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Common fix · Audio

Convert an iPhone voice memo to MP3

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What you’ll end up with

A voice memo as an MP3 that opens on any computer, phone or upload form.

The Voice Memos app saves recordings as .m4a files: AAC audio in an MP4 container. Apple devices play them without a second thought, but some Windows apps, older Android phones and upload forms that ask for MP3 refuse them.

Converting to MP3 takes seconds and changes nothing you can hear. It’s also a good moment to trim the start and end, where most memos have a few seconds of fumbling with the phone.

What to do

  1. Share the memo out of the Voice Memos app

    Open Voice Memos, tap the recording, tap the three dots and choose Share → Save to Files (or AirDrop it to your Mac). You get an .m4a file named after the memo.

  2. Convert M4A to MP3

    Drop the file into the audio converter and pick MP3. 128 kbps suits speech; 192 kbps is better for music or a recording of a performance.

    Convert to MP3

  3. Trim the dead air

    Cut the seconds before you started speaking and after you stopped. Trimming a lecture or an interview into parts makes it easier to share, too.

    Trim the memo

Questions

Can I make my iPhone save voice memos as MP3?

No, Voice Memos only records M4A. You can choose between compressed and lossless under Settings → Voice Memos → Audio Quality, but both are M4A files, so convert when you need an MP3.

Is M4A better than MP3?

At the same file size M4A (AAC) usually sounds a little better, which is why Apple uses it. MP3’s advantage is that absolutely everything plays it. See M4A vs MP3.

How do I make a long voice memo smaller?

Convert it to MP3 at 64–96 kbps: for speech that is still perfectly clear, and an hour-long lecture fits in around 30–40 MB.

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