Audio format
What is a .m4a file?
M4A is an audio file in the MP4 container, normally holding AAC. It’s the usual format of iTunes, Apple Music downloads and iPhone Voice Memos.
It can also hold ALAC, Apple’s lossless codec, so the extension alone doesn’t say whether the audio is lossy.
fileclay opens and writes M4A
M4A vs MP3 vs FLAC
| M4A | MP3 | FLAC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy or lossless | Lossy | Lossless |
| Metadata | MP4 tags | ID3 tags | Vorbis comments |
| Playback | Almost everywhere | Everywhere | Most players |
| Best for | Apple devices | Sharing | Archiving music |
When to use M4A
Good for
- Music in the Apple ecosystem
- Voice recordings from an iPhone
- Good quality at small sizes
Not a good fit
- Very old players: MP3 is safer
- Upload forms that only accept MP3
- Audio you still plan to edit, when it’s lossy
How to open .m4a files
| Platform | App | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| macOS, iPhone | Music, Files | Built in |
| Windows | Media Player | Built in |
| Android | Most music apps | Built in |
| Browsers | Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge | Usually plays AAC |
| Any system | VLC | Free |
Convert M4A files
From M4A
M4A to MP3A second lossy pass.M4A to WAVLarger file. Lost detail doesn’t come back.M4A to OpusA second lossy pass.M4A to FLACLarger file. Lost detail doesn’t come back.M4A to OGGA second lossy pass.M4A to AACA second lossy pass.
All 18 output formats: .mp3, .wav, .ogg, .aac, .flac, .opus, .oga, .m4b, .aiff, .aif, .wma, .ac3, .mka, .caf, .au, .tta, .wv, .mp2
Conversions run in your browser. Files aren’t uploaded.
Questions about M4A
Is M4A the same as MP4?
It uses the same container, but holds only audio.
Is M4A better than MP3?
With AAC, it usually sounds better at the same bitrate. MP3 is more compatible.
Why are my voice memos M4A?
iPhone Voice Memos records in that format.
Is M4A lossless?
Only if it holds ALAC. Most files hold AAC, which is lossy.