To convert to mp3 in itunes or Apple Music, use the tool already sitting inside the app. On a Mac, open Music, choose Music > Settings (Preferences on older macOS) > Files > Import Settings, and set Import Using to MP3 Encoder. Then select songs and pick File > Convert > Create MP3 Version. On Windows, iTunes hides the same control at Edit > Preferences > General > Import Settings. The software makes an MP3 copy and leaves the original file untouched in your collection. But not everything qualifies. Songs you stream or download through an Apple Music subscription carry DRM. The command stays greyed out for them. The built-in route works for files you own. When it does not, a browser-based tool like mp3converter.live is the simpler fallback.

Setting Up the MP3 Encoder in ITunes or Apple Music

Before you convert a single track, tell the app to use MP3 as the output format. That happens inside Import Settings.

On a Mac

  1. Open the Music app (or iTunes on older macOS).
  2. Click Music in the top menu bar, then choose Settings (or Preferences on older macOS).
  3. Go to the Files tab, then click Import Settings.
  4. Set Import Using to MP3 Encoder.
  5. Choose a bitrate. The encoder offers bitrates up to 320 kbps. Higher numbers mean better sound and bigger files.
  6. Click OK to save.

On Windows

  1. Open iTunes.
  2. Click Edit in the top menu bar, then choose Preferences.
  3. Go to the General tab, then click Import Settings.
  4. Set Import Using to MP3 Encoder and choose a bitrate.
  5. Click OK to save.

Once that is done, you are ready to convert.

How to Create an MP3 Version of Your Songs

With the encoder configured, converting a track takes three steps.

  1. In your Music or iTunes collection, select one or more songs. Hold Command (Mac) or Control (Windows) to pick several at once.
  2. Go to the File menu.
  3. Choose Convert, then Create MP3 Version.

The app builds an MP3 copy of each selected track. The original stays put. The new file appears right beside it. Drag it to a folder, drop it into a playlist, or move it to another device.

This works for songs already sitting on your drive as local files: music ripped from CDs, downloads from other shops, and purchases from the iTunes Store.

Which Songs Can and Cannot Be Converted

The Create MP3 Version command only touches files without DRM. Here is the split:

  • iTunes Store purchases: Music sold through the store has been DRM-free (iTunes Plus, 256 kbps AAC) since 2009. Those purchases convert without trouble.
  • Apple Music subscription: Streamed or downloaded subscription tracks are DRM-locked. The Create MP3 Version option stays greyed out or missing for them.
  • Ripped CDs and other local files: Any song file you own that carries no DRM works. AAC, WAV, FLAC, and other formats all qualify.

If you want subscription tracks as MP3s, the built-in tool cannot help. You need a different approach, like a browser-based converter.

Converting AAC to MP3 What You Should Know

Converting AAC to MP3 is a lossy-to-lossy move. Both formats throw away audio data to shrink the file. Recompressing already compressed material means the MP3 copy will sound slightly worse than the AAC original.

For most ears the difference is subtle, especially at higher bitrates. Set the encoder to 320 kbps and the quality drop is tiny. But if you are an audiophile, keep the original AAC and skip the conversion.

To convert aac to mp3 mac, the steps are identical. Select the AAC file, confirm the encoder is set to MP3, and pick Create MP3 Version.

Limitations of the Built-in Method

The built-in route is convenient. It also has hard walls.

  • DRM protection: Subscription tracks from Apple Music will not convert. If you can't convert apple music songs to mp3, DRM is the reason.
  • Batch conversion: You can select multiple tracks, but there is no bulk-export for your whole collection. You select songs manually each time.
  • No direct download: The MP3 lands inside your collection. To get a standalone file, drag it out to a folder on your computer.
  • Limited encoding controls: The MP3 Encoder only lets you pick a bitrate. Sample rate, channel mode, and other parameters stay locked.
  • Desktop only: The control lives on Mac and Windows. You cannot run this conversion on an iPhone or iPad.

When an Online Converter is Simpler

If those limits block you, or if you would rather not dig into the app's preferences, a browser-based tool is the faster path. Got a song file you want as MP3 without launching iTunes or Music? Upload it to a service like mp3converter.live. This makes sense when:

  • You only need to convert a handful of tracks.
  • You are on a machine where you cannot or do not want to touch the app's configuration.
  • You want to convert audio files that live outside your collection, like recordings from other sources.
  • You want to sidestep the lossy-to-lossy concern by feeding a higher-quality source straight into the MP3 encode.

Online converters run in the browser. Upload the original, pick MP3 as the output, and download the result. No install. But they cannot strip DRM either. They only work with files you already own.

Creating an MP3 Version for Playback on Other Devices

To apple music create mp3 version for a gadget that chokes on AAC, the built-in method does the job. Once you have the MP3, copy it to any MP3 player, car stereo, or similar device. You avoid extra downloads and you keep your files off third-party servers.

The MP3 is a copy. Your original stays untouched, whether it is AAC, WAV, or something else. Keep the original for home listening and use the MP3 on portable gear where file size counts.

Converting a big batch? Work in small groups to keep your collection tidy. After the encode, build a smart playlist that filters for MP3 files, or just drag the new copies into a folder on your desktop.