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MPEG-4 compressed audio
File type: Mobile ringtone file, Audio and sound file
Files with m4a extension are audio files stored in MPEG-4 (MP4) container and use AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), or Apple Lossless (ALAC) audio compression. M4A is very popular on Mac computers, because it is default audio format used by iTunes. M4A is also default audio format for Apple portable devices (iPod, iPhone, iPad).
File type category:
Mobile ringtone file
Audio and sound file
Date updated: July 13, 2025
File extension m4a is used with the audio files that are stored in MP4 (MPEG-4) media container and contain audio in AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) MPEG-4 lossy compression format, or in Apple Lossless (ALAC) audio format.
M4A is a shortcut for MPEG 4 Audio. M4A audio format is default format used by iTunes for Mac, as well as default audio format for Apple portable devices (iPod, iPhone, iPad).
MPEG-4 audio format was introduced in 2001 as a part of Apple QuickTime file format.
Use any multimedia player, such as iTunes, Windows Media Player, QuickTime, Winamp, VLC player to playback M4A audio files.
M4A audio file format is default audio format for Apple iPod, iPhone and iPad.
Use any M4A converter, such as Any Audio Converter, xrecode etc, to convert M4A audio file to any other audio format.
Software applications that can open m4a files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Apple iOS
Software applications that can edit m4a files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Apple iOS
Software capable of saving m4a files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Apple iOS
Apps designed for playing m4a files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Linux/Unix
Google Android
Software apps that create m4a files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Software apps that record to m4a files:
Microsoft Windows
Software apps that convert m4a files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Apple iOS
Software apps that import m4a files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Software apps that export m4a files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Software apps that burn m4a files to disc:
Microsoft Windows
Software applications that handle other tasks involving m4a files:
Microsoft Windows
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