Say Goodbye to M4B Format Woes on Windows 10 - Learn How to Convert with Ease!

With the advent of audiobooks, more and more people have started to listen to books rather than read them. Audiobooks are a great option for busy people who don’t have time to read books as it allows them to listen on the go. However, audiobooks typically come in different formats, and the M4B format is the most popular among all these formats. Unfortunately, M4B format is not compatible with all devices, and that’s especially true for Windows 10 users who face compatibility issues - but, worry not! In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about M4B format, and how to convert it to a compatible format easily.

What is M4B Format?

M4B format is an audio file format that is used for creating audio tracks for audiobooks. An M4B file typically contains chapters, bookmarks, and metadata, which helps you keep track of your audio book progress. An M4B file is specifically designed for iTunes and is DRM protected by default, limiting the playback options for the user. Not only that, but some devices, including Windows 10 devices, may not support M4B files, making them unusable.

Why Convert M4B to MP3 Format?

As we mentioned, M4B files may not play on certain devices, which can be frustrating for users. This is where converting M4B files to an MP3 format can come in handy. MP3 is the most popular and widely-used audio format, and it is compatible with most devices, making it an ideal choice for audiobooks. Converting an M4B file to MP3 format not only ensures that you can listen to your audiobooks on any device, but it also removes the DRM protection, giving you more control over your files.

How to Convert M4B to MP3 Format on Windows 10?

Now that you understand the importance of converting M4B files to MP3 format, let’s discuss how to convert them easily. The good news is that there are several software options available that allow you to convert M4B files to MP3 format on Windows 10. Here are some of the best options:

  1. VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is an open-source media player that supports almost all audio and video formats. This makes it a suitable tool for converting M4B files to MP3 format, and it is entirely free to use. Follow the steps below to convert your M4B file to MP3 using VLC Media Player:

  • Open VLC Media Player and click on the “Media” tab.
  • Click on “Convert/Save” from the drop-down menu.
  • Click on the “Add” button and select the M4B file you want to convert.
  • Click on “Convert/Save” again and select “Convert.”
  • In the “Profile” drop-down menu, select “Audio - MP3.”
  • Choose the destination folder where you want to save your converted MP3 file and click on “Start.”
  1. iTunes

If you already have iTunes installed on your Windows 10 device, you can use it to convert M4B files to MP3 format. Follow the steps below to convert your M4B file to MP3 using iTunes:

  • Open iTunes and click on “Edit” > “Preferences” > “Import Settings.”
  • In the “Import Settings” window, select “MP3 Encoder” from the drop-down menu.
  • Click on “OK” to save your preferences.
  • Drag and drop your M4B file into iTunes and right-click on it.
  • Select “Create MP3 Version” from the drop-down menu.
  • iTunes will create a new MP3 file that you can find by right-clicking on the M4B file and selecting “Show in Windows Explorer.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, M4B format is an essential format for audiobooks with many benefits including chapters, bookmarks, and metadata. However, due to compatibility issues, it’s necessary to convert it to a more supported format such as MP3. Using VLC Media Player, iTunes, or any other audio converter software can convert M4B files to MP3 format effectively. With the help of the above-listed options, you can convert M4B files easily and listen to your favorite audiobooks on any device conveniently.

Whenever we think about music or any sort of audio, .mp3 format is usually the first thing that pops up in our heads. Although, the advancements in technology, growing forms of audio content, and now the way we receive them have warranted different audio formats. One such unique format is .m4b (MPEG-4 Audio Book) and it is commonly used to store audiobooks (particularly by iTunes). However, not all multimedia applications support the .m4b format. Luckily, most audio formats can be converted to any other audio format and the same is the case with .m4b files. We bring to you a perfect guide to convert m4b to mp3 files online in Windows 10. So, continue reading!

How to Convert M4B to MP3 in Windows 10

Converting .m4b files to .mp3 files is a very simple process. Following are some advantages of .m4b files.

Contents

  • How to Convert M4B to MP3 in Windows 10

  • Method 1: Use VLC Media Player

  • Method 2: Use FFMPEG Command

  • Method 3: Use iTunes App

  • Method 4: Use Third-party Tools

  • A specific advantage of .m4b audio files over other audio formats is that .m4b files can hold bookmarks/chapter marking (save your place in the file)

  • It can also hold a lot of metadata regarding the audiobook. For example, let’s say you are listening to an audiobook, you can pause at any point, close down the application/go about your workday and then resume listening from the same exact point later on.

There are already a number of conversion applications present on the internet for this purpose. VLC Media Player, an application that can be found on almost every computer out there, can be used to convert .m4b files. One can convert .m4b files using the iTunes app too.

Method 1: Use VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is much more than a simple media player and converting file formats is just one of the many features in a long ever-expanding list. (Did you know that you can Cut/trim videos using VLC?). Follow the below steps to convert your .m4b audiobook to .mp3 format using VLC (Note- Chapter information will not be retained by this method).

  1. Press the Windows key, type vlc and click on Open.

  2. Next, click on Media in the top-left corner and select Convert / Save… from the menu. If you plan on using VLC to convert files regularly, memorizing the Ctrl + R shortcut will help speed things up.

  3. Click on the + Add… button in the File tab and navigate to the M4B file in the ensuing explorer window. Select the file and then click on Open.

  4. Back in the Open Media dialog box, expand the Convert / Save drop-down menu and select Convert.

  5. In the following Convert dialog box, firstly, verify the Source to make sure you have selected the correct file. Under the Settings section, select the Convert option, expand the Profile menu and select the desired output format. In our case, we select “Audio – MP3”.

  6. Click on the Browse button under Destination and pick where you would like to save the converted .MP3 file. Choose a suitable name for the file, add the .mp3 extension tag at the end and then click on Save.

  7. Finally, cross-check all the settings and click on Start to convert the selected M4B file to MP3 format.

The time VLC takes to finish the conversion will depend on the physical size, length of the file, and the system specs. A progress bar will be displayed to track the process. Hence, this is how you can convert m4b to mp3 using VLC media player.

Also Read: How to Convert WAV to MP3

Method 2: Use FFMPEG Command

FFMPEG is a tool favored by many Windows users for their file converting needs. FFMPEG is a command-line tool and the list of things you can do with it is endless. While installing FFMPEG isn’t the most straight-forward process, if you work with multimedia files often, we recommend installing it on your system. The tool is so powerful that it is at the core of popular programs such as VLC, iTunes, and platforms such as YouTube. (What is FFMPEG and a step-by-step guide on how to install it)

  1. Press the Windows and E keys simultaneously to launch File Explorer and open the folder containing the M4B file.

  2. Hold down the Shift key and right-click on any blank area. From the following context menu, select Open PowerShell window here.

  3. In the PowerShell window, carefully type the below code and then press enter to execute it. Change the C:\input_file_path\input.m4b parameter to hold the path of the M4B file to be converted and C:\output_file_path\output.mp3 to the output path and file output name.

ffmpeg -i “C:\input_file_path\input.m4b” -acodec libmp3lame -ar 22050 “C:\output_file_path\output.mp3”

The converted .mp3 file will be available in the output folder.

Method 3: Use iTunes App

The iTunes app itself can also be used to convert .m4b audiobooks to .mp3 format. The procedure, like others, is fairly simple too. So, follow these steps to convert m4b to mp3 using iTunes.

  1. Launch iTunes on your Mac computer and click on Edit at the top of the window. Select Preferences from the list.

  2. Click on the Import Settings button next.

  3. In the following Import Settings window, expand the Import Using: drop-down menu and select MP3 Encoder. Feel free to change the Audio Quality settings as well. Save the new settings by clicking on OK.

  4. Click on OK in the General Preferences.

  5. Now, select the file you would like to convert from the library (if you can’t find the file, simply drag and drop the required file in iTunes) and click on File > Convert. Choose the Create MP3 version option.

Also Read: How to Convert MP4 to MP3 Using VLC, Windows Media Player, iTunes

Method 4: Use Third-party Tools

As mentioned earlier, there are a plethora of audio conversion programs available on the internet. The .m4b to .mp3 converter from ManiacTools preserves chapters (splits files into individual chapters) and can convert multiple files in a single run. Using the program is also very easy; drag the .m4b files into the program, set output format & location, and click on the Convert option. In this way you can convert m4b to mp3 online from third-party tool.

MiniTool Video Converter, DVDVideoSoft’s Free Studio, Freemake Audio Converter are a couple of other similar applications that will help you convert .m4b files to .mp3 format online. If you do not wish to install any of these applications, online converters such as M4B to MP3 | CloudConvert and Zamzar Online File Conversion are also available. Although, there usually is a size limit for the files that can be converted online.

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We hope you were able to successfully convert m4b to mp3 format by employing the above methods without much of a hassle. We will keep a check on the comments section in case you need any more assistance.