Convert M4P to ALAC — Free Online Converter
Convert iTunes Protected AAC (.m4p) to Apple Lossless Audio Codec (.alac) online for free. Fast, secure audio conversion with no watermarks or registr...
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Upload your .m4p file by dragging it into the upload area or clicking to browse.
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About M4P to ALAC Conversion
M4P and ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) both live in Apple's ecosystem but serve different purposes. M4P was Apple's DRM-protected lossy format for iTunes purchases, while ALAC is Apple's lossless compression codec — it preserves every sample of the decoded audio with typically 50-60% file size reduction compared to raw PCM. Converting M4P to ALAC decodes the AAC audio and re-encodes it using Apple's lossless algorithm.
This conversion creates the most space-efficient lossless copy of your decoded M4P audio within the Apple ecosystem. The ALAC output plays natively on every Apple device — iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, HomePod — and integrates with Apple Music and iTunes without any compatibility friction.
Why Convert M4P to ALAC?
ALAC is the natural lossless format for Apple users. If you have old iTunes purchases encoded as M4P and want to preserve the decoded audio in the highest possible quality while maintaining full Apple device compatibility, ALAC is the optimal target. Unlike WAV or AIFF, ALAC compresses the data losslessly, saving roughly half the storage space while keeping every decoded sample intact.
For users building a high-quality Apple Music library, converting unprotected M4P files to ALAC ensures consistent format across the library. Apple Music streams at ALAC when Lossless Audio is enabled, so having your owned tracks in the same format simplifies library management and avoids any playback quirks from mixing format types.
Common Use Cases
- Build a uniform ALAC library from old iTunes M4P purchases for Apple Music integration
- Create lossless archival copies of decoded M4P audio with 50% less storage than AIFF or WAV
- Prepare old iTunes tracks for AirPlay 2 streaming at lossless quality to HomePod speakers
- Migrate M4P purchases to a format that Apple devices play natively without DRM concerns
- Preserve decoded iTunes audio in a compact lossless format for long-term personal archival
How It Works
FFmpeg decodes the AAC stream from the M4P container and re-encodes it using the ALAC codec (-c:a alac) inside an M4A container. ALAC uses linear prediction and entropy coding to compress the PCM audio losslessly — typical compression ratios are 40-60% of the original PCM size. The output M4A file retains Apple's MPEG-4 container format, ensuring full compatibility with iTunes, Apple Music, and all Apple devices.
Quality & Performance
ALAC preserves every sample of the decoded AAC audio without any additional loss. However, the quality is still limited by the original M4P encoding — a 128 kbps AAC source has already discarded information that cannot be recovered. The ALAC file faithfully stores what AAC decoded, not the original uncompressed recording. For 256 kbps iTunes Plus sources, the decoded audio is perceptually transparent, making ALAC an excellent archival choice.
Device Compatibility
| Device | M4P | ALAC |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Partial | Partial |
| macOS | Partial | Native |
| iPhone/iPad | Partial | Native |
| Android | Partial | Partial |
| 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
- 1ALAC is the best choice for Apple-centric libraries — native support on all Apple devices
- 2For cross-platform libraries, consider FLAC instead; for Apple-only, ALAC is superior
- 3Batch convert all unprotected M4P files at once to build a consistent lossless library
- 4ALAC files use the .m4a extension — do not confuse them with lossy AAC M4A files (check codec info)
- 5Verify your M4P files are DRM-free before conversion; iTunes Match can upgrade protected tracks
M4P to ALAC is the optimal conversion for Apple ecosystem users who want lossless preservation of their decoded iTunes purchases in a space-efficient format with native device support.