Ask Dave Taylor
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • YouTube Videos
  • Top Categories
  • Subscribe via Email
  • Ask A Question
  • Meet Dave
  • Home
  • iPod & MP3 Player Help
  • Convert WMA from Windows Media Player into MP3 files?

Convert WMA from Windows Media Player into MP3 files?

January 3, 2006 / Dave Taylor / iPod & MP3 Player Help, Windows PC Help / 468 Comments

I’m definitely going crazy here. I have a ton of CDs that I’ve ripped with Windows Media Player 10, but they’re all apparently in WMA format, not the MP3 format that my new Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) needs for me to listen to them. I checked and there’s no “save as” capability in WMP, so how the heck do I fix this problem?

This is an astonishingly common question for Sony PSP owners, a question sufficiently common that even Sony’s heard your complaints: the latest version of the PSP firmware (version 2.6) includes the ability to play WMA (Windows Media, Audio) files directly on the PSP. I haven’t tried it, and I have heard that some people are anxious that you have to be online when you accept the terms of the player upgrade, so your preference can be registered with The Man, but that’s certainly one solution.

But there’s another way to fix your audio files, a solution that works with all MP3-compatible players and will even let you then import your previously ripped CDs into Apple’s iTunes. That’s to use an audio conversion program, and whether you’re a Mac or Windows person, there are oodles of ’em available.

For this article, I picked out the freeware application Switch for Windows, developed by a team of Australian programmers. (don’t like that? Try the 24/7 supported application Smart Audio Converter instead)

The first thing I did was to rip a new music CD, Dave Grusin’s The Gershwin Collection, with Windows Media Player. It looked like this as it was being ripped by WMP:

Windows Media Player ripping an audio CD

Now, with that album ripped, I start up the Switch program and get, well, a blank window:

Switch Audio Conversion Utility for Windows

Click on “Add Folder” and I can select the newly ripped CD by looking in My Documents\My Music:

Switch Audio Conversion Utility for Windows

Almost ready to go. The last step, one that’s not obvious when you first start working with Switch, is to pick the output format of your choice, as shown here:

Switch Audio Conversion Utility for Windows

I’ve chosen MP3, but you can see the program supports a wide range of options!

With the audio input files selected, the output format selected, and the destination disk specified, all that’s left to do is select all the files to convert and click on the “Convert” button on the top right. You’ll get a progress window like this:

Switch Audio Conversion Utility for Windows

When it indicates that the conversion is complete, voila, you now have MP3 audio files from your WMA format files. Quickly and easily done.

There are also Mac utilities for converting audio file formats, as I write about here: Converting WMA to MP3 on Mac OS X

Disclaimer: The Switch link is an affiliate link. You get the software at a discount and I get a few pennies commission on the sale. A win:win.

Let’s Stay In Touch!

Never miss a single article, review or tutorial here on AskDaveTaylor, sign up for my fun weekly newsletter!
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please enter all required fields
Correct invalid entries
No spam, ever. Promise. Powered by FeedBlitz
Please choose a color:
Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!
audio conversion, audio file conversion, mp3, mp3 conversion, switch for windows, windows, wma, wma conversion

468 comments on “Convert WMA from Windows Media Player into MP3 files?”

  1. cony says:
    May 8, 2021 at 5:23 am

    Thanks for the useful content! I have also used one converter which can convert wmp files to MP3 and it also supports any audio as well as Apple Music and Audible audios. It is called TunesKit Audio Converter.

    Reply
  2. Marcel Kofler says:
    March 8, 2021 at 8:14 pm

    Thanks for sharing. There is another solution that can be used to convert WMA files to MP3 files, which is to use AudFree Audio Converter. This audio converting tool is not only designed to convert common audio files without quality loss, but also convert Apple Music, iTunes songs, Audible AA, AAX, to MP3, M4A, M4B, OGG, FLAC, etc. at 30X faster speed.

    Reply
    • Dave Taylor says:
      March 9, 2021 at 7:52 am

      AudFree Audio Converter like an interesting program, but suggesting that it’s “free” is a misnomer when it’s $39.95 for a single-user license, Marcel. Caveat emptor.

      Reply
  3. sweet says:
    July 17, 2016 at 11:35 am

    For those who say to use the default program and switch to MP3 in the options, have you tried it? i am on Win 7 and it does not work for me.

    Reply
  4. JT G says:
    September 20, 2015 at 1:11 pm

    I have a number of albums I loaded onto my computer from the original cd’s I had years ago, but have lost the original cd’s because of a number of moves I’ve had to make. The newer players won’t play the wma files on my computer, and I can’t find a player that will. They all stop with the DRM message. Is there an older player out there that can play these files? Somewhere along the way, the updates to the players I had stopped playing my album collections.

    Reply
  5. Austin says:
    June 30, 2015 at 2:53 pm

    This app is so awesome. I converted my WMA tracks to mp3 in few simple clicks. I am enjoying it thank you.

    Reply
  6. Ernie says:
    March 10, 2015 at 2:12 pm

    Tried that but it says the files are protected by DRM and a big red X shows up in the column just to the left of the file. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  7. clare says:
    February 2, 2015 at 8:53 am

    Outstanding and super quick….almost too good to be true. I’ve tried so many different applications through the years…this is the “no fuss” one. Thank you!

    Reply
  8. ukash bozdurma says:
    December 1, 2014 at 7:54 pm

    OR you can just change the Rip settings from wma to MP3 in the options. you know, use the original program to do what it’s programmed to do without an outside app that can kill your pc/macc

    Reply
  9. kristen says:
    January 28, 2014 at 10:27 am

    Thanks! I work with disabled adults who use communication devices. I am converting all of their CDs to mp3 files so that they can play music on their devices independently. They will be so excited! So far no issues converting the files.

    Reply
  10. Brian Davis says:
    January 16, 2014 at 4:06 am

    No problem at all. No learning curve, very quick conversion, great!

    Reply
  11. Kate says:
    December 29, 2013 at 5:59 am

    Just wanted to thank this person very much for posting this information. I spend about 3 hours last night trying to understand why I couldn’t get music from my laptop to my PSP. I watched at least five youtube videos on how to do it and read I don’t know how many information pages. Yours is the only one that has made sense and finally enabled me to do what I want. Thank you very much for your help, greatly appreciated.

    Reply
  12. murrah says:
    September 25, 2013 at 11:53 am

    THANK YOU!!!!!

    Reply
  13. nachwaal3ab says:
    April 24, 2013 at 1:20 pm

    thanks for this nice post ,this is very important work

    Reply
  14. Donna says:
    April 16, 2013 at 2:16 pm

    Thank you, thank you, thank you – this really helps me! 🙂

    Reply
  15. Finy says:
    April 5, 2013 at 1:13 am

    Thanks for good tips. I’ll try your metod.
    Finy

    Reply
  16. KnotHeather says:
    February 19, 2013 at 3:45 pm

    OR you can just change the Rip settings from wma to MP3 in the options. you know, use the original program to do what it’s programmed to do without an outside app that can kill your pc/mac. you think?!

    Reply
  17. sarah says:
    February 3, 2013 at 6:30 am

    Many thanks. Using Switch worked perfectly and I now have a consoled child with his audio books on his Kindle.

    Reply

Comment navigation

← Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Recent Posts

  • How Do I Use Dictation on my Google Chromebook?
  • Why Can’t I See Book Titles in the Kindle App for the Mac?
  • How to Stop Receiving Chat Requests from Spammers on Reddit?
  • How Do I Create a Custom Search Engine in Microsoft Edge?
  • How to Scan QR Codes on Saved Photos (iPhone & Android)?

On Our YouTube Channel

SHURE AONIC 40 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones -- DEMO & REVIEW

CASIO EDIFICE EFR573 HG-1AV Sport Chronograph Watch -- REVIEW

Categories

  • AdSense, AdWords, and PPC Help (106)
  • Amazon, eBay, and Online Shopping Help, (161)
  • Android Help (193)
  • Apple iPad Help (144)
  • Apple Watch Help (51)
  • Articles, Tutorials, and Reviews (344)
  • Business Advice (198)
  • Chrome OS Help (21)
  • Computer & Internet Basics (755)
  • d) None of the Above (164)
  • Facebook Help (381)
  • Google, Chrome & Gmail Help (175)
  • HTML & Web Page Design (244)
  • Instagram Help (47)
  • iPhone & iOS Help (601)
  • iPod & MP3 Player Help (173)
  • Kindle & Nook Help (91)
  • LinkedIn Help (85)
  • Linux Help (162)
  • Linux Shell Script Programming (86)
  • Mac & MacOS Help (887)
  • Most Popular (16)
  • Outlook & Office 365 Help (24)
  • PayPal Help (69)
  • Pinterest Help (53)
  • Reddit Help (17)
  • SEO & Marketing (81)
  • Spam, Scams & Security (92)
  • Trade Show News & Updates (23)
  • Twitter Help (217)
  • Video Game Tips (66)
  • Web Site Traffic Tips (62)
  • Windows PC Help (908)
  • Wordpress Help (204)
  • Writing and Publishing (72)
  • YouTube Help (45)
  • YouTube Video Reviews (159)
  • Zoom, Skype & Video Chat Help (56)

Archives

Social Connections:

Ask Dave Taylor


Follow Me on Pinterest
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on LinkedIn
Follow me on Instagram


AskDaveTaylor on Facebook



microsoft insider mvp


This web site is for the purpose of disseminating information for educational purposes, free of charge, for the benefit of all visitors. We take great care to provide quality information. However, we do not guarantee, and accept no legal liability whatsoever arising from or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any material contained on this site or on any linked site. Further, please note that by submitting a question or comment you're agreeing to our terms of service, which are: you relinquish any subsequent rights of ownership to your material by submitting it on this site. Our lawyer says "Thanks for your cooperation."
© 2022 by Dave Taylor. "Ask Dave Taylor®" is a registered trademark of Intuitive Systems, LLC.
Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions - Accessibility Policy