AAC to MP3

Convert AAC to MP3 in three steps

1. Choose one or more AAC files, or try the included sample.
2. Pick your MP3 bitrate and press Convert to MP3. Keep this tab open while it works.
3. Listen to the preview and save individual files or download the batch as a ZIP.

Raw AAC streams

Files ending in .aac contain a bare AAC audio stream, without the MPEG-4 wrapper that makes an .m4a. They come from some radio recorders, streaming captures, and Android apps. Many editors and players do not recognise the extension, while MP3 is accepted nearly everywhere. This converter reads the stream directly and encodes MP3.

AAC to MP3 quality

AAC is more efficient than MP3 at the same bitrate, so match or exceed the original bitrate when converting: 128 kbps for a speech capture, 192 to 256 kbps for music. The conversion cannot recover detail the AAC encoder discarded. If your file has the .m4a extension instead, use the M4A to MP3 page; both rely on the same engine, but the guidance on Voice Memos applies there.

Troubleshooting and tips

Files with the .aac extension from internet radio recorders may begin partway through a frame, which produces a brief click at the start; trim it afterwards if you notice it. If your file plays in a desktop player but not here, it may be wrapped in an unusual container, and re-saving it as M4A will fix that. The MP3 you download plays almost everywhere.