# How do I convert a wma file to an MP3? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 25, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363 "2011-12-25T16:08:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/1 "2011-12-25T16:08:54Z")
Googling this brings up a zillion freeware sites, none of which I know to trust. My computer is new and free of problems and I want to keep it that way. When I rip music off my CDs, it comes in wma files, but Tumblr requires any audio imports as MP3s. What sites do you trust to do this easily and consistently? Thanks! (computer dumdum) ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/2 "2011-12-25T16:25:36Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Googling this brings up a zillion freeware sites, none of which I know to trust. My computer is new and free of problems and I want to keep it that way. When I rip music off my CDs, it comes in wma files, but Tumblr requires any audio imports as MP3s. What sites do you trust to do this easily and consistently? > > Thanks! (computer dumdum) I’ve used FreeRip3 with no issues. It seems like during the install, it does ask if want to install some toolbar, so be sure to uncheck that. [FreeRip](http://download.cnet.com/FreeRIP/3000-2140_4-10050140.html) ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/3 "2011-12-25T16:29:04Z")
Rather than convert the wma to mp3 I’d rip it as an mp3 in the first place…I think you can do it with Windows Media Player, iTunes, etc. ---
**Author:** ![J-P\_L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/j-p_l/32/3156_2.png) [@J-P\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J-P_L)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/4 "2011-12-25T16:29:39Z")
I use [Switch Audio File Converter](http://www.nch.com.au/switch/index.html) But depending on which program you use to do the ripping, it’s likely it has an option to output directly to MP3, Windows Media Player does. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/5 "2011-12-25T16:41:45Z")
[FFmpeg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FFmpeg) [Winff](http://winff.org/html_new/) is a GUI for the FFmpeg if you don’t want to use the command line. Both are open source and are supported on multiple platforms. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/6 "2011-12-25T17:11:09Z")
I recommend the trial version of [dBpoweramp](http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm) to convert what you’ve already ripped. It also does an excellent job of ripping. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/7 "2011-12-25T21:04:08Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > Rather than convert the wma to mp3 I’d rip it as an mp3 in the first place…I think you can do it with Windows Media Player, iTunes, etc. This seems like the obvious answer. Is there any reason you can’t rip them as mp3 files in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/8 "2011-12-25T21:09:00Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > This seems like the obvious answer. Is there any reason you can’t rip them as mp3 files in the first place? The application (Cyberlink Power2Go) that came with my computer that runs automatically when I put a CD in does not have MP3’s as an option on the dropdown for ripping. Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. Keep them coming! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/9 "2011-12-25T23:13:01Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > The application (Cyberlink Power2Go) that came with my computer that runs automatically when I put a CD in does not have MP3’s as an option on the dropdown for ripping. > > Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. Keep them coming! That’s why you should probably look into another program. Heck, chances are you’ve already got one–try using Windows Media Player. You’ll just have to tweak the settings. The MP3 quality isn’t as great as with other rippers, but you probably won’t be able to tell if you aren’t an audiophile. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/10 "2011-12-25T23:35:35Z")
I agree that WMA to MP3 is going to sound pretty damned bad, no matter how you do it. I use Windows Media Player pretty much exclusively for any ripping I do and it works fine for me. But I save the tracks as WAVs, then use **Foobar** as a frontend GUI for LAME’s mp3 encoder if I want to put any tracks on my little mp3 player. Exact Audio Copy (EAC) never worked quite right for me and if it’s just going to an mp3 player, I don’t care about the little details as long as I can hear all the instruments with minimal artifacts. Neat little media player, too, Foobar, but I only use it for encoding (or, Jesus forbid, transcoding) because it’s easy to configure it to save tracks how I want them and in the correct directories. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/11 "2011-12-26T00:02:02Z")
DbPowerAmp has the best batch audio format converter I’ve seen. But, it’s not free. The audio format converter comes with the cd ripper software. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/12 "2011-12-26T03:31:39Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > That’s why you should probably look into another program. Heck, chances are you’ve already got one–try using Windows Media Player. You’ll just have to tweak the settings. The MP3 quality isn’t as great as with other rippers, but you probably won’t be able to tell if you aren’t an audiophile. Well, this did work, but you be the judge–[how does it sound?](http://filmatelist.tumblr.com/post/14785746431/i-mentioned-dmitri-tiomkin-in-yesterdays-blog) One thing though–this was ripped as an MP3, but if I should be saving them as WAVs because they’re better quality, then how do I go about changing an already-ripped WAV to an MP3? I want to make posts like this one periodically, but won’t have access to the master material forever (have to sell a bunch of my CDs) and want to have the best-sounding version I can afford to keep on my laptop. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/13 "2011-12-26T15:12:08Z")
You should be able to open the WAV files in most transcoding programs and convert them to whichever other format. WAV files are the original files from the CD, and are uncompressed samples with the highest fidelity. They are also the largest in file size. Most other file formats are compressed to yield smaller file size, at the cost of lower fidelity to the original source. This made them more convenient for storage and downloading to users. And some file formats include rights-management features for publishers. But WAV files can serve as masters to make new copies. (And they did, when the CD was originally made.) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/14 "2011-12-26T17:01:03Z")
The general answer to questions like this is to go to [download.cnet.com](http://download.cnet.com) and search for what you need. It’s a huge site that guarantees s/w that is virus and malware free. You can even limit your search to free programs, if you like. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/15 "2011-12-26T18:34:38Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > You should be able to open the WAV files in most transcoding programs and convert them to whichever other format. This may be Operator Error in play, but I’m staring at my Windows Media Player now and don’t see any way to convert an existing file to another one. (Remember though: Computer Dummy). I’ll check out that link, though. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![J-P\_L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/j-p_l/32/3156_2.png) [@J-P\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J-P_L)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/16 "2011-12-27T01:28:07Z")
As far as I know, while Windows Media Player can rip CD tracks directly to a few different formats including MP3, it cannot convert existing files to a different format. You’ll have to use one of the sugested programs above. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/17 "2011-12-27T02:31:13Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > The general answer to questions like this is to go to [download.cnet.com](http://download.cnet.com) and search for what you need. It’s a huge site that guarantees s/w that is virus and malware free. You can even limit your search to free programs, if you like. Just be careful [what you install](http://www.extremetech.com/computing/93504-download-com-wraps-downloads-in-bloatware-lies-about-motivations). ---
**Author:** ![BeaMyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@BeaMyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeaMyra)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/18 "2011-12-27T11:01:40Z")
The best ripper for Windows is Exact Audio Copy but it’s a bit hard to set up. CueTools [http://www.cuetools.net/wiki/Main\_Page](http://www.cuetools.net/wiki/Main_Page) Is the almost equal to EAC and is much simpler. CueTools will even convert formats dBpowerAmp is also good, but it’s not free. It certainly is easy to convert formats Foobar is free and will do the same thing, but it’s a bit harder to set up > **[foobar2000](https://www.foobar2000.org/)** > > foobar2000 But remember when you convert formats between lossy formats like mp3, a4a and wma you will always lose quality ---
**Author:** ![EdwardLost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@EdwardLost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EdwardLost)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/19 "2011-12-27T18:47:30Z")
> [@BeaMyra](#): > > The best ripper for Windows is Exact Audio Copy but it’s a bit hard to set up. > > CueTools > > [CUETools](http://www.cuetools.net/wiki/Main_Page) > > Is the almost equal to EAC and is much simpler. > > CueTools will even convert formats > > dBpowerAmp is also good, but it’s not free. It certainly is easy to convert formats > > Foobar is free and will do the same thing, but it’s a bit harder to set up > > [http://www.foobar2000.org/](http://www.foobar2000.org/) > > But remember when you convert formats between lossy formats like mp3, a4a and wma you will always lose quality Do any of these (or other) tools give you the option to have the CD pop out automatically when the ripping finishes? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363/20 "2011-12-28T01:02:28Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Well, this did work, but you be the judge–[how does it sound?](http://filmatelist.tumblr.com/post/14785746431/i-mentioned-dmitri-tiomkin-in-yesterdays-blog) > > One thing though–this was ripped as an MP3, but if I should be saving them as WAVs because they’re better quality, then how do I go about changing an already-ripped WAV to an MP3? I want to make posts like this one periodically, but won’t have access to the master material forever (have to sell a bunch of my CDs) and want to have the best-sounding version I can afford to keep on my laptop. > > Thanks! Well, there’s two different purposes for ripping. If you are doing it to put it online, or to listen to in your MP3 player, WAVs are pointless. If you are doing it to preserve the file, then WAVs make more sense. That said, there are more efficient formats that are of the exact same quality as WAVs. [FLAC](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLAC) is a pretty popular one. It produces files that will be about half the size of WAVs, but still 100% quality. However, if you are sticking with your idea not to download any new software, your best option is to use Windows Media Player, and its **lossless** WMA. (The word lossless means that there is no quality reduction.) Then you can rip it a second time to get an MP3 version for actual use. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-convert-a-wma-file-to-an-mp3/607363.md?page=2)