Audio conversion
Convert M4B to MP3
M4B is the format audiobook and podcast apps use, and MP3 is the format that plays on virtually any device or app. To convert M4B to MP3, open the file in a converter and export it as MP3. Doing this on your own computer means the audio file never has to leave your machine.
All 2,748 conversions verified on macOS, Windows, and Linux against the shipping release, this one included. Every conversion runs entirely on your own computer.
- Extension
- .m4b
- Type
- Audio
- Typically
- Audiobooks, podcasts
- Compression
- Lossy
- Extension
- .mp3
- Type
- Audio
- Typically
- The universal audio format
- Compression
- Lossy
Convert M4B to MP3 on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
One-time purchase, no subscription. 14 days to change your mind.
How to convert M4B to MP3
- Open Morphjet and drag in the M4B file, or a whole folder of audiobooks and podcasts at once.
- Choose MP3 as the output format.
- Convert. The MP3 is written next to your original, and nothing is uploaded anywhere.
M4B vs MP3: what actually changes
| M4B | MP3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Plays everywhere | Limited, mainly Apple devices and audiobook or podcast apps | Yes, virtually every device, app, and car stereo |
| Chapter markers | Yes, built into the file | No, standard MP3 players don't read them |
| Remembers your place | Yes, audiobook apps bookmark where you stopped | No, most music players don't track this |
| File size | Smaller, efficient compression for spoken audio | Larger, often 30 to 50 percent bigger for the same quality |
| Quality | Good, already lossy | Good, but re-encoding adds a small further loss |
| Title and cover art | Yes | Yes, carried over as ID3 tags |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert M4B to MP3 when you want to play an audiobook or podcast on something that doesn't support M4B, like an older MP3 player, a basic car stereo, or a general music app.
Keep the M4B if you're listening in a dedicated audiobook or podcast app, since converting to MP3 loses the chapter markers and the app's ability to remember exactly where you left off.
Why not just use an online converter?
Audiobook and podcast files can be large, sometimes several gigabytes for a single title. Sending one through an online converter means uploading it, waiting for a stranger's server to process it, and downloading it back. Converting on your own computer skips all of that, the file goes from M4B to MP3 without ever leaving your machine, which is also just faster.
Questions
Does converting M4B to MP3 lose quality?
A little. M4B audio is already lossy, and converting to MP3 re-encodes it a second time, so there's a small additional loss. For spoken-word audio like audiobooks and podcasts, it's rarely noticeable.
Will I lose the chapter markers?
Yes. Standard MP3 files don't reliably support the chapter markers M4B audiobooks use, so after conversion you'll get one continuous track instead of separate chapters.
Will an MP3 remember where I stopped listening?
Not usually. Most general music and MP3 players don't bookmark your position the way audiobook apps do. If picking up where you left off matters, it's worth keeping the original M4B for that app.
Will the MP3 keep the title and cover art?
Yes. Basic tags like title, author, and cover art carry over to the MP3's ID3 tags. Chapter markers do not.
Can I convert M4B to MP3 without uploading the file?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet does the conversion on your own computer, so the file never travels over the internet, which matters given how large audiobook files can get.
Morphjet runs this conversion and 2,747 others, all on your machine. Available now.
One-time purchase, no subscription. 14 days to change your mind.