How to batch convert from M4A to MP3 for free: Script for easy realization in Python.

Introduction: Inconveniences and Challenges of Conversion-Free Sites

The need to ” convert M4A to MP3 ” often arises in the following situations

  • want to convert audio files recorded with iPhone or Apple products to MP3

    M4A is widely used in Apple products, but may not play on other devices or software due to compatibility issues, so when you want to convert to MP3.

  • I want to use recorded M4A files for transcription

    You have saved the recorded data of an interview or meeting in M4A format, but you want to convert it to MP3 format and run it through a transcription tool.

  • I want to convert an audio file to a format that is easy to
    playPolylang placeholder do not modify

Challenges of using free sites

Many people rely on free online sites to convert M4A to MP3, but often experience the following inconveniences

Claims to be “free” but directs you to a paid plan
Even if the conversion appears to be free at first, you may be informed that there is a capacity limit or a limit on the number of times you can convert, and that you will need to pay to convert this size.

Batch conversion is not possible.
Free sites allow only one file to be uploaded, and when converting multiple files, you must manually upload, convert, and download them one by one, which is very inefficient.

M4A to MP3 conversion script using Python

To solve these inconveniences, we will show you how to use Python’s Pydub library for free and batch conversion on your own PC. This will allow you to convert from M4A to MP3 without any limitations.

Required Preparation

Run the following command to install Pydub in your Python environment.

pip install pydub

Also, ffmpeg is required for Pydub to work. Please follow the steps below to install it.

For Mac:.

brew install ffmpeg

For Windows:.

Download the file from the official ffmpeg website and set the path after installation.

M4A to MP3 conversion script

The following Python script allows you to batch convert all M4A files in a given folder to MP3.

from pydub import AudioSegment
import os

# M4Aファイルが保存されているディレクトリ
m4a_directory = "./input_m4a"

# MP3ファイルを保存するディレクトリ
mp3_directory = "./output_mp3"

# 出力ディレクトリが存在しない場合は作成
os.makedirs(mp3_directory, exist_ok=True)

# 指定ディレクトリ内のすべてのM4Aファイルを取得
m4a_files = [f for f in os.listdir(m4a_directory) if f.endswith('.m4a')]

for m4a_file in m4a_files:
    # M4Aファイルを読み込み
    audio = AudioSegment.from_file(os.path.join(m4a_directory, m4a_file), format="m4a")

    # サンプルレートを20KHzに変更（必要に応じて調整可能）
    audio = audio.set_frame_rate(20000)

    # MP3として保存
    audio.export(os.path.join(mp3_directory, m4a_file.replace('.m4a', '.mp3')), format="mp3")

print("変換が完了しました！")

How to use the script

  1. Save the M4A file you wish to convert in the M4Afile directory: m4a_directory (e.g. ./input_m4a ).
  2. The converted MP3 file will be saved in destination: mp3_directory (e.g. ./output_mp3 ).
  3. Run the script: Running the above code in Python will convert all the specified M4A files to MP3 and save them in the specified folder.

Advantages of Using Python Scripts

  1. Free
    • You can use it for free and without restrictions, without resorting to paid sites.
  2. Multiple files can be converted at once
    • Automatically converts all M4A files in a folder to MP3, saving you time.
  3. Voice quality can also be adjusted
    • You can freely set the sample rate and bit rate, and convert the audio quality to suit your own purposes.
    • The conversion can be done without an Internet connection.

Click here for an article on “How to compress for free: a script to easily achieve this in Python “.

【音声ファイル】を無料で圧縮する方法：Pythonで手軽に実現するスクリプト
Pythonを使って音声ファイルを効果的に圧縮する方法を紹介します。高品質なWAVをMP3に変換し、サンプルレートやビットレートの調整によってサイズを削減する具体的な手順を解説。アップロード制限やオンラインツールの課題に対応するため、効率的...
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If, after converting to MP3 audio files, you would like to further transcribe them, Interview AI is recommended.

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If you need to transcribe a long audio file, we encourage you to try Interview AI for free.

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summary

M4A to MP3 conversion is needed in many situations to help improve compatibility and extend playback environments. Free online tools are often inconvenient due to the hassle and limitations.

Using Python scripts, you can batch convert multiple files for free and adjust the quality at will. Take advantage of this technique to manage your recordings and audio files efficiently!

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