Instant ⚡
to
Converter
Extract the audio from a video as M4A, the AAC format Apple devices use.
Output M4A settings
Runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded, ready in seconds.
Why convert MP4 to M4A
- Apple devices. iPhone, iPad and Mac play M4A without any fuss. MP4 videos don't play as audio in most music apps.
- Portable audio players. Some older iPods and portable players read M4A but not MP4.
- Ringtones and alerts. An iPhone ringtone is an M4A renamed to .m4r, 40 seconds or shorter. Trim the video first, then convert it here.
About the quality and file size
We pull the audio from the video and drop the picture. Most videos already carry AAC, the same sound format M4A uses, but we still squeeze it again. At 192 kbps a little detail goes, at 256 or 320 kbps almost none. To edit or keep it perfect, convert to WAV instead.
Who takes M4A
| Platform | Takes it? | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| DistroKid | Yes | M4A is on the list. WAV or FLAC still gives the best result. |
| Spotify | No | Wants FLAC or WAV through your distributor. |
| Apple Music | No | Even for Apple: send the 24-bit WAV master, not an M4A. Apple encodes the AAC itself. |
| Bandcamp | No | WAV, AIFF or FLAC only. |
Each name links to the platform's own help page. Checked 2026-09-03.
Get the video off your phone
Tap the pad and the phone opens its picker. Where the video hides depends on the phone.
iPhone
- Photo Library. Videos you shot, saved from TikTok or Instagram, or downloaded with a browser extension are here.
- WhatsApp, Telegram, iMessage. Open the video in the chat, tap Share, then Save Video. It lands in Photo Library.
- Choose File. Opens the Files app: iCloud Drive, Downloads from Safari, and Google Drive or Dropbox if their apps are installed. Missing a cloud? In Files tap Browse, the three dots, Edit, and switch it on.
Android
- Videos or Gallery. Camera clips, screen recordings and saved TikToks. If the picker opens on Recent, tap the menu and pick Videos.
- Downloads. Anything you downloaded in Chrome.
- WhatsApp. Videos show up under Videos too. If not, Internal storage, Android, media, com.whatsapp, WhatsApp, Media, WhatsApp Video.
- Google Drive. Sits in the same picker menu when the Drive app is installed.
What you get
- An M4A at the bitrate you picked, 44.1 kHz. Making M4A needs Chrome or Edge on a computer, phones cannot do it yet.
- Files up to 10 minutes, from your device only. A YouTube or TikTok link does not work, download the file first.
- Title, artist and cover art are not copied over.
- The file keeps its name plus what changed, like beat-128kbps-mono.m4a.
MP4 to M4A FAQ
Why choose M4A over MP3?
Both squeeze the audio, but M4A sounds better than MP3 at the same bitrate. Making M4A works only in Chrome or Edge on a computer.
Is M4A the same as AAC?
AAC is how the audio is squeezed, M4A is the file type that holds it. We output M4A.
What bitrate should I pick?
192 kbps is good for most listening. Use 128 kbps to save space, 256 or 320 kbps if you need near-original quality.
More conversions
- MP4 to MP3 — pull the sound out of a video
- MP4 to WAV — video sound as a studio file
- MP3 to M4A — for iPhone ringtones and Apple apps
- WAV to M4A — smaller than MP3, same quality
Need another pair? See all converters
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