Convert AIFF to MP3 on Mac and Windows [6 Best Ways with Guide]

I have a Mac with most of the songs in my music library in AIFF format, however, when I want to transfer them onto other devices like my Android phone or Windows PC, the AIFF format is not compatible and not playable.

Why I Cannot Play AIFF Files?

AIFF file format is designed by Apple and used on Apple devices and macOS, hence it cannot be played directly on Android or Windows.

How to Make AIFF Files Playable on my Player?

To play and use AIFF files on a non-Apple device, you have to convert AIFF to MP3, which is the most popular audio format that can be played on almost any audio players.

 

Why Convert AIFF to MP3 on Mac?

AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) is developed by Apple, and used on macOS and iOS. It’s known for its non-compression feature, which leads to better audio quality and also bigger file size. It also has compressed variants AIFF-C or AIFC, and extensions like .aiff or .aif.

MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3) is designed to compress the audio file into smaller size while keeping a good audio quality. It’s widely used to store and share music, and compatible with all kinds of music players, smartphones and PCs.

Transfer AIFF to MP3 helps:

• Store the music files into smaller size to save storage.
• Play the AIFF audio files on any player and device.
• Use and share the music more conveniently.

 

How to Convert AIFF to MP3 on Mac & Windows?

In this article, discover with me several useful and efficient AIFF to MP3 converters on Mac and Windows.

1. Best AIFF File to MP3 Converter - iFunia Video Converter

iFunia Video Converter is an experienced video expert that helps me solve various video & audio convert problems. It’s absolutely my go-to app once I want to write an entire album by uploading from any devices, and simply changing any video or audio codec or format like H.265, H.264, MP3, M4A, WAV, MP4, AVI, MPEG, etc. and even DVD-Video.

How to Convert AIFF to MP3 using iFunia:

1. Free download and launch iFunia Video Converter on Mac or Windows.
 Free Download macOS 10.11 or later Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7

2. Drag all your AIFF files into the Convert interface, or head to upper menu File ➜ Add Files, or click the ➕ icon at the lower left corner to import the files in batches.

3. There are options to set up the output format as MP3 for a single file or all files. Click the gear icon next to the quality you choose to adjust the settings.

4. In the pop-up settings box, you can define the sample rate, the channel and the quality level.

5. Edit the audio files. If some parts of the audio have no sound, you can cut them off and also adjust the volume.

6. When everything is prepared, choose a destination folder and click Start to convert AIFF to MP3 Mac.

Tip: you must have noticed the Merge button, it allows you to combine multiple .aiff files into one.

7. In a few seconds, the program will finish the AIFF to MP3 conversion. Check the files in the folder you chose.

 

2. AIFF to MP3 VLC

VLC is a media player that can play most multimedia files like MP3, WMA, FLAC, MP4, as well as DVDs, CDs, and various streaming sources. It’s also capable of converting and editing video and audio files.

Pros:

• Compatible with all platforms, including Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android
• Free and open-source

Cons:

• NO efficient batch feature, it converts .aiff to MP3 file one at a time
• NOT user-friendly since you have to change the extension every time on your own.
• FAILS sometimes

 Convert AIFF to MP3 VLC Tutorial: 

1. Get VLC downloaded and installed.

2. Head to File ➜ Convert/Stream menu.

3. Drag and drop one AIFF file into the pop-up window, select Audio - MP3 and click Save as File to choose a destination.

4. While selecting the destination folder, change aiff to mp3 as the file extension. Then, hit on Save to convert AIFF to MP3 Mac.

 

3. How to Change AIFF to MP3 - Audacity

Audacity is the most popular digital audio editor and recorder that is able to import, export and convert major audio formats.

Pros:

• Free and open-source
• Windows, macOS and Linux
• Batch convert AIFF to MP3

Cons:

• Cumbersome and complicated to use
• Cannot save the audio tracks in order
• Supports not many audio formats

Convert AIFF to MP3 Audacity:

1. Download and run Audacity.
2. Go to File ➜ Import ➜ Audio to load the aiff audio files into the application, or directly drag and drop the files into the interface.
3. Then head to File ➜ Export Audio.
4. Define a destination folder and an output format. If you want to batch convert aiff to mp3 Mac, choose Multiple Files.

 

4. Convert AIFF to MP3 Mac Free - Music

There’s a method to change AIFF to MP3 Mac directly using the pre-installed app Music. You just import the AIFF songs and batch convert them to MP3 without downloading other software.

Pros:

• Free
• Batch convert AIFF to MP3
• You don’t need to download or install any software

Cons:

• Only several output formats: MP3, AAC, AIFF, and WAV

Steps to Convert AIFF to MP3 Mac:

1. Find the application Music on your Mac.
2. Navigate to Music ➜ Preferences.
3. Under the tab Files, you can change the folder location. Then, hit on Import Settings.
4. In the pop-up dialogue box, verify the Import Using is MP3 Encoder and set up the audio quality. Then, click OK to save the settings.
5. Import songs in AIFF format into Music by going to File ➜ Import, or by dragging and dropping.
6. Select the songs you want to convert from AIFF to MP3 in your library, then choose File ➜ Convert ➜ Create MP3 Version.
7. If you forget the destination path, click the three-dot icon and choose Show in Finder.

 

5. AIFF Format to MP3 Converter - MediaHumain Audio Converter

MediaHumain Audio Converter is a lightweight and clean software that works well to convert audio files between various formats, such as MP3, AAC, WMA, AIFF, and etc.

Pros:

• Free
• Compatible with macOS and Windows
• Easy to use with intuitive interface
• Batch convert AIFF to MP3

Cons:

• Audio files converted not complete

How to Change AIFF to MP3:

1. Download and launch the program.
2. Add files or folders or iTunes playlist into the interface.
3. Choose the output format as MP3 and set up the quality.
4. Hit the gear icon to set up other preferences, such as the destination folder.
5. Tap on the Start conversion icon to convert AIFF to MP3 on Mac.

 

6. AIFF to MP3 Free Online 

I tested plenty of AIFF to MP3 converters online and found them slow and unstable. However, if you just want to convert several no-private aiff files, then an aiff to mp3 free online converter is a good choice.

Pros:

• Free
• Convenient without installation on Mac/Windows/phones

Cons:

• Annoying ads
• Slow and most have no batch conversion feature
• Can convert limited files with limited file size
• Quality loss
• Unsafe for privacy with cookies tracking and data mining

Convert AIFF File to MP3 Free Online:

1. Head to an AIFF to MP3 online converter free like FreeConvert.
2. Drag and drop your aiff audio files into the interface.
3. Click Convert and the server will upload and analyze the files. DON’T click any ads on online converters.
4. After it processed and converted AIFF audio to MP3, click Download to convert AIFF file to MP3 Mac.

 

Conclusion

Here’s all about converting AIFF Files to MP3 on Mac and Windows. Let’s make a brief conclusion for you to choose a file converter AIFF to MP3 that suits you the most:

- The first converter is the quickest and most professional one to batch convert AIFF File to MP3 without losing quality on both Mac and Windows.

- The second and third methods can transform AIFF to MP3, but they have obvious disadvantages compared with the first one.

- The forth solution allows AIFF format to MP3 conversion without installing third-party software only on Mac.

- The fifth way is also a good option, but it happens that the files converted are not complete.

- The last online converter is for small file conversions, however, for those who have concerns for privacy, uploading files to an unknown server is not a good idea.