a normal playlist. Name something like "DRM Workflow." You can do this by clicking File, New Playlist. Alternately, click the Plus button at the bottom-left corner of the window.
  3. Drag the files to the new playlist. Select all of the files found by the smart playlist, and drag them into the new playlist. This will allow you to accurately track your progress while converting the files.
  4. Create another normal playlist and label it "Disc 1". You can create as many playlists as you like. However, you may find that four is plenty.
  5. Tailor the playlist to fit onto a CD. Click on your pre-conversion playlist and select about an hour of music. Starting at the top, select music, while keeping track of how long the selection is at the bottom. Drag and drop this selection to the first playlist labeled "Disc 1".
    • The playlist should be about 18-21 songs for most music. Certain styles of music (e.g. classical, metal, psychedelic, ambient) that are known for long songs may fit fewer songs to each CD. You may need to handle books on tape differently.
  6. Configure your burner so that importing is much easier. Set the gap between songs to be "none" so that there is no extra time taking up storage space between your files. Also include the CD text, which will retain much of the information (but not all) about the songs on the CD.
  7. Burn the playlist. When you burn the disk, iTunes may inform you that you are limited to burning 7 discs.[5] Depending on when you purchased the songs, you may not even get this warning. If you do, simply click "OK". Allow iTunes to completely burn the CD. This will usually take less than 10 minutes. iTunes will usually indicate that it's finished with a chime.
  8. Change your import settings to your specifications. For best interoperability, select the WAV file format. However, the WAV format produces very large files since it does not compress any information. Most commercial music players today will also accept the MP3 file format. If you are not sure, select MP3 encoding. To ensure you have the highest quality, select the highest bit rate available. For spoken speech, a lower quality is usually better.
  9. Import the songs. Importing usually takes 10 minutes. While this is working, you can continue to the next step.
  10. Mark the songs in your playlist. Make sure that you can tell the difference between your newly imported songs and your existing DRM songs. Go back to your "Disc 1" playlist and select all the songs. Right-mouse-click the selection and click "Get Info". Most, if not all, of the fields should be blank. Type in "DRM" or "M4P" in the "Comments" section, and then hit OK.
  11. Delete the duplicate songs. Once iTunes has finished importing the CD, go to your music collection. Click File, Display Duplicates. Add the "Comments" column by right-mouse-clicking the table headers and selecting "Comments". Examine the duplicate songs, making note of both the artist and song title. Select the song with "DRM" in the comments. Hold down the control button to select more than one DRM song. Scroll down until all the songs you want to delete are selected.
    1. Hit the delete button on your keyboard or right-mouse-click and click Delete. When iTunes asks, choose to have the files moved to your Trash/Recycle Bin.
  12. Recover or permanently delete your DRM files. If you wish to keep your DRM files, select them from your Trash/Recycle bin and copy them to a new folder. Repeat the steps until you've converted all of the files in question.

Tips

  • You can download file-conversion software to do this quickly and efficiently, but the programs usually are not free. Try using free online file converters, but do so at your own risk!
  • Consider using a CD-RW to create the CDs. Doing so will allow you to perform the necessary steps remotely if you have the proper software set up.

Warnings

  • Do not use these songs for personal profit. This is almost always illegal due to intellectual property laws.
  • The CD-burning method will result in loss of sound quality due the re-encoding process. However, this is usually not noticeable for most people.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204310
  2. ↑ http://computertutorflorida.com/2014/12/how-to-convert-files-without-getting-malware/
  3. ↑ http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fileextensions/gr/youconvertit-file-converter.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-convert-files-without-installing-new-software/
  5. ↑ https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2746836?start=0&tstart=0
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