iTunes Store used to be one of the largest music vendors in the world. Nowadays, not all of us still have the habit of buying songs from iTunes Store since it has been replaced by many alternative options that are providing better music streaming services. But if you have some older M4P songs purchased on iTunes dating back from 2003 through 2009 – when Apple encrypts songs in the iTunes Store using FairPlay DRM, you might currently have troubles in opening, editing, or moving these old protected iTunes M4P songs.
Luckily, there're multiple ways allowing you to remove DRM and re-download the non-protected version of these files legally and efficiently. For example, you can upgrade your music to iTunes Plus via iTunes Match; convert protected M4P to MP3 with dedicated conversion programs; or burn all purchased M4P tracks into a CD and re-import them as plain MP3 in iTunes.
NoteBurner M4P Converter for Mac. NoteBurner M4P Converter for Mac is the legal way to convert iTunes files to unprotected music files on Mac. It is an audio and music converter designed for burning music to a special virtual CD-RW drive where you can easily get unprotected MP3 and AAC files ready for use on any portable players. Free your iTunes/Apple Music songs from DRM protection and play them whenever you want, with whatever you want. Convert DRM M4P to MP3, AAC, AC3, AIFF, AU, FLAC, M4A, M4R, and MKA. Use Ondesoft iTunes Converter for Mac as a basic audio converter as well: it works with all unprotected file formats. 16X faster DRM removal. With easy-to-use and clean interface, myFairTunes is a M4P to MP3 converter freeware, which is well designed to remove FairPlay DRM from those iTunes M4P audio files and convert iTunes M4P to unprotected MP3 files.
In this guide, I will point you in the direction of converting protected audio files (.m4p extension) purchased from iTunes Store into MP3 format so that you can import these songs to a SD card, GarageBand or other media players.
1. What is M4P? How to Open a .m4p File?
Simply put, M4P is a protected MPEG-4 AAC audio files that were sold through the iTunes Store. M4P files can only be played via iTunes on a computer or devices such as iPhone, iPad or iPod. You must authorize your computer or devices using iTunes account in order to play, download, transfer or burn the files. Up to 10 devices and 5 computers can be authorized to the same Apple account.
In case you want to know more about M4P file type, you can read our previous article which explains what M4P file format is and how to open an .m4p file in simple words.
M4P, M4A, M4B, M4R, what is the Difference?
All iTunes audio files sold by Apple use MPEG-4 AAC format for audio encoding. But different filename extensions such as .m4p, .m4a, or .m4b are used to indicate various types of audio files. For example:
* M4P is a MPEG-4 container format that is commonly used to store audio streams encrypted by FairPlay Digital Rights Management. Older iTunes protected songs and Apple Music tracks are AAC files using .m4p file extension.
* M4A is the file name extension commonly used in iTunes Plus tracks which are unprotected iTunes purchased AAC audio files.
* M4B is a specific filename extension used for audiobook files because M4B can store metadata including chapter marker.
Software giorgio moroder midi files. * iPhone ringtone uses the .m4r extension rather than .m4a extension.
Takeaway: For those who bought the music years ago with the Apple ID that is no longer active, it is almost impossible for you to unprotect or convert the file to other formats because you cannot authorize them.
If you have a bunch of older M4P tracks that are still playable in iTunes, and you attempt to convert them to MP3 to play in other location, you can choose the methods we introduce in the following parts.
2. How to Convert Protected M4P File to MP3 on Windows/Mac
Method 1. Using iTunes Match
The basic feature of the $24.99/year iTunes Match is to help you store all your music files in iCloud so that you can always access your iTunes library on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or on up to 5 computers. But it comes with an exclusive feature which enables you to get rid of DRM easily. It can upgrade songs from old DRM formats to 256 Kbps DRM-free AAC format, which is also known as iTunes Plus. Any of the songs you download from iTunes Match subscription are the DRM-free copies of the matched songs, and you can keep them on your device forever even if you cancel your subscription.
Now follow the steps below to convert iTunes M4P to MP3 with iTunes Match.
Step 1. Subscribe to iTunes Match
Open iTunes on your PC > go to the Store menu and scroll to the bottom of the screen, click 'iTunes Match'.
On the iTunes Match intro page, click 'Subscribe' button, then enter your Apple ID and password.
Confirm the billing info and click 'Subscribe' once again to confirm your subscription.
Step 2. Match or Upload Songs to iTunes Match
After you subscribe successfully, iTunes Match will scan your iTunes music library to see which songs in your library are currently available in the iTunes Store and which ones don't. If songs are in the iTunes Store, they will be added to iCloud automatically, while the other songs will be uploaded from your computer to iCloud. Once the uploading is done, you should see the songs described as 'Matched'.
Step 3. Download and Convert Music to MP3
Click the 'Download' icon to download the unprotected version of the past protected purchases, the songs will be saved as Matched AAC audio file (.m4a). Then you can convert them to MP3 audio file in iTunes with the following steps:
1.Open iTunes and click 'Edit' on the top menu. (Mac users open iTunes.)
2.Click 'Preferences' > 'Import Settings' and select 'MP3 Encoder' in the 'Import Using' tab, and click 'OK' to save the settings.
3.Select the songs you want to convert the MP3 format, you can press 'Ctrl + A' key to select all songs at once or hit 'Ctrl' and click your mouse to select random songs.
4.Go to 'File' > 'Convert' > 'Create MP3 Version', the songs will be converted to MP3 immediately.
5.When it's done, right click at the converted songs and select 'Show in Windows Explorer' or 'Show in Finder' to get access to your downloaded music.
Note: Some of you might get confused about Apple Music and iTunes Match which are two of Apple's subscription service. If that so, you can read a bit more about the differences between Apple Music and iTunes Match and choose the proper service when needed.
Method 2. Converting via TuneFab Apple Music Converter
There're many dedicate audio converters that can decode the FairPlay DRM and create MP3 versions of your files. Here I highly recommend that you use TuneFab Apple Music Converter, which has a solid reputation among millions of customers and 100+ authority sites. It's a paid app that cost $39.99 for a single lifetime license, but it offers you with 30 days free trial which allows you to convert iTunes songs, Apple Music songs, audiobook, etc. to MP3 for free.
The following are the directions of converting protected M4P to MP3 with TuneFab M4P Converter:
1.Launch TuneFab M4P Converter on your PC or Mac. And iTunes (Windows) or Music app (Mac) will be activated automatically. Make sure you've logged into iTunes or Music app with the Apple ID you used for purchasing the music.
2.Next, select the songs you want to convert the MP3 and go to the Output Settings to select the output format (MP3), output quality (256 Kbps, 44.1 kHz), etc.
3.Click the 'Convert' button and wait until the program completes the task. It might take a while if you have a large number of songs to convert to MP3. After conversion, you can move the music to any device you like or play with any media player that supports MP3 format.
Method 3. Burn M4Ps onto CD, then Rip MP3s from Burned CD in iTunes
The free workaround is to burn those songs from iTunes to an Audio CD (not an MP3 or Data CD) -> then import songs from CD to iTunes > finally convert the CD tracks to MP3 audio files using iTunes. This method won't cost you're a penny, but it's not as convenient as the options we mention above.
To complete the task, you will need:
1. iTunes (Apple's reliable CD ripping tool)
2. PC or Mac
3. A blank Audio CD (CD-RW)
4. A CD reader (If your computer doesn't have an optical drive)
Follow the directions below to convert DRM-ed M4P to MP3 via a burned CD:
1.Insert your CD to a CD reader or put the CD into your computer's optical drive.
2.Create a new playlist and drag and drop the M4P tracks into it.
3.Go to 'Preferences' in iTunes > click 'Import Settings > choose 'MP3 Encoder' in Import Setting.
4.Right click at the playlist, and choose 'Burn Playlist to Disc'.
5.Configure the Burn Settings: select Audio CD and click 'Burn'. It will take a while for iTunes to finish the process.
6.When completed, you can open the CD in iTunes and select the song of the CD.
7.Go to 'File' > 'Convert' > select 'Create MP3 Version' in the pop-up menu.
Foxboro vortex flow meter manual. 8.When you're done, you can eject the CD from iTunes and find all the MP3 tracks in your iTunes library.
Method 4. Using Audio Recorder
Convert Apple M4p To Mp3
If you want to use your old protected M4P song as the background music of your video project, yet prefer not to pay for a service or tool to unlock the song, you can try to record the protected music and save as MP3 files with free, open-source sound recording program, such as Audacity.
But the downside of using audio recorder is that the quality of the audio will be decreased. If you want to keep the original sound quality of your tracks after converting, it's better using iTunes Match which can provide DRM-free songs with better quality or TuneFab Apple Music Converter which is capable of preserving the original sound quality of the song.
3. How to Convert M4P to MP3 Free Online
As I learned the free online M4P to MP3 converters cannot convert iTunes protected M4P files because of the encryption. It requires iTunes authorization to open or use these songs. However, if your have DRM-free M4P and want to make them available of other devices, you can try the online M4P converter like FileZigZag.
FileZigZag supports converting all sorts of file type, including documents, images, e-books, audios, videos, etc. You can convert up to 10 files daily for free. It supports more than more than 180 file formats and can perform more than 3150 different conversion.
Note: Most free audio converters that claim to remove DRM protection are nonfunctional. It is not worth downloading and trying these free converters if you attempt to convert protected audio files.
4. Does Converting M4P to MP3 Lose Quality?
Convert M4p To Mp3 Best Converter For Mac Converter
It actually depends on what tool that you use to perform the conversion. The iTunes protected M4P is the old DRM-protected AAC format with a 128 Kbps bitrate.
* With iTunes Match, as we mentioned before, you can upgrade the songs from 128 Kbps AAC to 256 Kbps AAC format with no DRM restriction.
* While using TuneFab M4P converter, you can possibly maintain the best quality by manually setting the bitrate and sample rate from the output setting section. When the song is converted, you cannot notice any difference between the converted song and the original one.
* If using the free audio recorder, you can clearly hear the quality loss when listening back to your recording.
5. Conclusion
The above are the easy methods available for converting iTunes protected M4P file to MP3 format. After conversion, you can import the MP3 files to SD card and play it in your car, or put them on non-Apple devices for offline playback on the go. If you have any questions regarding this topic, please leave a comment below, we'll love to hear the feedback from you!
by Christine Smith • 2020-11-20 17:16:14 • Proven solutions
M4P is a popular audio format used by Apple in iTunes, so any music downloaded from iTunes Store are encoded using the MPEG-4 format and AAC-protected files by the company. Though M4P is available for the iOS device system, people still prefer the universal MP3 format due to the listed reasons below.
● Smartphones and multimedia players continuously use the MP3 format.
● M4P can only be reproduced with iTunes by Apple, but not everyone owns an iOS device.
● Protected M4P files cannot be easily transferred.
● M4P to MP3 conversion is required if you need to burn a CD for playing with a universal player media.
● M4P is not compatible with Windows Media Player, the most popular media player.
If you need to convert M4P files to MP3 format to be compatible with your mobile device, then this article will help you find a complete help guide to know which software is better to get the faster conversion using an M4P to MP3 converter tool. With our recommendation, you will no longer have such problems. Now read on and don't miss the best and free ways to convert M4P to MP3 on Windows/Mac.
Part 1. How to Convert M4P to MP3 with iTunes
Here we'd like to introduce you to how to convert M4P to MP3 with iTunes and how to burn M4P to CD with iTunes.
1. How to Convert M4P to MP3 in iTunes
Generally, M4P to MP3 conversion with iTunes is comprised of Download iTunes on your computer > Select your desired format > Convert the files.
Delphi autocom 2017. Step 1. First of all, download iTunes based on your computer system. Then launch it after installation and go to iTunes tab > Preferences on Mac, or Edit > Preferences if you're using Windows.
Step 2. Go to the General button and click on Import Settings, select MP3 Encoder from the Import pop-up menu and click on OK to save the settings.
Note: 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.
Step 3. Select the songs in your library, then click on File > Create New Version > Create MP3 Version. Now you will convert them, wait for the files to be ready, and you will find your MP3 songs in the iTunes library after a while.
2. How to Burn M4P to CD with iTunes
iTunes also allows you to burn M4P to CD with iTunes. You can follow the next tutorial to know how to proceed with this new stage: Create a playlist for your iTunes library > Configure your burner > Burn your playlist > Difference the songs in your playlist > Delete duplicated songs. Check the steps with more detailed and better information.
Step 1. It's necessary to create your playlist with your favorite songs by clicking on File > New > Playlist and give a name to your new list for identification. Note that you can add between 18-21 songs to the playlist.
Step 2. Go to File > Burn Playlist to Disc, and a window called Burn Settings should appear on your screen. You can configure your burner here by selecting the speed/gap between songs and specifying the Disc Format. Once finished, select Burn to proceed.
Note: If you want to change the frame bitrate for better quality, you can go to General > Import Settings and select MP3 Encoder from Import Using.
Step 3. To recognize the new converted songs among all existing DRM songs, you need to go to the newly-created playlist and right-click the songs to select Get Info, and the fields should be blank. Select DRM or M4P in the Comments section and click OK to proceed.
Step 4. Now you have a new CD. Go to your new album and click on File > Display Duplicates and add the comments. Proceed to select all the DRM songs, right-click and select Delete From Library.
Part 2. How to Convert M4P to MP3 Without iTunes
The M4P file format is an Apple file identity because most iTunes audio files take this file format. This format has a common term as iTunes files. To overcome compatibility issues, you have to learn effective ways to convert M4P to MP3. This type of file format is used to compress with data loss, and it has 'Fair Play' digital rights management (DRM). The M4P files play well on the iTunes platform and become unrecognized in other environments. It is highly recommended to convert this file type to universal file format MP3 to get rid of compatibility issues. In this section, we'd like to suggest 2 M4P to MP3 converters.
1. Wondershare UniConverter
Wondershare UniConverter - Best M4P to MP3 Converter for Windows/Mac
- Convert M4P to 1000+ formats like MP3, WAV, WMA, FLAC, and more others without losing quality.
- Reduce M4P file sizes by changing bitrate, sample rate, encoder, quality, and other parameters.
- It has a 30X faster speed than other common videos/audio converters.
- Burn music to CD and convert CD to audio files easily and quickly.
- It supports download or record videos from video sharing sites like YouTube and converts to MP3.
- Versatile toolbox combines fixed video metadata, GIF maker, cast video to TV, video compressor, and screen recorder.
- Stream your videos from Windows or Mac to other devices, including Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, Xbox 360, or PS3.
- Supported OS: Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista, macOS 11 Big Sur, 10.15 (Catalina), 10.14, 10.13, 10.12, 10.11, 10.10, 10.9, 10.8, 10.7, 10.6.
Steps to Convert iTunes M4P to MP3 Easily on Windows/Mac
Now follow the next tutorial to learn how to convert M4P to MP3 even if it is protected: Record M4P music on your devices > Add recorded video files > Select MP3 as output format > Start MP3 extraction.
Step 1 Record M4P files you need to convert.
Open the M4P file on your Apple devices or Windows PC with iTunes or any supported player, and then play and record it. Launch Wondershare UniConverter and go to the Screen Recorder section, choose the option to start recording. Learn detailed steps about How to Record Screen with Audio with UniConverter >>.
Step 2 Add recorded M4P files to convert.
Your M4P files will be recorded in the MP4 video format, and the file folder will open after the recording process. Add the converted files by dragging and dropping or hitting the button.
Step 3 Choose MP3 as output format for M4P files.
Click the drop-down icon beside the Output Format: option, and the output formats list will open. Select Audio > MP3 and choose the quality you require.
Note: If you need to make some manual adjustment, you can click Create to open the Setting window. When finish settings, just click the Create to proceed.
Step 4 Extract MP3 from Recorded M4P Files Without Losing Quality
Select the Start All button to start converting M4P files recorded in MP4 video to MP3 format. Once the conversion completes, you can click the Output tab to fetch the extracted MP3 audio.
Now you can enjoy the protected M4P files in MP3 format on any device without limitations. Go to the Finished tab, and you can also burn the converted MP3 files to a CD.
2. M4P Converter
This converter provides an authorized way to remove the DRM protection of the M4P files. This platform helps the professionals for quality conversion of M4P to any file format at a 16X conversion rate retaining the details like metadata. This application is available for Windows and Mac systems.
And the user-friendly interface makes the conversion process simple. You have to download the program to launch it and select the M4P music files in your playlist. Click the Convert button to complete the conversion task effortlessly.
Pros
• It has an intuitive interface.
• The easy procedure for the conversion process.
Cons
• You have to pay if you want to use all the functionalities in this tool.
• Poor customer service.
Part 3. 3 Online M4P to MP3 Converters for Recommendation
During emergency circumstances, the online M4P to MP3 converters play a vital role than commercial software in the market. There is no need for any download process, and it is enough to upload the desired files on the online platform and make necessary conversions quickly without any interruptions. The below online converters are highly reliable and assist you precisely.
1. Freeconvert
This online tool triggers the M4P to MP3 conversions effortlessly. You have to drag and drop the desired M4P files into this working area and hit the Convert button to commence the conversion procedure. The conversion program runs behind the screen and finally displays the MP3 file for download. You can save the data at your local drive for future reference.
Pros
• Quick quality conversion without any interruptions.
• Easy to import the files on the working environment.
• Simple conversion procedure.
Cons
• Requires an uninterrupted network connection for flawless conversion.
• While working with large size files, the conversion takes place for hours.
2. Filezigzag
This online application converts M4P files into the desired file format quickly. It is a safe environment, and you can rely on the service without any hesitation. Go to its online URL and import the file for conversion either by drag and drop method or by tapping Browse for Files option. You can convert ten files per day with limited file size. A single click action on the Convert button triggers the procedure flawlessly.
Pros
• Excellent platform for reliable conversion.
• The files uploaded on this environment is protected.
• User-friendly interface.
Cons
• Limited file size for conversion.
• You can try to convert up to 10 files per day.
• Requires a strong Internet connection.
3. MP3cutter
MP3 cutter is a free online converter. You can step into its official website to trigger the conversion process. Here you can upload the M4P files directly from the local drive-through Computer tab, or you can paste the URL of the file using the URL tab. It depends on your requirement. After choosing the file, you must tap the Convert button to begin the conversion process. The converted files are saved on your computer for future use. The procedure is simple and user friendly.
Pros
• Easy conversion by a few clicks.
• The files can be uploaded quickly into this environment.
• This platform allows batch conversion where you can try out multiple conversions at a time.
Cons
• You can upload up to 20MB files. An error message displays when you try to upload larger file sizes.
• You need uninterrupted network connectivity.
Conclusion
There is always a need for M4P to MP3 converter while handling tracks on smartphones. The above discussion enlightens with online, free converters, which serves your requirement during emergencies. For precise and quality conversion, you can go for Wondershare UniConverter. It is a reliable tool and performs well without interruptions. It is a highly recommended converter and meets your expectations without compromising on any factors. Hurry up and do not hesitate to try out this incredible converter.
