How can I convert m4a to mp3 on my Windows 11 PC?

Converting M4A to MP3 can lead to quality loss. When you first rip or download an M4A file, it's already compressed, and then turning it into MP3 adds another layer of compression. You might not notice it right away, but if you’re an audiophile or just really into your music, you might feel like something’s off - especially in the high notes or subtle sounds. So, if you're concerned about maintaining sound quality, this might be a deal-breaker. 

While MP3s are generally smaller than M4A files, sometimes you might end up with a larger file if you pick a higher bitrate. If you’re not careful about the settings during conversion, you could gravitate toward a size that’s bigger than the original M4A. It's like, great, I wanted to save space, not take up more! Keeping an eye on the bitrate is key here.

When you convert M4A to MP3, especially in more basic converters, sometimes the metadata (like album art, artist info, track numbers, etc.) can get lost or messed up. I’ve had moments where I've converted a track and then found out the album art was gone or the song was just labeled “Track 1.” Annoying! You’d have to go back in later and fix that stuff manually, which is just a hassle. If you're using command prompt or even some free software to convert M4A to MP3 on Windows 11/10, things can get glitchy. I remember once trying to convert a file and ended up with a corrupted MP3 that wouldn’t play at all. It can be frustrating, especially if you’re in a hurry and just want to jam out to your tunes. You might have to redo the process or even check file paths, which can be a pain.