How to Convert iTunes M4P to MP3

Most songs sold through the iTunes Store are encoded using FairPlay-encrypted 128 kbits/s AAC streams in an MP4 wrapper, using M4P extension.
Apple has maintained tight control of its FairPlay encryption. Other online music stores cannot sell music files encoded with FairPlay. This means that consumers who want to listen to songs downloaded from the iTunes Store must either have an iPod or convert the files to an open format.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• iTunes
• CD Burner or a virtual CD burner
• license to the music you want to convert

1. Run iTunes and set burner options firstly. You can choose Edit>Preferences>Advanced>Burning menu and then select your CD burner.

2. If you don't have a physical burner, you may use a virtual burner program, NoteBurner. Go to http://www.noteburner.com to download the program. After you install it, you can choose NoteBurner Virtual CD-RW as what you do in the first step.

3. Create a new playlist in iTunes and add all m4p files you want to convert to this new list.

4. If you use NoteBurner, you need to select the output format in NoteBurner. After you click Settings button, you can set the output as MP3, WAV and WMA.

5. Click Burn Disc button in iTunes to starting the burning. If you use NoteBurner, this is the final step since the program can rip back the burned music automatically. The output folder will be open automatically after all music finishes encoding.

6. If you burn the m4p files on real CD, you need to rip the music back in iTunes. Open iTunes Edit>Preferences>Advanced menu and click small Importing tab inside the Advanced tab to choose "WAV encoder" or "AIFF Encoder" in the "Import Using" dropdown. In the left-hand panel under "Devices", select the CD that you burned

7. In the main window opposite, deselect any CD track(s) you do not want to convert. Right-click or control-click over them, and choose the "convert to AIFF" or "convert to WAV" option.

8. After the conversion, you may find the converted file at C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music

Tips & Warnings

• If you have DRM free music, this can be done directly in the iTunes by right-clicking on the music to choose Convert Selection to...
• This method can also be used to convert iTunes M4B audio books.

[Diablo2]

on 12/27/2009 Thanks, good info

[edword]

on 10/22/2009 For Mac users, here’s a way to get rid of those old locked M4P music files, converting them into more versatile MP3 files, using iMovie and iTunes.

http://edword.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/converting-old-locked-itune-music-files-m4p-to-mp3/

[terry007]

on 12/3/2008 I am fond of TuneClone as it applies the virtual cd burning tech. it helps to speed up the conversion process. Also no real disc required.

[cloris]

on 10/14/2008 Thank you! I am just finding a method to convert m4p to mp3 and come across here. Well, I download and have a test. It works!!

[Tiffany08]

on 9/22/2008 Just tested NoteBurner on both the Windows and Mac systems, worked fine on both systems. The converting speed is amazing, and the output mp3 files quality makes no difference with the original m4p files. I will consider to purchase it later for converting my iTunes library...