How to convert AAC to MP3
Even if you don't own an iPod, it can be easy to get sucked into the AAC trap. It's the default format used by the popular iTunes Software to rip CDs, and the program will prompt you to convert WMAs to AACs upon initial use if you have the Windows format living in your music folder. That's not to say AAC--or WMA, for that matter--is a bad format to use; in fact, some users prefer it to MP3. Plus, more and more portable devices are adding AAC support. However, MP3 is still the most widely supported file type (they ain't called "MP3 players" for nothing).
If you have a library full of AACs and want to convert them to MP3s, you've come to the right place. I've put together not one, but two step-by-step tutorials to help you through the process. The first method is entirely free, and it's a good choice if you are on a tight budget, or if you only have a handful of files to convert. The downside is that the software used does not preserve all of the metadata of the file, so you will have to input ID3 tag info by hand at the end of the process. The second method utilizes a software that requires a license fee (after a 30-day trial period), but it fills in all the ID3 tag info automatically.
Note: either tutorial can also be used for converting among the various formats the programs support. For example, you can convert WMA to MP3, FLAC to AAC, or OGG to WMA.
How to convert AAC to MP3 for free
Cost: free
Level: beginner
Time commitment: 15 to 20 minutes per album
System requirements: Windows
How to convert AAC to MP3 the easy way
Cost: 30-day free trial, then $30
Level: beginner
Time commitment: 5 minutes per album
System requirements: Windows
For more than five years, Jasmine France has covered a variety of tech products for CNET--from scanners to keyboards to GPS devices--but she's happiest where she is now: sitting atop a pile of MP3 players, "testing" every music service known to man, and jamming a variety of earbuds in every shape and color into her absurdly small ears. E-mail Jasmine.
Donald Bell is an electronic musician, a veteran record store employee, and a fearless hardware hacker. He's also CNET's Senior Editor for MP3 and digital audio.
Jasmine France is CNET's resident digital audio doyenne, writing and editing product reviews, crave blogs, and feature stories on all things MP3. And if you need advice on headphones, she's your girl.
Just make sure, that in the preferences, you've got the option to rip cd's to mp3, not aac.
Then order your library by Media Type, selct all the non-mp3 files, right click, CONVERT to mp3.
Then delete aac file.
As simple as pie.
What a great post - thanks!
So simple in iTunes. Set your importer to be mp3. Then select all your songs and choose "Create mp3 version" from the "Advanced" menu
Thats it! All the songs will be converted, all id3 info preserved. It doesn't get any easier or cheaper than that.
Doesn't do a thing with your .m4p files, but for all the rest of your .m4a AAC files...works like a charm converting them to almost any other device-friendly format you can think of. Even does a pretty good job managing all that media on most MP3 players, too...including iPods.
If you can't convert protected songs than what is the point of downloading this?
I have a sore spot for DRM, as I recorded a bunch of Movies with Windows Media Center, and stored them on a USB connected hard drive. I thought I could carry this drive around, or even just reformat my computer from time to time. But lo and behold, the movies are crapped up with DRM. These are movies that came in to my house over clear unincrypted channels. There is no legal way, or easy way, to remove the DRM. The movies are a complete loss, because I lost my main hard disk and needed to reformat. So the DRM data is corrupt. There is no way to access these movies now, even though they sit happily on my external and undamaged hard drive. I am really unhappy after spending thousands on a Windows Media Center PC and associated hardware. How much gall did it take to DRM the movies that are on unencrypted channels on my TV? What the hell? I could have put a tape in the VCR and it would be easier. This was Microsoft kowtowing to Hollywood, and creates an untenable situation whereby the actual things that the computer is best at, that is serving over networks, are completely blocked. Oh, and by the way, Microsoft will allow you to play the movies over a network, but you have to buy more hardware and software from Microsoft to do it, and there is absolutely no chance at a backup, because the backup cannot play through the DRM block. Oh, and I didn't mention the fact that Microsoft's DRM system is known to periodically break down, causing irretrievable loss of content, as what happened to me.
Don't tell me that cannot happen to Apple, especially after their battery debacle. Which was, if you don't remember, "so you need a new battery?, just buy a new Ipod". The EU has presently made that particular type of racketeering illegal.
John.
Just Open I-Tunes, Select the songs in Format AAC, burn the song in the CD as AUDIO CD WITH Max. 360 Kbps to keep High Quality of song, and then bring it back to I-Tunes as MP3 with high Quality as 360 Kbps.
That way will have the new files as MP3 with HIGH quality and with the correct format to play at any device.
So, don't bother to subscribe to any membership, everything that is Only is FREE
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by kersey31
March 29, 2009 6:22 AM PDT
- Great article. I want to move my iTunes library, including songs I bought on iTunes, to my new phone that only plays MP3.
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(28 Comments)One problem - when I download the Easy CD-DA Extractor software you recommended, my anti-virus software says the file has a virus. I contacted the publisher and they claim it's a false positive from the anti-virus software. Before I load up the software, I want to be sure there's no virus. Any advise? Can anyone confirm that the file is safe to use?
Thanks