# Can I change an mpeg4 audio file to another format? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 22, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-change-an-mpeg4-audio-file-to-another-format/473940 "2008-11-22T01:41:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dawson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@dawson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dawson)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-change-an-mpeg4-audio-file-to-another-format/473940/1 "2008-11-22T01:41:52Z")
I’m trying to add a soundtrack to a slide show I’m making with Photo Story 3 for Windows. I have an audio track which I purchased from itunes which is mpeg-4, (protected). The problem is Photo Story does not recognize mpeg4 as an audio file. Can I convert this file to WMA, MP3, or WAV format? Signed, Computer illiterate but eternally grateful ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-change-an-mpeg4-audio-file-to-another-format/473940/2 "2008-11-22T01:46:28Z")
If it’s protected it might not be possible to do this directly, though I might be wrong there. You can do it easily indirectly however. Got to itunes and burn the song to a CD. Then open windows media player and rip that track to mp3. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-change-an-mpeg4-audio-file-to-another-format/473940/3 "2008-11-22T01:47:28Z")
Take a look at [Format Factory](http://lifehacker.com/5053608/formatfactory-centralizes-dvd-ripping-media-conversion). ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-change-an-mpeg4-audio-file-to-another-format/473940/4 "2008-11-22T03:19:34Z")
I second using Format Factory. I’ve also had success with a program called, “SUPER”. Format Factory is pretty easy to use, but SUPER is more robust and can handle more formats. ---
**Author:** ![dawson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@dawson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dawson)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-change-an-mpeg4-audio-file-to-another-format/473940/5 "2008-11-22T03:54:43Z")
tried using format factory and it didn’t work. something about encoder error do you have a link for “SUPER”? ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-change-an-mpeg4-audio-file-to-another-format/473940/6 "2008-11-22T11:57:53Z")
Your best bet is to convert to CD, as above. Super is pretty good, though. The website is a bear to navigate. [http://www.erightsoft.com/S6Kg1.html](http://www.erightsoft.com/S6Kg1.html) Look for a link at the bottom of the page for downloading the Super Setup file. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-change-an-mpeg4-audio-file-to-another-format/473940/7 "2008-11-22T12:07:12Z")
Missed the edit window. Your best bet is to convert to CD, as above. Super is pretty good, though. The website is a bear to navigate. [http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html](http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html) Look for a link at the bottom of the page for Start downloading Super. That link will take you to another page, Look for a teal link that says Download and use. That takes you to another page. Look for a link at the bottom for “Download SUPER setup file” ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-change-an-mpeg4-audio-file-to-another-format/473940/8 "2008-11-22T12:57:42Z")
Switch can convert from mpeg-4, to WMA, MP3, or WAV format, but I don’t know about the “protected”. [Convert Audio Files To/From All Audio Formats. PC/Mac Audio Converter](http://www.nch.com.au/switch/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-change-an-mpeg4-audio-file-to-another-format/473940/9 "2008-11-22T13:15:42Z")
If all else fails, and this is the _last_ thing to try, not the first – play the file and capture the analog audio on the way to the speakers (or pre-amp, line output). Works. Every. Single. Time. In short, if you can hear it, you can record it, and protection schemes do not prevent you from hearing it, do they? It might require two computers in your particular case; one to play, one to capture. Or play to a cassette recorder, then play back and capture on a 2nd pass.