Windows Media Audio (WMA) files use a proprietary format developed by Microsoft and used past media players built into Windows, like the Windows Media Player. Many other, better, players don't support WMA files, just they're like shooting fish in a barrel enough to convert to something different.

Because of the proprietary nature of the WMA format, there'southward not much reason not to catechumen them into a more widely used format—like MP3. Even if you lot apply Windows Media Role player, it can nonetheless play MP3 files. And having your files in MP3 means that you lot've got a lot more than options for playing them, including dissimilar apps and platforms.

Convert WMA Files to MP3 with VLC Role player

VLC is a costless and open source media player that opens almost whatever file format and has an option for converting your audio files. It's ane of our favorites here at How-to Geek considering not only is it complimentary, it's cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS) and very capable.

After installing VLC, open up it up, click the "Media" menu, and then click the "Catechumen/Save" control.

Click the "Add" button to start loading files you want to convert.

Detect and select the file or files you desire to open up and so click the "Open up" push.

Click "Catechumen/Save" to open up up the next window.

In the "Profile" drib-downwards list, choose "MP3" and then click the "Scan" button to select the binder to which y'all desire to save the converted files.

After you've selected a folder to save the file, utilise the "Salve As Type" driblet-downwards to choose the MP3 option then click "Save."

If you desire to have a little more control over the encoding that happens during the conversion, click the wrench button.

This brings up some other menu with a couple more advanced options for you to tinker with. The "Audio Codec" tab, for instance, lets you change things similar bitrate, channels, and sample rate.

Finally, click "Start" to begin the conversion process.

Depending on the bitrate you chose and the size of the files, it could take some time for the conversion to end. When information technology'south done, you lot'll find your new MP3 files in the output folder yous chose.

Using Online Solutions to Convert Your Files

There are numerous websites out in that location that let you convert your files for free, only our favorite is Zamzar. You can convert up to ten files at a time, and they don't keep any of your files on their servers longer than 24 hours.

Later on firing up Zamzar's website, click the "Choose Files" button and navigate to the files you want to catechumen. You can besides drag and drop the files into your browser window to upload them to the site.

Next, from the drop-downward carte du jour, select "MP3" as the output file type.

Finally, enter a valid electronic mail address and click the "Convert" push.

After the conversion is complete (which doesn't take too long, unless y'all're converting a lot of large files) you'll receive an email with your files fix to download.

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