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Mauricioftr's avatar
Mauricioftr
Copper Contributor
May 28, 2026

Question about itunes mp3 music download onto my Windows 11 PC

Hello,

I have a music library in iTunes on my Windows 11 PC and would like to save some of the songs as MP3 files so I can play them on other devices that don't support the Apple Music app.

The truth is that some of the music was purchased from iTunes years ago, while other tracks come from my current Apple Music subscription. Not sure whether iTunes can convert iTunes songs to MP3 or if there are any restrictions.

What is the easiest way for iTunes mp3 music download on Windows 11? Are there built-in options in iTunes, or do I need additional software? 

9 Replies

  • JosephEnd's avatar
    JosephEnd
    Iron Contributor

    What is the easiest way for iTunes download mp3 music on Windows 11? That option uses a standard CD burner and relies on iTunes' ability to make an MP3 CD. This process is completely free if your PC has a disc drive. This method is only accessible if you have access to an optical disc drive.

    Follow these steps in order to successfully get iTunes download MP3:

    1. Prepare iTunes Settings (Change Encoder to MP3):

    • Open iTunes on your PC.
    • Click Edit in the top menu bar, then select Preferences.
    • Click the General tab, then click the Import Settings button.
    • Click the drop-down menu next to "Import Using" and select MP3 Encoder.
    • Click OK to save the settings.

    2. Create and Burn an "MP3 CD":

    • In iTunes, create a new Playlist (File > New > Playlist) and drag the songs you want to convert into this playlist.
    • Insert your blank CD-R disc into your computer's burner.
    • Select the playlist you just created.
    • Click File in the top menu bar.
    • In the burn settings window, change the format to "MP3 CD".
    • Click Burn.

    3. Re-Import the MP3 Files from the CD:

    • Wait for the CD to finish burning. After it ejects, re-insert it.
    • When the CD appears in iTunes, click No if it asks you to import.
    • Open the CD in File Explorer.
    • You will now see your songs as standard .mp3 files. Select all the files, copy them, and paste them into a folder on your desktop or hard drive.
  • Debiora's avatar
    Debiora
    Iron Contributor

    This is a method for quickly itunes mp3 music download and converting audio files without the need for additional software. 

    You can use a simple Python script to batch convert M4A files to MP3 files, allowing you to play your music on any device while downloading and converting it.

    Instructions: First, install the required libraries, then copy and run the code. The script will scan your iTunes music folder, convert all M4A files to 320 kbps MP3 format, and save them in their original locations. It supports batch processing and efficiently downloads and converts iTunes MP3 music.

    Install:

    pip install pydub

    Code:

    from pydub import AudioSegment

     import os folder = C:\\Users\\YourName\\Music\\iTunes\\iTunes Media\\Music

    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(folder):

     for file in files:

    if file.endswith(.m4a):

     m4a_path = os.path.join(root, file)

     mp3_path = m4a_path.replace(".m4a", ".mp3")

    audio = AudioSegment.from_file(m4a_path, format="m4a")

    audio.export(mp3_path, format="mp3", bitrate="320k")

    It's ideal for converting your entire music library to MP3, creating a general-purpose music backup, or playing the converted files on non-Apple devices.

  • Everettiu's avatar
    Everettiu
    Copper Contributor

    Here is a description of using the "re-download old purchases" method as a way to effectively perform an iTunes download MP3 conversion.

    Here is exactly how to re-download your old purchases on Windows 11:

    Step 1: Open iTunes on your Windows PC.

    Step 2: In the menu bar, click Account > Purchased . If you use Family Sharing, you will see "Family Purchases" instead.

    Step 3: In the pop-up menu at the top-left of the iTunes window, select Music .

    Step 4: You will now see all the music you have ever purchased from the iTunes Store. Find the songs you want to redownload. If the song already exists in your library with DRM protection, you may want to delete the old version first .

    Step 5: Click the Download button next to each song or album you want to redownload .

    Step 6: Once the download finishes, locate the newly downloaded songs in your iTunes library. Right-click a song and select Get Info, then click the File tab. The "Kind" field should now read something like "Purchased AAC audio file" rather than "Protected AAC audio file".

    For anyone who bought music from the iTunes Store before 2009, re-downloading old purchases is a completely free, legitimate method to replace DRM-protected files with modern unrestricted copies. Once replaced, you can freely perform an iTunes download MP3 conversion on those songs and play them on any device you own.

  • Naominy's avatar
    Naominy
    Copper Contributor

    When people talk about wanting to iTunes download MP3 files for free, most assume this means downloading songs from the internet directly into iTunes. However, there is a completely legitimate, free and built-in method.

    You can import Music from CDs Using iTunes, if you own physical CDs, you can use iTunes to "rip" them into MP3 format completely free. This is the most legitimate way to build a digital music library without paying for downloads.

    How to use it for iTunes download MP3:

    Step 1: Open iTunes on your Windows 11 PC. If you do not already have iTunes installed, you can download it for free from Apple's website or the Microsoft Store.

    Step 2: Insert your audio CD into your computer's CD/DVD drive. After a few seconds, iTunes will detect the CD and typically ask whether you want to import the CD into your library. If it does not ask automatically, you can click the CD icon that appears in the top-left corner of the iTunes window.

    Step 3: Before you begin importing, you should check or change the import format. By default, iTunes imports CDs using the AAC format, which is high quality but not as universally compatible as MP3. To change this to MP3, go to Edit > Preferences (on Windows) or iTunes > Preferences (on Mac), click the General tab, then click Import Settings. In the "Import Using" dropdown menu, select MP3 Encoder. You can also choose the audio quality setting—higher bitrates like 320 kbps produce larger files but better sound, while 192 kbps gives a good balance of quality and file size. Click OK to save your settings.

    Step 4: Now you are ready to import. Click the Import CD button in the top-right corner of the iTunes window. A dialog box will appear asking whether you want to import all songs or just selected ones. Choose your preference and click OK.

    Step 5: iTunes will begin reading the CD and converting each track into an MP3 file. A progress bar appears next to each song title. Depending on the length of the CD and your computer's speed, this process typically takes anywhere from two to five minutes. Once finished, all of the tracks will appear in your iTunes library as playable MP3 files.

    Step 6: To confirm that you have successfully performed an iTunes download MP3 operation, right-click on any imported track in your iTunes library and select Show in File Explorer. This will open the folder where iTunes stores your actual MP3 files. You can now copy these files anywhere you like—to a USB drive, your phone, an external hard drive, or any other device that plays MP3 audio.

  • Josew's avatar
    Josew
    Silver Contributor

    XMedia Recode is a media conversion tool designed for itunes mp3 music download and transcoding audio. It supports batch processing and a wide range of media formats, making it a popular choice for music-related conversion tasks.

    How to Download MP3 Music from iTunes

    Step 1: Open the software

    Step 2: Go to the Input tab and add files from the iTunes folder

    Step 3: Set the output format to MP3

    Step 4: Set the bitrate to 320 kbps

    Finally, click “Encode” to start the conversion

    This allows you to efficiently convert music to MP3 files. It is a solution for converting local iTunes media to MP3 format.

  • LunaScott's avatar
    LunaScott
    Iron Contributor

    FreeConvert is a free, browser-based file conversion platform that requires no software installation or account registration. It supports a wide range of file types including audio, video, images, and eBooks across Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices, making it one of the most versatile free options for converting purchased iTunes music files into a more universally compatible format. It's best suited for casual, one-off conversions rather than bulk library processing.

    For iTunes mp3 download, this online service is a convenient, no-fuss solution for converting purchased iTunes tracks into a format that plays on virtually any device or media player. It offers advanced settings for customization and is free for basic conversions, though ads may be present on the website. One key limitation is that it cannot remove DRM protection, so it only works with unprotected, purchased iTunes files — not streamed Apple Music content.

  • MadisonGreen's avatar
    MadisonGreen
    Iron Contributor

    Can you still download MP3s from iTunes on Windows? It depends.

    If you purchased songs from the iTunes Store, you can convert them to MP3 directly in iTunes on Windows. You go to Edit → Preferences → General → Import Settings, set "Import Using" to MP3 Encoder, then select your songs and choose File → Convert → Create MP3 Version. iTunes will keep the original and create an MP3 copy.

    On the app side, iTunes for Windows is still available from the Microsoft Store, but Apple has also introduced separate dedicated apps for Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices on Windows. So iTunes is still around, but Apple is gradually shifting Windows users toward those standalone apps.

    So basically, iTunes music mp3 download is no longer available officially!