M4A

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).

What is m4a file?

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.

How to open m4a file?

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.

How to convert m4a file?

Use any M4A converter, such as Any Audio Converter, xrecode etc, to convert M4A audio file to any other audio format.

Suggested software to open m4a file:

Media Player

Apple iTunes for Windows

Apple iTunes for Mac

Associated software actions with the m4a file

Open

Software applications that can open m4a files:

MediaMonkey (Microsoft Windows)

Awave Studio (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Premiere Pro (Microsoft Windows)

Zune (Microsoft Windows)

Nero SoundTrax (Microsoft Windows)

Nero WaveEditor (Microsoft Windows)

WavePad (Microsoft Windows)

djay Pro (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Compressor (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Ringtone Maker for iPhone (Apple iOS)

Edit

Software applications that can edit m4a files:

Awave Studio (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Premiere Pro (Microsoft Windows)

Nero SoundTrax (Microsoft Windows)

Nero WaveEditor (Microsoft Windows)

WavePad (Microsoft Windows)

Compressor (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Ringtone Maker for iPhone (Apple iOS)

Save

Software capable of saving m4a files:

Awave Studio (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Premiere Pro (Microsoft Windows)

Nero SoundTrax (Microsoft Windows)

Nero WaveEditor (Microsoft Windows)

Compressor (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Ringtone Maker for iPhone (Apple iOS)

Play

Apps designed for playing m4a files:

Media Player (Microsoft Windows)

VLC media player (Microsoft Windows)

MediaMonkey (Microsoft Windows)

Awave Studio (Microsoft Windows)

Zune (Microsoft Windows)

WMAConvert Platinum (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Premiere Pro (Microsoft Windows)

Apple iTunes for Windows (Microsoft Windows)

Microsoft Windows Media Player (Microsoft Windows)

Apple QuickTime (Microsoft Windows)

Nero SoundTrax (Microsoft Windows)

Winamp (Microsoft Windows)

Helium Music Manager (Microsoft Windows)

VLC media player for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Apple iTunes for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Elmedia Player (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

VLC media player for Linux (Linux/Unix)

VLC media player for Android (Google Android)

PowerAMP (Google Android)

Create

Software apps that create m4a files:

Awave Studio (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Premiere Pro (Microsoft Windows)

Nero SoundTrax (Microsoft Windows)

Compressor (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Record

Software apps that record to m4a files:

Nero SoundTrax (Microsoft Windows)

Convert

Software apps that convert m4a files:

ImTOO DPG Converter (Microsoft Windows)

MediaMonkey (Microsoft Windows)

Xilisoft iPod Rip (Microsoft Windows)

Freemake Audio Converter (Microsoft Windows)

Awave Studio (Microsoft Windows)

Apple iTunes for Windows (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Premiere Pro (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Media Encoder (Microsoft Windows)

WMAConvert Platinum (Microsoft Windows)

SUPER (Microsoft Windows)

fre:ac (Microsoft Windows)

Any Audio Converter (Microsoft Windows)

Freemake Video Converter (Microsoft Windows)

Aimersoft DRM Media Converter for Windows (Microsoft Windows)

Helium Music Manager (Microsoft Windows)

dBpoweramp family suite (Microsoft Windows)

xrecode (Microsoft Windows)

Xilisoft iPhone Ringtone Maker for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Wondershare Video Converter for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

FLV Crunch (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Max for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Aimersoft Video Converter for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Apple iTunes for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Ringtone Maker for iPhone (Apple iOS)

Import

Software apps that import m4a files:

iPad Video Converter Factory Pro (Microsoft Windows)

CrazyTalk (Microsoft Windows)

Nero Video (Nero Vision Express) (Microsoft Windows)

Nero Recode (Microsoft Windows)

Compressor (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Tiny Audio Converter (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Export

Software apps that export m4a files:

Camtasia Studio (Microsoft Windows)

iPad Video Converter Factory Pro (Microsoft Windows)

Camtasia for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

EasyWMA for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

X Lossless Decoder (XLD) (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Narrator (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Compressor (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Tiny Audio Converter (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

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MediaMonkey (Microsoft Windows)

Nero SoundTrax (Microsoft Windows)

Helium Music Manager (Microsoft Windows)

Other actions

Software applications that handle other tasks involving m4a files:

MediaMonkey (Microsoft Windows)

Nero Multimedia Suite (Microsoft Windows)

Nero SoundTrax (Microsoft Windows)