WMA to MP3 converter
Convert WMA 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 WMA to MP3, add the WMA file to the iHateFiles WMA 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 WMA to MP3?
Do this when MP3 plays somewhere WMA does not. It is a second round of lossy compression, so set the bitrate at or above the original.
Both WMA and MP3 are lossy
WMA (Windows Media Audio) has already discarded some of the sound, and MP3 (MPEG-1 Layer III) will discard a little more. The MP3 encoder works from the WMA, 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.
WMA and MP3 side by side
| WMA | MP3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the file | Windows Media Audio | MPEG-1 Layer III |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Carries sound | Yes | Yes |
| One minute of stereo | 1 MB or so | 1 to 2.4 MB |
| Plays on | Windows, and very little on phones or Macs | everything, including car stereos and hardware twenty years old |
| Here | Read and write | Read and write |
What usually goes wrong
About the WMA. A WMA bought from an early music store may be DRM-locked, and no conversion can lawfully unlock it. A WMA you ripped yourself converts without any trouble.
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 WMA to MP3
- Add your WMA 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.
MP3 converter: everything that converts to MP3
Questions
How do I convert WMA to MP3?
Open this page, add your WMA 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 WMA 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 WMA files at once?
Yes. Add as many as you like and they are converted one after another, then offered as a single ZIP.