How do MP3 and M4Acompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
MPEG Audio Layer III
MP3 is the most popular audio format in the world. It revolutionized digital music by compressing audio files to a fraction of their original size while maintaining good quality. Nearly every device and application supports MP3.
MPEG-4 Audio
M4A is an audio-only MPEG-4 container, typically containing AAC or ALAC encoded audio. It's Apple's preferred format for music files in iTunes and Apple Music.
| Specification | MP3 | M4A |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | MPEG Audio Layer III | MPEG-4 Audio |
| Extension | .mp3 | .m4a |
| MIME type | audio/mpeg | audio/mp4 |
| Category | Audio | Audio |
| Developer | Fraunhofer Society / Moving Picture Experts Group | Apple / ISO |
| Year introduced | 1993 | 2001 |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
Both are excellent audio formats. MP3 is preferred for music libraries and playlists, while M4A shines at itunes music library.
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