What is an M4A file?
M4A is the audio file Apple software produces, carrying a track along with its artwork, title and chapters. Apple devices and most modern players open one, and converting to MP3 covers the older ones. You can convert M4A files here, both into the format and out of it.
Specification
| Full name | MPEG-4 Audio |
|---|---|
| Extensions | .m4a |
| Media type | audio/mp4 |
| Compression | Lossy or lossless, depending on the mode |
| Transparency | — |
| Animation | — |
| Multiple pages | — |
| Colour depth | — |
| Size limits | — |
| Introduced | 2001 |
| Developed by | Apple / ISO |
| Standard | Open |
| Browser support | Every browser, including older ones |
What M4A is used for
- iTunes and Apple Music library files
- Audiobooks and podcasts with chapter markers
- Voice memos recorded on Apple devices
- Audio extracted from MP4 video without re-encoding
Strengths and limitations
What M4A does well
- Holds the title, the artwork and the chapters properly
- Can hold a lossless track as well as a compressed one
- Plays natively across Apple, Android and browsers
Where M4A falls short
- Some older stereos and players only recognise MP3
- The extension does not tell you what is actually inside
- The Apple lossless option is less widely supported than FLAC
Convert M4A to
Every target this format can be written out as, each on its own page.
Convert to M4A
Everything that can be turned into a M4A file.
Tools that accept M4A
Questions about M4A
What is a .m4a file?
M4A is the audio file Apple software produces, carrying a track along with its artwork, title and chapters. The extension .m4a identifies it, and its media type is audio/mp4.
How do I open an M4A file?
Any current browser will open it directly, so dragging the file into a tab is usually enough. Most operating systems also preview it without extra software.
Is M4A lossy or lossless?
Lossy or lossless, depending on the mode. Check which mode a particular file used before assuming anything about its quality.
What is M4A good for?
Holds the title, the artwork and the chapters properly. Can hold a lossless track as well as a compressed one. Plays natively across Apple, Android and browsers. In practice that makes it a good fit for iTunes and Apple Music library files, and Audiobooks and podcasts with chapter markers.
What are the drawbacks of M4A?
Some older stereos and players only recognise MP3. The extension does not tell you what is actually inside. The Apple lossless option is less widely supported than FLAC.