You wouldn’t think it’d be hard, but I couldn’t find any free OS X software to convert WMA files to MP3 or AAC files so I could listen to them on my iPod. After about half an hour of searching, I went back to a $10 application I found early on in the process and bought it – [EasyWMA](http://www.easywma.com/).
It works great. Just choose between mp3 or aac, set the options how you want them, and drag your WMA files onto it. EasyWMA converts them, and spits out the new files into the same directory as the originals.
Why is it that we’d spend hours searching the net for a free piece of software, just to save a measly $10? I have no answer for that.
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40 responses to “WMA to MP3 Converter For Mac OS X”
Switch.app is a free .wma to .mp3, .acc and other formats converter for OSX. Flip4Mac is required which is also free. I found it after about 35′ of searching…
Cool, thanks for the tip. I’ll have to try it out sometime.
I have Mac OS 10.3.7. need to convert wma to MP3 or AAc format for use in I-tunes. I tried to download easywma but since I have internet explorer, web site says it can’t download on IE internet program. Niice! So then went to Switch, downloaded it but when I went to “convert” a wma audio muisic file, it said I needed Flip4Mac. went to the site for download but requirements are OS 10.3.9, I have .7. So that doesn’t work either. what’s with all these supposed downloads that require only certain requirements but don’t tell you that until you have spent time and effort to get to the end and then find out you don’t really have the requirements. I could upgrade to .9 but that will create other problems for my computer which I can’t get into now. What a waste!!!
I understand your frustration, but I guess the further behind the current version of your OS you get, the harder it is to find software that works properly. It would be nice if the software sites told you what the minimum requirements are, though.
I don’t like using Visa over the internet (especially since i’d have to use my dad’s :P), so the $10 price for EasyWMA IS a problem. I’m trying Switch now, which converts alright (although pretty slow, PowerPC prog on intelMac :s), but it doesn’t copy the info/properties of my WMA songs to the MP3 format. So if I put the new MP3’s in iTunes, I have to fill in album & tracknumber all over again. Batch processing, YEAH, but it takes work to update all info of my old wma albums. Any solutions?
I’m sure there are programs or scripts out there that can copy the metadata out of your WMA files into ID3 tags in your MP3 files, but I haven’t ever needed or looked for anything like that. Try Google, and if that doesn’t turn anything up perhaps try asking in an audio forum.
Followed the link.
Under FAQ is says it only runs under Windows.
Gene, are you talking about EasyWMA? I can’t see anything in the FAQ about running under Windows, and all the screen shots are from Mac OS X.
I need to convert MP3’s to WMA’s for my phone 🙁 switch wouldnt let me do it 🙁 any other ideas for me!? im desprate!
thank you very much
i needed to convert one of my songs that a friend sent me and i didnt really want to spend the 10 bucks to get easyWMA so i tried the application called Switch that Nick mentioned and it worked great but the only downside is that i think i can tell a small decrease in quality because there is a little more background noise then i remember but it really isnt a problem cause it saved me 10 bucks haha
I’m looking for both Switch and Flip4mac to convert .wma to .mp3 but I can’t find the sites. Does anyone have this info?
Download a program called Audion, just search Google for it. It will convert wma to mp3 and has a built in ID3 Tag editor so you can edit the info on a group of files.
Make sure you go to the buy area of Audions site in order to get the FREE serial number to activate the conversion tools.
I purchased EasyWMA using PayPal – fast, secure, and easy
I immediately received an email with the program download address.
Within 5 minutes, I was converting all of my WMAs to 320 kps MP3 simply by searching “WMA”, then dragging all of the files onto WMA.
The mp3s are automatically added to my iTunes library; WMA also gives me the option of creating a “converted” playlist so that I can see just which files were converted.
I love it! Geez, for a measly ten bucks, you get a great program that is easy to use. I didn’t have to track down two programs and install them and all that just to save a few bucks.
Recommended
just use gARAgeband
Audion worked perfectly for me. Instructions above by soundz were right on.
I have paid for EasyWMA two times now–each time with a different e-mail address–and I still have not received a download link or authorization.
It’s been over one day since Paypal authorized the first payment. Paypal has provided me a receipt each time. I’ve sent two emails to the developer, with no answer.
Be careful.
Not sure why you’re having problems paying for EasyWMA. I’m not affiliated with them in any way, but I had no problems registering. Let me know how it turns out.
Switch website
http://www.nch.com.au/switch/index.html
just got it, worked like a charm
Thanks for the help. I also was able to get around this by using toast to burn a audio cd with the wma files….then turn back around and import the new audio cd into itunes as aac files.
Hi David. It’s a bit convoluted, but that technique works when all else fails. You can even use it to remove DRM from songs bought through the iTunes Music Store.
Switch didn’t work for me. I downloaded and installed it, ran it, and it crashed when I went to convert a wma to mp3.
it’s a bit cumbersome but I use the following method :
open the songs with quicktime
export as .mov
add the mov files to itunes library
then select them in Itunes
Convert them to ACC by right clicking on them and choosing convert to ACC
delete the mov files from the Itunes Library
as I said, cumbersome, albeit free.. hope it helps you..
@can emrah: thanks for that great advice IT WORKS. thanks to automator. some additional information to make the whole thing not too cumbersome. Why don’t use automator for that???
0. Download: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/automator/quicktimecompressionactionsandworkflow.html
convert the first file manually and DO all the settings that all following files should have
USE MP4 format when exporting the file. USE the OPTION to CHANGE under AUDIO the quality of the file. I choose 123 kbit/s.
SAVE
for all other use the AUTOMATOR (select all files and right click and create a new Automator work flow) If you do not have the option in the menue search for the automator program, open it and go under FINDER ACTIONS in the AUTOMATOR and choose something like “use finder objects” (I do not know the exact translation). Drag and drop the files you want to convert into the action menue (on the right side).
choose the downloaded action and put it under the “use finder objects” and select MP4
press the run button
drop all the converted files into iTunes and convert them to your preferred file format. Unfortunately you have to edit the tags yourself unless someone knows another action for that 😉
This is another free way to do it. Hope it helps.
I guess you can convert files in iTunes with the Automator if you use the action under the following link: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/automator/dougsactionsforitunes,volume1.html
I haven’t checked, but somehow it must be possible to reduce work.
AUDION rocks! the most friendly no-pain solution that worked on our mac mini.
=)
thanks from Guatemala
this all prety much sucks, there just isn’t a good free app. that also converts te ID3 tags! 🙁
Use the chaining/batch functionality of Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) to convert format xyz to mp3. File -> Apply chains.. Works great for me…
I tried Switch, but it just crashed when I tried converting WMA formats.
Audion worked, and though it may be a little slow at least it’s free and fine.
http://homepage.mac.com/major4/
There is a free program… yeah!!!
Thanks everyone for the helpful comments here. Tried all the apps mentioned. Only switch seems capable of converting wma to mp3 without too much hassles. Audacity does not seem to recognise wma!! Amazing!
Export function in quick time only works in the pro version….which i do not have!
Audion could not be found.
ffmpegX has so many files to install before you can use it. Some of the files download got broken!
EasyWMA demo will only convert 15secs of a file unless you purchase…..not everyone has access to credit cards or can make online purchases!!
Switch works slowly, but not that slow really, but it is getting the job done. All I need is to convert my wma files into mp3 so that itunes can play them, and it is doing just that for me.
I’m use ffmpegx for a long time and actually i see that is the best freeware converter for mac. The only thing tha is missing is the integration with the automator for audio files (In video files, it already does).
Audion works slowly, and ruins any tag info.
I do not buy software so can’t testify to the one, but Switch normalized and converted my wma’s quickly on my G3 PowerPC iBook. It ruined the tag info as well, but quicker with better quality 😀
ffmpegx may indeed work but it would be overkill and not really want the suite of programs is designed to do.
I tried switch and it was GREAT!
I recently found out, that the windows version of iTunes is converting wma to mp3 or aac just fine – including all the tags. So I use Windows in a Boot Camp Partition to convert my files on a external fat32 partitioned Hard Disk, so that windows and mac can access the volume.
I am surprised people can still use Switch. It’s build is now rather ancient, and the program dies every time the “convert button” gets clicked on, in Leopard.
Easy WMA works great. I had over 500 music files that were in WMA format and on my new mac they couldn’t be read. It was totally worth the $10. It took a while to convert that many files, but that’s just because of the amount. It did a great job and made pretty good time. I LOVE IT!
you can use videora as well.
i tried converting .wma into .mp3 with switch, and it told me to dowload flip4mac, so i did. then when i downloaded it, the program switch closes every time i hit convert. i even tried downloading both programs again, but to no avail!
guys, had problems with switch not accepting the WMAs I had. FLV crunch was the only free software I found that did it. still no tagging though…