Sometimes, you need to change your audio files between two formats. .m4a is an Apple proprietary audio format, while .wav is the default audio format of Microsoft. If you are looking for a free M4A to WAV(or vice versa ) converter that could help you convert the .m4a file to .wav quickly and safely, you are in the right place.
This post will show the best and most free M4A to WAV converter program that works on any platform (Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices like iPhone and iPad).
Best M4A To WAV Converters
Part one: Free M4A to WAV converter Online
Part two: Free M4A to WAV converter for Windows, Mac, and Linux
Part three: How to convert M4A to WAV with iTunes
Part four: How to convert M4A to WAV with Audacity
Best three online M4A to WAV converter
There are some great online M4A to WAV converters for free. You could easily convert .m4a to .wav with a few clicks. The best part of the online converter is that you don’t need to install any software program on your device, and it works for all platforms. If you are using a Windows/Mac computer or Android/Apple phone, upload the .m4a file(s), wait for the converting process, and then download the .wav file.
Here are the top 3 Online M4A to WAV converter websites I’d like to recommend:
Cloudconvert
CloudConvert is an online file converter. It supports almost all audio, video, document, ebook, archive, image, spreadsheet, or presentation formats.
Website: https://cloudconvert.com/m4a-to-wav
Limit: Cloudconvert allows you to convert up to 25 files daily for a free user.
Convertio
Convertio supports converting more than 300 different file formats.
Website: https://convertio.co/
Limit: a free user can’t convert a file over 100 MB.
ZAMZAR
Website: https://www.zamzar.com/convert/m4a-to-wav/
ZAMZAR has been a comprehensive online converter since 2006. You could convert any format, including audio, video, photo, and document.
Limit: Max file size is only 50MB for a free user.
If you have a small amount of .m4a files that need to convert to .wav, the online M4A to WAV converter is best for you. However, if you have many files that need to be converted, I suggest you install M4A to WAV converting software on your computer.
Best free M4A to WAV converter (Desktop software for Windows and Mac)
If you want to convert many .m4a files simultaneously, FRE: AC is your best free M4A to WAV converter. You can download it here. Unlink other audio conversion software programs, the installation file of FRE: AC is relatively small（less than 20MB）, so you don’t need to worry about the space it will take on your memory space. It supports all leading operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux.
How to convert M4A to WAV with FRE: AC
Download FRE: AC here for free and install it on your computer.
Launch the FRE: AC, and you will find the interface below:
- Now import your .m4a files to the converter by dragging and dropping the files into the blank section.
- Once done, you must choose the output format .wav from the drop-down menu. It will convert the file automatically.
- When the conversion is finished, click the “Open” button to open the output folder, and you will see the converted .wav files.
With simple three steps, the FRE: AC has converted m4a to wav for you. This convert also works with other formats, including MP3, MP4/M4A, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, AAC, WAV, and Bonk audio formats.
How to convert M4A to WAV with iTunes
If you already have iTunes installed on your computer, you could convert m4a to wav with iTunes. So you don’t need to install extra audio converter software.
Now I will show you how to convert from m4a to wav. Please follow the below steps:
- Open your iTunes from your desktop. You are accessing the “Preferences…” option from the “Edit” menu. Or you could do it by using the shortcut “Ctrl+,“
Go to the “Import Settings” on the “General” tab. Click the “Import Using:” pull-down menu and choose “WAV Encoder.” Click “OK.”
- Now create a new playlist in iTunes, drag and drop .m4a files to iTunes, and all files will be imported to the new playlist.
- Select songs you want to convert from the new playlist. Then click file>Convert>Create WAV Version.
- Once the conversion is completed, you can find the converted music in “recently added” on the left bar.
How to convert m4a to wav with Audacity
If you want to convert .m4a to .wav with Audacity, that will be a bit complex. Since Audacity is not natively supporting the .m4a format, you must install extra LAME and FFMPEG libraries. You will get an error message when trying to import m4a to Audacity without installing the additional library.
Download the .exe file and double-click it to install it. Setup Audacity:
LAME: https://lame.buanzo.org/#lamewindl.
FFMPEG: https://lame.buanzo.org/#lamewindl
Download the FFMPEG zip file and extract it.
Launch Audacity (assuming you have installed it), click on Edit> Preferences>Library, select the Locate button next to the FFMPEG library, and navigate it avformat-55.dll in the folder where you extracted FFMPEG.
If you need a video guide, please visit here.
Two steps to convert m4a to wav with Audacity
Once you have done the setup, now you can convert m4a to wav with Audacity with two steps:
- File -> Open(select the m4a files you want to convert.)
- File -> Export -> Exportas WAV
If you can’t import m4a files, you need to shut down Audacity and re-open it. If It is still not working, you need to do the setup part again.
Summary
The online converter is the best if you only have a few files to convert. If you have many m4a files, then desktop converting software is the best. Those m4a to wav converters are easy to use (except for the Audacity setup part); no advanced computer still is required. I noticed some paid audio-converting software programs, but I think the freeware is good enough for the m4a to wav converting.
Let me know if you have any comments. I will be happy to reply to it.
