Converting M4A to MP3 on Windows saves almost no space, tests show
A developer tested Windows 11's built-in audio encoders and found that M4A and MP3 files produced from the same source audio differed in size by only 0.6%, or about 1,458 bytes. The reason is that Windows applies identical 192kbps bitrates to both formats by default, so the size gap reflects container overhead rather than any codec efficiency advantage. While AAC is technically a more efficient codec than MP3, Windows' preset system never assigns it a lower bitrate to demonstrate that benefit. The only practical reason to convert M4A to MP3 is compatibility — such as for car stereos or upload platforms that reject AAC files. The developer also noted that each lossy-to-lossy conversion degrades audio quality further, and that small timing differences introduced by encoders can cause audible clicks when stitching clips together.
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