AAC to MP3 converter
Convert AAC to MP3 in seconds, free and unlimited. No upload, no sign-up, no watermark: your audio never leaves your device.
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Quick answer: To convert AAC to MP3, add the AAC file to the iHateFiles AAC to MP3 converter and press Convert. The conversion runs in your browser, so the file is never uploaded, and it is free with no sign-up, watermark or size limit. MP3 is the format that plays on everything, including hardware old enough to vote.
Should you convert AAC to MP3?
Do this when MP3 plays somewhere AAC does not. It is a second round of lossy compression, so set the bitrate at or above the original.
Both AAC and MP3 are lossy
AAC (AAC, with no MP4 wrapper around it) has already discarded some of the sound, and MP3 (MPEG-1 Layer III) will discard a little more. The MP3 encoder works from the AAC, not the original recording, so pick a bitrate at or above the source. A lower one saves space and costs quality you cannot get back.
Where the MP3 will play
MP3 plays on everything, including car stereos and hardware twenty years old.
AAC and MP3 side by side
| AAC | MP3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the file | AAC, with no MP4 wrapper around it | MPEG-1 Layer III |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Carries sound | Yes | Yes |
| One minute of stereo | 1 to 1.9 MB | 1 to 2.4 MB |
| Plays on | most phones, browsers and players, though some editors want M4A | everything, including car stereos and hardware twenty years old |
| Here | Read only | Read and write |
What usually goes wrong
About the AAC. M4A, M4B, M4R and AAC are largely the same thing with different extensions. Renaming usually works, though it is not something to rely on.
About the MP3. Converting an MP3 to another lossy format compounds the damage, because the second encoder is guessing at audio the first one already threw away.
How to convert AAC to MP3
- Add your AAC file. It is read from your disk and stays there.
- Check the settings. The output format is already set to MP3.
- Press convert and the MP3 file is saved back to your device.
Questions
How do I convert AAC to MP3?
Open this page, add your AAC file, and press convert. The file is decoded and re-encoded by your own browser and saved back to your device. Nothing is uploaded.
Is this AAC to MP3 converter free?
Yes, completely. There is no account, no sign-in, no watermark and no daily limit, because there is no server doing the work. Your own device does it.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. There is no upload endpoint. The conversion runs inside this browser tab, so your file never leaves your device. You can open your browser's network panel and watch: nothing carrying your file is sent.
Is there a file size limit?
No fixed limit. Because the work happens on your machine there is no server quota. The only ceiling is your own device's memory, which for video means very large files may be slow.
Will converting to MP3 lose quality?
MP3 is a lossy format, so some detail is discarded. The quality control on this page decides how much. The default is set high enough that most people cannot see the difference.
Can I convert several AAC files at once?
Yes. Add as many as you like and they are converted one after another, then offered as a single ZIP.