Audio · .mp3
What Is an MP3 File?
A .mp3 file is the most widely supported compressed audio format.
- Extension
- .mp3
- Full name
- MPEG-1 Audio Layer III
- Type
- Audio
- MIME type
- audio/mpeg
- Developed by
- Fraunhofer Institute / MPEG (1993)
Free MP3 Tools
These run in your browser. Your MP3 files are never uploaded.
About MP3 Files
MP3 made digital music practical by shrinking audio to about a tenth of its CD size while keeping it sounding good. It works by removing sounds that human hearing is unlikely to notice. The bitrate sets the trade-off: 128 kbps is fine for speech and casual listening, while 256 or 320 kbps is close to CD quality for most people. Almost every device, car stereo, app and website plays MP3. Newer formats such as AAC and Opus sound better at the same size, but none is as universally compatible. MP3 patents expired in 2017, so it is now free to use.
How to Open an MP3 File
- Windows
- Double-click to play it in Media Player. VLC plays it too.
- Mac
- Double-click to play it in Music or QuickTime Player
- iPhone & Android
- Tap it in the Files app or your file manager to play it.
- Any device
- Drag the file into a browser tab.
MP3 File Questions
What bitrate should I use for MP3?
128 kbps is fine for speech and podcasts. 192 kbps suits most music. 320 kbps is the highest MP3 allows and is hard to tell apart from a CD.
Does converting to MP3 lose quality?
Yes, a little, because MP3 is lossy. Converting from one lossy format such as M4A to MP3 loses a bit more, so keep the original if you can.
How do I make an MP3 smaller?
Lower its bitrate or switch to mono. The MP3 Compressor on this site does both in your browser.