iPhone saves voice memos as .m4a files. M4A is a commonly used audio file format that provides high-quality audio compression. You can’t use the Voice Memos app to record audio as MP3, WAV or other formats. However, if you want to convert the voice memos or m4a files to a different format, you can use third-party apps or software to do so. There are various computer software, such as Audacity, iTunes, and online tools available that allow you to convert audio files from one format to another.
If you need a voice recording on iPhone to be encoded in a different codec, you can also use an audio editor app to convert iPhone voice memos to MP3 or other formats. Here we’d like to share with iPhone users two popular yet free audio and music editors which you can download from the App Store.
About the Audio Editor apps
I have tried several audio editing apps available on the Apple App Store. And found some excellent audio editing apps. In this article, we will use two of the free audio editors we came across to show you how iPhone voice memos can be converted to MP3 or other audio formats on iPhone. Unlike many other apps, a lot is locked behind a pay wall and I get tons of ads but these two apps aren’t two of them, you can do so much with these two free apps or their free versions(Free, with In-App purchases).
- The Audio Editor – Music editor app developed by Sujuan Chen.
- Hokusai Audio Editor by Wooji Juice.
Method 1. Convert voice memos from m4a to MP3 on iPhone
If you record a voice memo using the Voice Memos app on your iPhone, you can find the recording in the app, and if you want to access the actual file or edit it with other apps, you can use the built-in share option to copy it from Voice Memos to other apps.
Step 1. Export recordings from Voice Memos to the Audio Editor
Open Voice Memos app on iPhone, your voice memos will be listed in the Voice Memos app. Locate and tap on the voice memo you want to share and edit. Once you’ve selected the voice memo, tap on the More menu(a circle with ellipsis inside). The menu will open at the lower section, find and choose Share from the menu.
Swipe left on the apps selection bar to select the audio editor. You may need to choose More to reveal more apps and select AudioEditor from there.
Step 2. Convert M4A to MP3, WAV on iPhone
After that, you will see the selected voice memos being imported to the audio editor app.
Find the voice memo or sound recording you have just imported to the audio editor app, tap on the Menu button(ellipsis icon) which is located next to the file name.
On this action menu you can find the Export to section at the top where you can choose the file format you like to convert the audio file to, including MP3, M4A, M4R, WAV, AIF, CAF, AAC, etc. When you need to convert iPhone voice memo to mp3, simply choose MP3 from the formats list, then the editor will convert your audio recording from M4A to MP3 and save it to the home screen of the editor app along with the source audio and other files. You can then share the converted MP3 file with any other apps you like.
It is the same to convert M4A or other audios to MP3, WAV or other formats on iPhone.
Method 2. Convert voice memos from m4a to WAV using Hokusai
Hokusai Audio Editor is designed for users who want to edit and manipulate audio recordings on their iPhones or iPads. The app supports various audio file formats, allowing users to import and export their audio projects in different formats. It however supports only audio export in .m4a, .aac, or .wav format. You can use it to convert voice memos from M4A to WAV for free on iPhone. It however doesn’t support MP3 as output. Also its latest version 2.5.7 was released on Sep 10, 2022. That’s to say it has not been updated for more than a year as of Dec 17, 2023. So we only recommend this app to those who doesn’t like the first audio editor app.
M4A vs MP3 file formats
When you choose the audio file format between MP3 and M4A , remember that each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. MP3 is a lossy compression format. The more the file is compressed, the more noticeable the loss in audio quality becomes. M4A files use advanced compression algorithms which allows for better audio quality at lower bit rates compared to MP3. While M4A is supported by many devices and players, it may not be as universally compatible as MP3.