You’ll find the Windows Media Audio format on Windows-based computers as well as around the internet. Macintosh users cannot easily access WMA audio because the WMA format is not supported by the OSX operating system. Converting WMA audio files to MP3 audio format makes the audio file more compatible with Apple’s numerous programs and handheld devices, such as the iPod. You can convert files to a free program called Flip4Mac, combined with Apple’s free iTunes program and its premium QuickTime Pro Player.
Download and update QuickTime Player software on your computer. Return to the Apple website and buy the serial number that will convert QuickTime Player to QuickTime Pro Player. Run the QuickTime Player software now. Go to “QuickTime,” “Registration” and enter the serial number. To close the window, click “OK” Quit QuickTime Player, please.
Download the free Flip4Mac app to your machine from the Telestream website. Double-click the Flip4Mac app icon once it has been downloaded and follow the prompts to install it on your device so that the Mac operating system can be updated to allow QuickTime Pro to read and play WMA files. Restart your Macintosh computer.
Run QuickTime Pro Player—which was just QuickTime Player. Drop the WMA audio file to the QuickTime Pro Player icon in the docking strip on either the left or the bottom of the screen. Wait for the WMA audio file to load to QuickTime Pro Player.
Go to “File,” “Export” and pick “Sound to AIFF” from the drop-down menu next to the “Export” tab. Select “44.1 kHz 16 bit Stereo” from the drop-down menu next to the “Use” tab below “Export.” Press the “Save” button to close the window and save the WMA audio file as an AIFF audio file.
Download and install iTunes now. Run on iTunes. Go to the “iTunes” menu, pick “Preferences” and choose the “General” tab from the window that appears. Click on the “Import Using” button to open a new window.
Select “MP3 Encoder” from the drop-down menu next to “Import Using.” Select “Higher Quality” from the drop-down menu next to “Setting,” which is below “Import Using.” Click “OK” to close the window. Select “OK” to close the “Preferences” pane.
Drag the AIFF audio file to the iTunes icon on the dock. Wait for the AIFF audio file that was a WMA audio file to be converted to an MP3 audio file and placed it in the iTunes library folder on the Mac hard drive. Archive or remove audio files for WMA and AIFF.
