Convert AIFC to 3GP — Free Online Converter
Convert AIFF-C Compressed Audio (.aifc) to 3GPP Multimedia (.3gp) online for free. Fast, secure audio conversion with no watermarks or registration....
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How to Convert
Upload your .aifc file by dragging it into the upload area or clicking to browse.
Choose your output settings. The default settings work great for most files.
Click Convert and download your .3gp file when it's ready.
About AIFC to 3GP Conversion
AIFC (AIFF-C, Audio Interchange File Format - Compressed) is an extension of Apple's AIFF standard that adds support for compressed audio codecs including IMA ADPCM, MACE 3:1, MACE 6:1, and ITU-T G.711 variants (u-law and A-law). Despite the 'compressed' designation, AIFC can also store uncompressed PCM data and is primarily encountered in legacy Mac OS applications, NeXTSTEP systems, and vintage multimedia projects from the early 1990s.
3GP is a lightweight multimedia container standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project for mobile phone networks. Converting AIFC to 3GP takes a rare legacy Apple audio format and repackages the audio into a mobile-optimized container using AMR or low-bitrate AAC codecs. The resulting file is audio-only wrapped in the 3GP video container, suitable for legacy mobile playback and MMS delivery.
Why Convert AIFC to 3GP?
AIFC files are essentially unplayable on modern mobile devices — no mainstream mobile OS includes an AIFC decoder. The format's compressed codecs (MACE, IMA ADPCM) are proprietary Apple technologies from the early 1990s with virtually zero support outside classic Mac OS. 3GP, by contrast, was built specifically for mobile delivery and is recognized by every feature phone and smartphone.
Converting AIFC to 3GP also achieves significant file size reduction when the AIFC source contains uncompressed PCM. Even AIFC files using MACE 6:1 compression (roughly 6:1 ratio) are still far larger than 3GP with AMR-NB, which compresses speech audio to under 100 KB per minute. For transmitting legacy Mac audio over cellular networks, 3GP is the practical target.
Common Use Cases
- Sending archived Mac OS audio recordings via MMS to recipients on feature phones
- Converting legacy AIFC sound assets from NeXTSTEP systems for mobile playback
- Preparing vintage AIFC voice recordings for telecom IVR systems that require 3GP
- Making AIFC audio from early 1990s Mac multimedia projects accessible on basic handsets
- Delivering AIFC-format voicemail archives through carrier MMS gateways
How It Works
FFmpeg reads the AIFC container and identifies the internal codec — PCM (uncompressed), IMA ADPCM (4-bit adaptive differential), MACE 3:1, MACE 6:1, u-law, or A-law. It decodes the audio to raw PCM samples regardless of the original compression, then re-encodes as AMR-NB (8 kHz mono, 4.75-12.2 kbps), AMR-WB (16 kHz mono, up to 23.85 kbps), or AAC-LC at a low bitrate. The result is muxed into a 3GP container conforming to the 3GPP specification.
Quality & Performance
Quality depends heavily on the AIFC source codec. Uncompressed PCM in AIFC provides a perfect starting point, but 3GP's codecs impose severe constraints. MACE-compressed AIFC sources are already degraded before the 3GP encoding step, compounding the quality loss. AMR-NB limits audio to telephone bandwidth (300-3400 Hz), while AAC-LC at 64-128 kbps in 3GP preserves more detail. For speech content, the result is acceptable; for music, quality loss is substantial.
Device Compatibility
| Device | AIFC | 3GP |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Partial | Partial |
| macOS | Partial | Partial |
| iPhone/iPad | Partial | Partial |
| Android | Partial | Native |
| Linux | Partial | Partial |
| Web Browser | No | No |
Recommended Settings by Platform
Spotify
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 320 kbps
OGG Vorbis preferred
Apple Music
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 256 kbps
AAC format required
SoundCloud
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 128 kbps
Lossless FLAC/WAV for best quality
Podcast
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 128 kbps
MP3 mono for spoken word
Tips for Best Results
- 1Choose AAC-LC at 64 kbps inside 3GP for the best music quality from your AIFC source
- 2Use AMR-WB over AMR-NB if the target device supports it — it doubles the usable frequency range
- 3Keep original AIFC files as archival copies since 3GP conversion is permanently lossy
- 4Test playback on the actual target handset before batch converting — 3GP codec support varies across phone models
- 5If the AIFC source uses MACE compression, expect lower output quality than from an uncompressed AIFC source
AIFC to 3GP rescues audio trapped in Apple's obsolete compressed format and delivers it in a universally recognized mobile container. Prefer AAC-LC inside 3GP for the best quality, and always retain original AIFC files as archival copies.