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How-To Guide

How to Convert WMA to AAC

WMA (Windows Media Audio) is Microsoft's proprietary audio format — it plays on Windows Media Player and Xbox but has no native support on iPhones, Macs, or streaming services. AAC is the universal streaming codec used by Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, and every major platform. Converting WMA to AAC enables cross-platform compatibility.

See what FormatDrop converts
FormatDrop doesn't convert WMA to AAC yet. The methods below use free tools that do. FormatDrop's own converters cover common image, audio, video and PDF formats, all in your browser.

How to convert WMA to AAC

  1. 1

    FFmpeg (command line)

    Convert WMA to AAC: `ffmpeg -i input.wma -c:a aac -b:a 192k output.m4a`. For WMA Pro: add `-strict -2`. For WMA Lossless: `-b:a 256k` for higher quality. Batch: `for f in *.wma; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -c:a aac -b:a 192k "${f%.wma}.m4a"; done`. Check WMA variant: `ffprobe input.wma`.

  2. 2

    VLC (GUI)

    VLC decodes WMA natively. VLC → Media → Convert/Save → add WMA → set profile to 'Audio - AAC (MP4)' → set bitrate to 192 kbps → name output .m4a → Start. Handles WMA Standard, WMA Pro, and WMA Lossless.

  3. 3

    iTunes/Apple Music on Mac (for WMA Standard)

    Apple Music on Mac can import WMA Standard files — it automatically converts them to 256 kbps AAC on import. Drag the WMA file into Apple Music → it prompts to convert. Doesn't work for WMA Pro or WMA Lossless.

  4. 4

    Audacity with FFmpeg library (GUI)

    Install Audacity and the Audacity FFmpeg library. Open WMA file in Audacity → File → Import → Audio. File → Export → Export as M4A (AAC). Handles all WMA variants through FFmpeg.

Why convert WMA to AAC?

WMA is trapped in Microsoft's ecosystem. AAC is the universal streaming and mobile standard — convert once and your audio library works everywhere.

Frequently asked questions

Is WMA or AAC better quality?
AAC is technically superior to WMA at equivalent bitrates, especially at lower bitrates (64–128 kbps). At higher bitrates (192+ kbps), both are transparent. In objective quality tests (MUSHRA, PEAQ), AAC consistently outperforms WMA. Additionally, AAC has universal ecosystem support while WMA is limited to Microsoft platforms.
Can I convert WMA Lossless to AAC?
Yes, but you're converting a lossless source to lossy. Encode at 256 kbps for near-transparent quality. For true lossless output: convert to FLAC or ALAC instead: `ffmpeg -i input.wma -c:a flac output.flac`. If you must use AAC, 256 kbps is the quality Apple Music uses.
Why can't iPhones play WMA files?
Apple's Core Audio doesn't include a WMA decoder. Apple has not licensed Microsoft's format for iOS/macOS. Third-party apps like VLC for iOS play WMA, but they don't integrate into Apple Music. Convert to AAC or MP3 for native iPhone compatibility.
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