Video conversion
Convert MP4 to M4A
Updated Jul 2026
MP4 is a video format, and M4A is the audio-only format iTunes and voice memo apps use. To convert MP4 to M4A, pull the audio track out of the video and save it on its own. Doing this on your own computer means the video, whatever is in it, never has to leave your machine.
- Extension
- .mp4
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- The universal video format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Extension
- .m4a
- Type
- Audio
- Typically
- iTunes / voice memos
- Compression
- Lossy
Convert MP4 to M4A on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert MP4 to M4A
- Open Morphjet and drag in the MP4 file, or a whole folder of them, that you want the audio from.
- Choose M4A as the output format.
- Convert. Morphjet writes the audio-only file next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
MP4 vs M4A: what actually changes
| MP4 | M4A | |
|---|---|---|
| Contains video | Yes | No, audio only |
| File size | Large, video dominates the size | Much smaller, often a tenth or less |
| Audio quality | Same source audio | Same if the audio just needs repackaging, slightly reduced if it has to be re-encoded |
| Opens in | Any video player or browser | iTunes, the Music app, and most phones, less universal than MP3 |
| Typical use | Watching, editing, sharing video | Listening, podcasts, ringtones, voice memos |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert MP4 to M4A when you only want the sound from a video, a recorded lecture, a screen recording, a music video, an interview, and don't need the picture anymore.
Keep the MP4 if you still need the video itself, since once you convert to M4A the picture is gone for good.
Why not just use an online converter?
A video you record on your phone can carry a lot, your voice, your room, sometimes your face. Sending it to an online converter just to pull out the audio means that whole video sits on a stranger's server, if only briefly. Converting on your own computer keeps the video, and the audio you're extracting from it, on your machine the entire time.
Questions
Does converting MP4 to M4A lose quality?
It depends on the source. Many MP4 files already store their audio as AAC, the same audio format M4A uses, so the audio can just be moved into a new file with no quality loss. If the source audio is a different format, it gets re-encoded, which is usually a small, one-time loss.
Will I still have the video after converting to M4A?
No. M4A is audio-only, so the picture is dropped. Keep the original MP4 if you might want the video later.
Can I play M4A files on Windows?
Yes, most modern media players handle M4A fine, but it's not as universally supported as MP3. If you need a file that opens absolutely everywhere, MP3 is the safer bet.
Does the M4A keep the title or track info from the video?
Only if it was there to begin with. Most MP4s from a phone or camera don't carry track metadata the way a music file would, so you'll often need to add a title yourself afterward.
Can I convert MP4 to M4A without uploading the video anywhere?
Yes. Morphjet does the conversion on your own computer, so the video and the audio pulled from it never travel over the internet.
Morphjet converts MP4, M4A, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.