You are not alone if you have confusion over Mp4 and M4p. With a lot of file formats being used around, .Mp4 and Mp3 are some of the common ones. A lot of people usually tend to confuse .M4P with .MP4. Well, they are not the same.
Most people have heard of what an Mp4 and Mp3 are, but what is .M4p? Why does your iTunes have a ‘.m4p’ extension at the end? And the most common question, ‘ how to convert m4p into mp3 format?
This article will explain to you what an M4p file is, its characteristics and uses, how to open it, and a few of the best M4P to Mp3 converters.
What is the M4P File Format?
M4P file is a protected music format that was developed by Apple Inc. The .M4P abbreviation stands for the MPEG 4 protected audio. This audio file is encoded with Advanced Audio Codec or also known as AAC.
A ‘.M4P’ file extension is sometimes called the iTunes Music Store Audio file. This AAC file is copy-protected using Apple’s proprietary Fairplay Digital Rights Management or DRM technology. The files with .m4p file format can be seen when you are downloading music from Apple’s iTunes Store.
Similar to this file format is the .M4A file format. The .M4A format file is also an iTunes Audio file, but this one is not copy-protected like M4P.
A file with ‘.m4p’ file extensions mainly uses the Advanced Audio Codec compression that offers the file a better sound quality and smaller file size than MPEG Layer III or as popularly known as MP3 at the same bit rate.
Because of the Digital Rights Management Technology protection, these format files face incompatibility issues. Hence, m4p music files can be only played on iTunes or various authorized Apple devices.
A few of these devices are iPhone 6, iPhone 7, iPad, iPad Air, iPad Touch, Mac, Apple TV, etc. But, you will have to convert these files into mp3 if you want to listen to m4p file format music on non-Apple devices like Huawei, Samsung, or any other Android devices or Windows PCs.
The Characteristics and Uses of an M4p Format File
Apple Inc. designed such m4p format files to replace the Mp3 file format. They took this decision due to one factor that the mp3 files were not originally intended as an audio file, but as layer III in MPEG 1 or 2 video file.
An m4p file format limits the number of computers to five, that a user can play a specific file on. If a consumer wants to play the m4p audio file on their computer then it must be authorized to use the Apple iTunes application. However, a user can give access to up to five different computers using the same iTunes account.
The m4p file produces an output of better sound quality and files of smaller size. This helps in accessing and storing music files or audio files easily. As the file size is compressed it won’t take much space from the iCloud storage.
But as Apple have copy-protected these audio file formats, it can be only enjoyed by the Apple device users. In case, you want to enjoy high-quality music from iTunes, then you will have to either buy an Apple device or convert m4p to mp3.
How to Open the M4p Files?
M4p file can be downloaded and opened with the iTunes application. But, your computer has to be authorized to play the mp4 file using iTunes. This can be done by just logging into iTunes under the same account you downloaded the ‘.m4p’ extension audio file.
To authorize a computer for iTunes just follow these steps:
- Open iTunes on the PC you want to authorize.
- Go to the iTunes menu bar and click on the Account section.
- Select Authorizations in the drop-down menu and then choose the Authorise this computer option.
- Enter your Apple ID and password when it asks you to do so.
After completing the above steps, you will be able to play all the contents you purchased on iTunes on that computer.
List of M4P to MP3 Converters
Below, we have provided a list of online converters that can help you convert your M4p files into Mp3 files.
1. Easy M4P Converter
It is a useful and free m4p to mp3 converter that can convert m4p format files to mp3 format files for personal use. It can convert m4p into other formats like M4A, MP3, WAV, AAC, etc. It even converts almost all video format files from iTunes into an audio file.
2. Wondershare UniConverter
Wondershare UniConverter is a video toolbox that supports converting m4p files into mp3 files. In this converter, multiple m4p files can be converted into mp3 files in a batch process. It also allows the transfer of the converted files to many devices.
3. NoteBurner iTunes Audio Converter
NoteBurner iTunes Audio Converter is one of the good m4p to mp3 converters available online. This converter lest you convert almost any type of audio file. This site supports both Windows and Mac. it can convert any audio file to any other format at after speed and with high quality. Its feature even records iTunes M4p music, Apple music, and audiobooks.
4. TuneClone M4P Converter
TuneClone Converter can also be used on Windows, other than Mac, to convert M4P to MP3. It is easy and simple to use and within a few clicks and seconds, you can convert any M4P format to MP3 format. It also allows for batch music conversion. It even lets you cine iTunes music through virtual CD burning.
5. Sidify Apple Music Converter
It is an easy-to-use M4p to Mp3 converter which is best for the common users to convert quickly. You can easily convert Apple music to any audio file format like MP3, AAC, WAV, or FLAC. it supports both Windows and Mac systems. You can upload and share Apple music to Google Drive or OneDrive.
6. FreeConvert
This converter helps you convert for free without any need to install and download any software. It even supports batch conversion of M4P files to MP3 files.
In case, these sites don’t work for you, you can search online. There are plenty of sites available that must do your work so that you can enjoy your audio or music files from anywhere.
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