How to Convert Voice Memo to MP3

You recorded something important in Voice Memos. Now you need to share it with someone who doesn’t use Apple devices. Or upload it somewhere that doesn’t accept .m4a files. Or just get it out of Apple’s ecosystem before it vanishes into iCloud purgatory.

Problem is, iPhone Voice Memos save as .m4a files — not MP3. And Apple doesn’t give you a “Save as MP3” button. Annoying? Absolutely.

Why Voice Memos Don’t Save as MP3

Apple uses M4A (AAC) format for Voice Memos because it’s more efficient — smaller files with better quality than MP3 at the same bitrate. Great for Apple, less great for the rest of the world.

MP3 remains the universal audio format. Every device, every platform, every ancient car stereo understands MP3. When someone asks for an audio file, they usually mean MP3.

So you’re stuck converting. Here’s how to do it on every device.

How to Convert Voice Memo to MP3 on iPhone

Bad news first: there’s no built-in way to turn voice memo into MP3 directly on iPhone. Apple just… didn’t include that feature.

Your options:

Option 1: Use a Free Converter App

Several free apps can convert M4A to MP3:

1. Download Audio Converter or The Audio Converter from App Store
2. Open the app
3. Import your voice memo from Files (share from Voice Memos first)
4. Select MP3 as output format
5. Convert and save

Apps that work:

• Audio Converter (by Big Photo Apps)
• The Audio Converter
• Media Converter - video to mp3

Most free versions limit file size or add watermarks. The paid versions are usually $3-5.

Option 2: Use an Online Converter

If you don’t want another app:

1. In Voice Memos, tap the recording
2. Tap … → Share → Save to Files
3. Open Safari and go to a converter site (cloudconvert.com, online-audio-converter.com)
4. Upload the .m4a file
5. Convert to MP3
6. Download the result

Warning: You’re uploading your audio to someone else’s server. Don’t do this with sensitive recordings.

Option 3: Use the Shortcuts App

For the automation nerds:

1. Download a pre-made “Convert to MP3” shortcut from the Shortcuts Gallery
2. Or create one using the Encode Media action
3. Run the shortcut and select your voice memo
4. Save the converted file

This takes some setup but works well for repeated conversions.

How to Convert Voice Memo to MP3 on Mac

Mac gives you actual options. Here’s how to save voice memo as MP3 using built-in tools.

Method 1: Using the Music App (Easiest)

This is how to change voice memo to MP3 without installing anything:

1. Open Voice Memos on Mac
2. Drag the recording to your Desktop (this exports as .m4a)
3. Open Music app (was iTunes)
4. Go to Music → Settings → Files → Import Settings
5. Change Import Using to MP3 Encoder
6. Click OK
7. Drag the .m4a file into Music
8. Select the file in your library
9. Go to File → Convert → Create MP3 Version
10. Right-click the new MP3 → Show in Finder

Done. You now have an MP3 file you can share anywhere.

Method 2: Using GarageBand (Better Quality Control)

For more control over the output:

1. Open GarageBand (free on Mac)
2. Create an Empty Project
3. Drag your voice memo into the timeline
4. Go to Share → Export Song to Disk
5. Choose MP3 from the dropdown
6. Select quality (128kbps is fine for voice, 192kbps for music)
7. Export

GarageBand also lets you trim, adjust volume, or clean up the recording before exporting.

Method 3: Using QuickTime + Third-Party Tool

QuickTime can export audio, but not to MP3 directly. You’d need to:

1. Export from QuickTime as M4A
2. Use a converter tool like ffmpeg or an online service

Not worth it when Music and GarageBand work fine.

Method 4: Terminal (For Power Users)

If you have ffmpeg installed:

ffmpeg -i voice-memo.m4a -codec:a libmp3lame -qscale:a 2 output.mp3

This gives you the most control and batch processing capability. Install ffmpeg via Homebrew: brew install ffmpeg

How to Make a Voice Memo an MP3: Batch Conversion

Need to convert multiple recordings? Here’s the efficient approach:

On Mac with ffmpeg:

for f in *.m4a; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -codec:a libmp3lame -qscale:a 2 "${f%.m4a}.mp3"; done

This converts all .m4a files in a folder to MP3.

Using Online Batch Converters:

Sites like CloudConvert let you upload multiple files at once. Free tier usually limits to 25 conversions per day.

Automator (Mac):

Create an Automator workflow that watches a folder and converts any new .m4a files automatically. Takes some setup but saves time long-term.

Quality Settings: What Bitrate to Use

When converting voice memo to MP3, you’ll see quality options. Here’s what matters:

For voice recordings:

• 128 kbps — Good enough, small files
• 96 kbps — Acceptable, even smaller

For music or important recordings:

• 192 kbps — Standard quality
• 256 kbps — High quality
• 320 kbps — Maximum (overkill for voice)

Voice doesn’t need high bitrate because it’s mostly one frequency range. Music has more complexity. When in doubt, 128kbps for voice, 192kbps for anything else.

Common Problems (And Fixes)

“Can’t find the voice memo file”

Voice Memos on iPhone doesn’t expose files directly. You need to share/export first:

1. Open Voice Memos
2. Tap the recording
3. Tap … → Share → Save to Files

Now it’s in Files app where converter apps can access it.

“Converted file sounds terrible”

You probably chose too low a bitrate. Re-convert at 128kbps minimum. Also check that your converter isn’t recompressing an already-compressed file multiple times.

“File is too large to upload”

Voice Memos can get big for long recordings. Options:

• Trim the recording first
• Use a desktop converter instead of online
• Split into multiple parts

“I need to preserve the original quality”

You can’t. Converting M4A to MP3 is lossy-to-lossy — you’ll lose some quality. If quality matters, share the original M4A file when possible. Most modern devices can play it.

“Converter app keeps crashing”

Free apps are hit or miss. Try a different one, or use the Mac method which is more reliable. Online converters work in a pinch.

Save a Voice Memo as MP3: The Real Question

Here’s the thing — if you’re converting to MP3 just to share with someone, there might be easier ways:

Sharing via iMessage/AirDrop: The recipient can play .m4a files on any Apple device
Sharing via email: Most email clients can play .m4a inline
Sharing via cloud link: Upload to iCloud, Dropbox, or Google Drive and share the link

You only need MP3 when:

• Uploading to a platform that requires MP3
• Sharing with someone on ancient hardware
• Archiving in a universal format
• Using in video/audio editing software

If none of those apply, save yourself the conversion hassle.

How to Convert iPhone Voice Memo to MP3 Without a Computer

If you really need MP3 and only have your iPhone:

1. Download a converter app (Audio Converter is reliable)
2. Export your Voice Memo to Files app first
3. Open the converter, import the file
4. Select MP3 as output format
5. Save to Files or share directly

The whole process takes about 2 minutes once you have an app installed.

Some converter apps also work with other formats (WAV, FLAC, OGG) if you need those.

Alternatives to Voice Memos

If you’re regularly hitting format problems, consider recording differently:

For sharing with non-Apple users:

• Use a cross-platform app like WhatsApp or Telegram (they handle formats automatically)
• Record directly to a cloud service that generates shareable links

For professional use:

• Use a proper recording app that exports to MP3
• Apps like Just Press Record, Recorder Plus, or Voice Record Pro have format options

For long-term archiving:

• Keep originals in M4A (better quality per size)
• Convert to MP3 only for distribution

FAQ

Converting voice memos to MP3 shouldn’t require this many steps, but Apple’s going to Apple. The good news is once you know the workflow — whether that’s using the Music app on Mac or a converter app on iPhone — it becomes routine. For occasional conversions, online tools work fine. For regular needs, set up GarageBand or ffmpeg and you’re set for life.