How to Convert iTunes to MP3
A large number of consumers have digital music purchased through or uploaded to the iTunes multimedia player on Mac and Windows computers. Unfortunately, the native iTunes format, AAC, for music files is not compatible with many non-Apple brands of MP-3 player. As a result, a common task that arises for end-users is to convert iTunes to MP3.
How to Convert iTunes to MP3
Step 1 – Launch the iTunes application on your computer by double clicking the program icon on the computer’s desktop.
Step 2 – Select the “Edit,” “Preferences,” and “General” menu options.
Step 3 – Click the “Import Settings” menu button.
Step 4 – Change the “Import Using” to “MP3 Encoder.” On iTunes version 8 or older, you select the “Edit,” “Preferences,” “Importing” menu options to get to the same location to change the import format type.
Step 5 – Select the “Ok” menu button to save the setting.
Step 6 – Restart iTunes.
Step 7 – Right click the music track to convert to MP3.
Step 8 – Choose the “Create MP3 Version” or “Convert Selection to MP3” depending on version of iTunes installed on the computer. There will now be copies of the song in the library; one stored in AAC format and one in MP3 that can be downloaded or burnt to CD/DVD.
Step 9 – Select “File” and “Display Duplicates” menu options. Choose the option “Kind” to display the file types simultaneously in iTunes.
Step 10 – Repeat the conversion steps until complete with all iTunes to MP3 conversions.
Convert DRM-Protected iTunes to MP3
For music purchased from iTunes prior to 2009, it may be DRM-protected and will throw an error when taking the steps listed earlier in this article. To convert tracks saved under this restriction, the music will need to be ripped to CD and then converted by iTunes.
Step 1 – Open the iTunes player.
Step 2 – Select the “Preferences” menu button followed by clicking the “Burning” icon.
Step 3 – Choose “Audio CD” as the CD format and choose the “Use Sound Check” checkbox if the playlist contains songs from multiple albums to ensure playback at the same volume followed by choosing the “Ok” button.
Step 4 – Pick the playlist to burn to CD and convert to MP3.
Step 5 – Choose the “Burn Disc” menu button and then insert a blank CD-R or CD-R/W disc into your computer’s CD/DVD drive.
Step 6 – Click the “Burn Disc” button again to rip the music to CD.
Step 7 – After the CD burn is complete; open the disc in the iTunes player.
Step 8 – Use the “Create MP3 Version” or “Convert Selection to MP3” option displayed by right clicking individual tracks to create the MP3 version of the music track.
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I tried this and in the process, ALL MY SONGS WERE LOST!! Can anyone help me try to get them back? I’m really upset about this, I had about a thousand songs.
After select the Mp3 importer and creating mp3 verions I found the mo3 versions were in the iTunes media folder on the file system it was just easier to copy them from there.
Select Edit|Preferences|Advanced and see the folder name under iTune Media folder location.
Wow, thanks for the simple directions on converting selected iTunes files to MP3! I had no idea how easy it was.
Hi My Itunes doesn’t have preferences in the Edit window so i can’t begin to convert my itunes files to MP3????
What can i do? I have xp windows.
thank you
I have converted all my songs to MP3 and how no idea how to trsf them onto my MP3 player…Help I am computer dumb!
via USB? probably Bluetooth. What’s your MP3 player so we can help you out better.
I converted the songs to MP3 and it listed the new songs at the bottom of the list of recently purchased songs that I converted. Now how do I get them to the MP3 player it is just a GPX 4GB touchscreen that I got my 12 year old for Christmas. Any help would be appreciated.
Is there a way to convert music videos to MP3…that can then be played on my car deck/usb that only plays mp3 no visual??
in other words I know how to convert itunes to mp3 but my videos won’t and I want those songs playable in my car as just a audio.
Go to Freemake.com. Download their Freemake converter. You can use it to convert video to MP3 audio only.
Thanks for the tip. I was just about to give up after struggling with this problem for over a day.
Awesome!! thanks much!!
Thanks — this was so easy!
I have followed the steps as directed.
When I right click, my only file option is still AAC.
I then go back to preferences and find it has reverted to Itunes.
What may I be doing wrong.
I have been trying to add music to a slideshow I made using Windows Movie Maker. I followed your tips and converted to MP3 but only 1 song worked!!!! Every time I convert to MP3 I can’t add it to the slideshow. I receive an error message but no reason why!! I’m so frustrated and have spent hours trying this and am about ready to give up! Any suggestions…anyone? Thanks!!
ChrisL:
What is the exact text of the error message you are receiving?
you should be able to add MP3 files into Windows Movie Maker by using the Import option from the File menu.
I don’t know who you are, but you just made my stress levels go waaaaay down.
Thank you so much for an actual complete set of instructions. NOW I can finish the anniversary present I am working on for my husband for our 20th. 
Rich — first go to “edit” “preferences.” About halfway down the pop up screen is a button that says “import settings.” Click it and in the next popup, select “MP3 Encoder” from the top drop down menu. Now try the steps mentioned above. It should work.
Hi, I am also trying to convert my music to MP3, I followed you instruction, but now I don’t know where to look on my computer for the converted file .. . could you please help – thanks
Read the comments before posting. This has been answered here.