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AIFF to M4A Converter

Turn AIFF files into M4A in a couple of clicks. Apple's uncompressed audio counterpart to WAV. MP4 container holding AAC or ALAC audio. The output is re-encoded, so quality depends on the settings you choose.

On your deviceNever uploadedGone when you close the tabHow this works

Drop your files here

AIFF files (.aiff, .aif, .aifc) · up to 300 MB each

or paste files from your clipboard

Ready when you are

Drop a AIFF file above and FileTools360 will turn it into M4A — right here on your device, without uploading anything.

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How to use it

  1. 1

    Add your AIFF files

    Drag them onto the upload area, choose them from your device, or paste them from your clipboard. You can queue several at once.

  2. 2

    Adjust the settings if you want to

    The defaults suit most people. Open Advanced to control bitrate, sample rate and channels and start and end times.

  3. 3

    Convert and download

    Press Convert. Everything happens on your own device — nothing is uploaded. Download files one by one, or grab them all as a ZIP.

AIFF and M4A explained

AIFF is Apple's uncompressed audio format, functionally equivalent to WAV but with better metadata support and big-endian byte order.

M4A is an MP4 container holding only audio — usually AAC, sometimes Apple Lossless. The extension exists mainly so players know not to look for a video track.

Where AIFF files come from
Mac audio production and older Apple software.
Where M4A is used
iTunes purchases, Apple Music downloads, voice memos and audiobooks.

AIFF vs M4A

The two formats solve different problems, which is why converting between them involves trade-offs rather than a straight upgrade.

AIFF compared with M4A
PropertySourceTarget
CompressionUncompressedLossy or lossless
Introduced19882001
Browser supportStrong on Apple, decent elsewhere.Very good, especially on Apple platforms.
AIFF is stronger at
Uncompressed and lossless. Better metadata handling than WAV. Standard in Mac audio workflows.
M4A is stronger at
Excellent quality per byte. Proper chapter support, which is why audiobooks use it. Strong metadata and artwork handling.

Why convert AIFF to M4A?

People make this switch when they run into the limits of AIFF: distribution, or interchange with Windows tools where WAV is safer. M4A is the better fit when apple ecosystem, audiobooks, or podcasts with chapters.

There is also a size argument: AIFF stores data with little or no compression, so the M4A version is normally dramatically smaller for the same content.

AIFF limitations that prompt the switch
Very large files. Less universally supported than WAV.
What you give up
Less universal than MP3 on older or cheaper hardware. The extension hides what codec is actually inside.

Does converting AIFF to M4A reduce quality?

Both formats store the content without discarding data, so this conversion preserves it exactly. The file size may change because the two formats compress differently, but the content itself is unaffected.

About these formats

Source

Audio Interchange File Format

Apple's uncompressed audio counterpart to WAV.

Extensions
.aiff, .aif, .aifc
MIME type
audio/aiff
Best for
Pro audio on macOS · Mastering
Compatibility
Strong on Apple, decent elsewhere.

Target

MPEG-4 Audio

MP4 container holding AAC or ALAC audio.

Extensions
.m4a, .m4b
MIME type
audio/mp4
Best for
iTunes and Apple Music · Audiobooks · Podcasts
Compatibility
Very good, especially on Apple platforms.

Going from a lossless source to a compressed format discards audio data permanently. Keep your original if it is the only copy.

Good to know

AIFF to M4A Converter — questions

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