M4A cutter

How it works

M4A is an MPEG-4 audio file, usually holding AAC-encoded sound. iPhone Voice Memos, GarageBand exports and many music downloads use it. This cutter decodes the file locally, so even long recordings of lectures or meetings never leave your computer or phone.

To save as M4A the tool uses the AAC encoder built into your browser (WebCodecs). Chrome and Edge on Windows and macOS support it; if your browser doesn’t, the M4A option is disabled and you can export MP3 or WAV instead. Files bought from the iTunes Store before 2009 or tracks downloaded from Apple Music are DRM-protected and cannot be opened by any web tool.

M4A at 128–192 kbps sounds as good as or better than an MP3 of the same size, so it is a good choice for voice and music you will keep on Apple devices. If you need to share the file with older car stereos or Windows tools, MP3 is the more compatible choice.

Recommended settings

• Voice Memos: share the memo to Files first, then open it here
• Use 128 kbps for speech, 192 kbps for music
• Rename an M4A to .m4r only after trimming to 40 s or less
• Pick MP3 for maximum compatibility

Step by step

1. Open your audio. Click Open file or drop an MP3, M4A, WAV, OGG, FLAC or video file onto the page. It is decoded in your browser and never uploaded.
2. Select the part to keep. Drag across the waveform, drag the handles, or type exact start and end times. Use Find loudest part or a length preset such as 30 s for ringtones.
3. Add fades and set the volume. Set fade in and fade out lengths, then tick Normalize or adjust Volume. Press Play to preview exactly what will be exported.
4. Download. Choose MP3, WAV, M4A or M4R, type a name and click Download.

FAQ