How to Convert Protected Audio Into a Plain MP

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Consider purchasing the unprotected versions.

   Apple no longer sells music that's protected by DRM, but songs purchased before 2009 are likely still protected.
   
   With an iTunes Match subscription, you can update all of these files to their unprotected versions, or you can repurchase individual songs and albums.
   
   Once you've repurchased the unprotected copies, delete the files from your iTunes library and download them again.
2. 2

   Step 2: Avoid music conversion software that claims to remove DRM.

   These are mostly adware and often come packaged with unwanted programs.
   
   They also very rarely work and usually just re-record your songs, since DRM cannot be cracked. , If you don't want to repurchase your old music, you can remove the protection by burning it to a CD and then ripping it back to MP3 format.
   
   You can do this entirely in iTunes.
   
   There are a few caveats:
   You'll need to be authorized to play the protected M4P files in iTunes in the first place in order to burn it to a CD.
   
   There will be a small drop in quality.
   
   You'll want to use a CD-RW if possible if you have a lot of files to convert, otherwise you'll need a lot of blank CD-Rs.
   
   You can reuse a CD-RW up to 1000 times, which can be a lifesaver for large libraries. , iTunes' default settings will not tell you which of your songs are protected.
   
   You can see which of your songs are protected by adding the "Kind" column to your music list:
   Open the Music section in iTunes and select your Music library.
   
   This will display a list of all of your songs.
   
   Right-click the columns at the top of the list and select "Kind." Click the "Kind" column to sort your music by file format.
   
   All of your protected songs will display "Protected AAC Audio File" in the "Kind" column. , To burn a CD in iTunes, you'll need to create a playlist with the tracks you want to burn first.
   
   Select 80 minutes of your protected music files.
   
   While you can set iTunes to burn multiple CDs in a row, only one of the CDs will retain artist and song information.
   
   Creating individual playlists for each CD will ensure that the song information stays intact.
   
   You'll also need to do one playlist at a time if you're using a CD-RW.
   
   Right-click the selection and select "New Playlist from Selection." Name your new playlist whatever you'd like.
   
   Repeat for any additional protected songs until you have multiple 80 minute playlists.
   
   Make sure none of the playlists go over 80 minutes, or you won't be able to burn them. , This will open the Burn Settings window.If you are informed that your computer is not authorized to burn the songs, double-click the song in your iTunes playlist and then enter the Apple ID and password used to purchase it.
   
   You cannot burn playlists containing songs that have been burned already more than seven times.
   
   If you've burned your songs to CD more than seven times in the past, you won't be able to convert it this way.
   
   See the last section of this article for a workaround. , iTunes will begin burning the songs to CD, which will take a few minutes to complete.
   
   If you're using multiple CD-Rs to burn a lot of songs, you can continue to burn them to discs.
   
   If you're using a CD-RW, proceed with the rest of the steps to rip them, then format the disc and burn the next playlist. , After burning your CDs, you'll need to set iTunes to import CD tracks as high-quality MP3 files.
   
   You can do this from the iTunes Preferences menu.
   
   Windows
   - Press Alt and click the Edit menu.
   
   Select "Preferences." Mac
   - Click the iTunes menu and select "Preferences."
   
   Use the following settings to get high-quality MP3 files when you rip from your burned CDs:
   Select "MP3 Encoder" from the "Import Using" menu.
   
   Select "Custom" from the "Setting" menu.
   
   Set "Stereo Bit Rate" to "320 kbps." Check the "Use Variable Bit Rate Encoding (VBR)" box and set "Quality" to "Highest."
   
   This will open the CD that is currently inserted in the computer. , Click "Yes" when prompted to begin importing the songs.
   
   This will take a few minutes to complete.
   
   Once the import process is complete, you'll have the new unprotected MP3s in your iTunes library.Because you still have the protected songs in your library still, you'll likely have duplicates.
   
   Use the "Kind" column to make the distinction between the two and remove the protected files. , If you're using a single CD-RW to convert your files, you'll need to format it after importing the songs into iTunes so that you can burn the next playlist to it:
   Right-click on your CD-RW in Windows Explorer ⊞ Win+E or Finder and select "Format." After the disc has been formatted, burn the next playlist to it and then import it into iTunes following the instructions above.
   
   Repeat as many times as necessary.
3. 3

   Step 3: Insert a blank CD into your computer.

4. 4

   Step 4: Find your protected music in iTunes.

5. 5

   Step 5: Create a playlist in iTunes with the protected music you want to convert.

6. 6

   Step 6: Right-click on the first playlist and select "Burn Playlist to Disc."

7. 7

   Step 7: Ensure "Audio CD" is selected and click "Burn."

8. 8

   Step 8: Open the iTunes Preferences menu.

9. 9

   Step 9: Click "Import Settings" and set your MP3 options.

10. 10

    Step 10: Click the "CD" button at the top of the iTunes window.

11. 11

    Step 11: Start importing the CD.

12. 12

    Step 12: Format your CD-RW and burn the next playlist (CD-RW only).

Detailed Guide

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