How to Export iTunes Playlist to MP3 [Two Ways]

iTunes is a popular media player that lets you manage your music files, including Apple Music and other media files. Songs purchased from the iTunes Store are usually in AAC format. If you downloaded songs from Apple Music, they are MPEG-4 AAC (M4P). iTunes also recognizes other file formats, including Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV. However, none of these formats is more widely used than MP3.

Many users want to export iTunes playlist to MP3 format so that they can listen to their favorite songs on other devices or platforms. Thankfully, you can download iTunes playlists as MP3, AIFF, or WAV using the Apple Music app on Mac or iTunes on Windows. Note that this method only works for unprotected iTunes music. Therefore, we will also guide you to export any iTunes playlist to MP3 format.

• Part 1. Export iTunes Playlist to MP3 [Unprotected Music]
• Part 2. Export iTunes Playlist to MP3 [Protected/Unprotected Music]
• Part 3. FAQs about Exporting iTunes Playlist to MP3
• Part 4. Comparison and Conclusion of Two Ways

Part 1. How to Convert iTunes Playlist to MP3 via iTunes/Apple Music App

iTunes can play a variety of audio file formats, including AAC, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV. The latter two formats are uncompressed, so the music quality is good, but the files take up disk space. Apple Lossless is an audiophile format that rivals AIFF and WAV in sound quality, but takes up half the space.

If you want to convert song files between compressed and uncompressed formats, iTunes makes it easy for you. It has a built-in feature that allows you to convert song formats. Here is a quick guide on how to export iTunes playlist to MP3 through iTunes or Apple Music app.

NOTE:

• If you convert between compressed formats or from uncompressed to compressed formats, the sound quality will be reduced.
• If you buy iTunes songs before 2009, they have DRM copyright protection added, this method will not work.

For iTunes

Step 1. First and foremost, you will need to download iTunes on your Windows PC.

Step 2. Open iTunes and go to the main menu bar at the top of the screen. Click on "Edit" and then select "Preferences".

Step 3. Now, click on "General" and hit on the "Import Settings..." option.

Step 4. Then change the "Import Using" option to "MP3 Encoder" and then click on the "OK" button to save the changes.

Step 5. Finally, head to your iTunes Library and select the song you want to convert. Then click the "File" menu > "Convert" > "Create MP3 Version" to download iTunes playlist to MP3. This way, iTunes will retain a copy of the original songs and, at the same time, create an MP3 audio file for you.

For Apple Music App

Step 1. First, open the Music app on your Mac computer. Next, click on "Music" > "Preferences".

Step 2. Select the "Files" option at the top of the window. Next, hit the "Import Settings" button.

Step 3. Choose "MP3 Encoder" to personalize the audio quality. Then click on "OK".

Step 4. Finally, select the iTunes songs from the library. Then, hit "File" > "Convert" > "Create MP3 Version" to get iTunes playlist exported to MP3. The MP3 files of your song will appear in your library next to the original files.

Pros and Cons of Using iTunes/Apple Music App:

Part 2. How to Export iTunes Playlist to MP3 via DRmare Audio Converter

It is very convenient to convert iTunes playlists as MP3 using the iTunes app or Apple Music app. However, this method does not support protected songs and reduces the original sound quality. Also, the process is very slow and you may spend a lot of time converting several iTunes tracks.

In this case, you need a better approach that addresses all of the above drawbacks. DRmare Audio Converter is your best choice. It can convert any protected or unprotected iTunes playlist to MP3, AAC, M4B, WAV, etc. with original sound quality. The download process will be fast, 30 times faster than iTunes conversion. All ID3 tags, such as title, album, artist, etc. will be preserved, and you can also customize these tags. In addition, it also supports converting protected Apple Music, Audible audiobooks and other common music files.

Key Features of DRmare Audio Converter

• Convert iTunes library to MP3/FLAC/AAC/M4A/M4B/WAV
• Remove protection from iTunes songs/audiobooks/playlists
• Work at 30X faster speed with lossless audio quality kept
• Maintain and edit full ID3 tags including the title, album art, etc.

Download Download

How to Convert iTunes Playlist to MP3 with Lossless Sound Quality

Step 1Install and launch the DRmare Audio Converter

From the official DRmare website, download and install the DRmare Audio Converter. Or you can directly click on the "Download" button above to get its free trial version. Then run the software on your computer and you will see some icons as shown above.

Step 2Add iTunes playlists to DRmare Audio Converter

Now, hit one of the two "Add Files" buttons located at the bottom-left corner to upload the iTunes songs to DRmare main interface. You can import as many songs as you want because this software supports batch conversion.

Step 3Customize output settings for iTunes playlists

On the main interface of DRmare Audio Converter, click on "Set Output Format" icon to launch the audio settings window. You can select the audio output format for iTunes playlists from the available option as you want. Besides, you can tweak the output codec, bit rate, sample rate, and more. Once you have made the changes, hit the "OK" button to save the changes.

Step 4Convert and download iTunes playlist to MP3

Finally, hit on the "Convert" button to download and convert iTunes playlists to MP3. Once it is complete, hit the "Converted" icon to find the converted iTunes songs on your computer. Then you are able to listen to them offline with any music player or move them to other devices for playing.

Pros and Cons of Using DRmare Audio Converter:

Part 3. FAQs about Exporting iTunes Playlist to MP3

Q1: Can I Convert My Entire iTunes Library to MP3?

A: Yes, you can export your entire iTunes library as MP3 using iTunes, Apple Music or DRmare Audio Converter. But this might take some time, depending on the size of your library. And DRmare Audio Converter works faster than iTunes or Apple Music.

Q2: Why Can't I Convert iTunes Playlist to MP3?

A: This is because the music you are converting is DRM protected and iTunes cannot convert protected music. To check if your specific song is DRM-protected: Open your iTunes library and click the song, then choose 'Song Info/File' > 'Kind'.

If the song is protected, you can use DRmare Audio Converter to solve the issue. With it, you can convert protected and unprotected iTunes music, Apple Music, and Audible to MP3 or other common-used formats.

Q3: Why Is Convert to MP3 Greyed Out in iTunes?

A: If 'Export to MP3' is greyed out, it means that the song you selected is not available for conversion. You can check if the song you want is not protected and stored on your computer. If it's a copyrighted song or an Apple Music song, iTunes doesn't support it. You can convert it to MP3 with DRmare Audio Converter.

Q4: Can I Export My iTunes Playlist to Other Audio Formats Besides MP3?

A: Yes. With iTunes or Apple Music, you can convert playlists between compressed and uncompressed formats including MP3, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV. With DRmare Audio Converter, you can convert iTunes playlist to MP3, AAC, M4A, M4B, WAV, and FLAC.

Q5: Does Music Quality Suffer When Converting from iTunes Music to MP3?

A: It depends on the method you use. If you use iTunes or Apple Music to convert iTunes to MP3 (compressed format), the music quality will suffer. If you use DRmare Audio Converter, the sound quality is 100% lossless.

Part 4. Comparison and Conclusion of Two Ways

There are two ways to export iTunes playlist to MP3. One way is to use iTunes/Apple Music, which is convenient because you don't need to install extra apps and it's free. However, there are some disadvantages, such as unsupportable protected songs, lowered sound quality, and slow conversion speed. If you are concerned about these issues, a better option is DRmare Audio Converter. This is specialized software that allows you to convert iTunes music to MP3 or other formats while maintaining lossless sound quality.