You get an MP3 file that phones, Macs, car stereos and nearly every audio app play without a codec pack, with the title and artist tags we tested still attached.
To convert WMA to MP3, add the WMA file, keep MP3 as the output format and download the result. WMA cannot be copied into an MP3 file, so the sound is decoded and compressed again, which makes the MP3 play almost everywhere. In our test a 173,530-byte WMA at 128 kbps became a 160,800-byte MP3 at 128 kbps. Both formats are lossy, so the copy is a second generation, and a DRM-protected WMA may not convert at all.
Transfers use HTTPS, and files converted on the free tier are deleted after 24 hours, so the result is not a long-term archive. Quality depends on the source file, so open the MP3 file once before you share it.
WMA (Windows Media Audio)
Microsoft's proprietary audio codec family, normally stored in the ASF (Advanced Systems Format) container. Most .wma files use the lossy standard codec, but the family also has WMA Pro and a lossless variant, so the extension alone does not tell you how a file was compressed. Some older store-bought files also carry DRM protection and may not convert.
MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer III)
The audio format that almost every phone, car stereo, portable player and audio program can open. It is lossy, which keeps files small, and a plain MP3 needs no special software on Windows, Mac, Android or iPhone.
A 10-second stereo WMA test tone (WMA2, 128 kbps, 44.1 kHz) made by us, converted on indox.org
Changing movie.wma to movie.mp3 in a file manager does not work, because the sound inside is still a Windows Media stream. The converter decodes it and writes an MP3 with the LAME encoder, so the file is an MP3 inside as well as by name.
The WMA we uploaded had a title and an artist tag. The MP3 came back with both as ID3 tags, and we set no option to make that happen. We did not test cover art or album tags, so check those if they matter.
With no bitrate set, a 44.1 kHz stereo WMA at 128 kbps gave an MP3 at 128 kbps. The result is measured on our own test file, so another source can land elsewhere.
The conversion runs in your browser tab on indox servers. You do not need Windows Media Player, VLC or a codec pack, so a Mac, an Android phone or a Chromebook can do it.
Drop the WMA file on the box or choose it from your device. Keep the original, because it is the only copy that has not been compressed twice.
Check that MP3 is the output format, then start the conversion and wait for it to finish. In our test a 10-second file took 3.8 seconds from the click to Completed.
Save the MP3 and play it on the device you care about. Check the title and artist, and listen to the end if the recording is a long one.
You hand over a WMA file and take away an MP3 that plays on a phone, a Mac or a car stereo. The page says up front that the audio is compressed a second time and that protected WMA files may not convert, so a failed result does not come as a surprise.
The upload box shows the live size limit before you add a file. Signing in raises it; a paid plan does not change it.
WMA in, MP3 out. Pick another output on the converter if you need a different format.
Files are encrypted in transit over HTTPS and processed on indox infrastructure.
Free-tier files are kept for 24 hours after the job finishes, then deleted automatically.
| What you see | Why | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The conversion fails | The WMA may be protected with DRM, or the file is damaged | Check that the file plays in the software that holds its licence, or try another copy |
| The MP3 sounds thinner or duller | The audio was compressed a second time and the top frequencies were trimmed | Keep the WMA as your master and use the MP3 for playback only |
| The MP3 is smaller than you expected | A low-rate source gives a low-rate MP3 when no bitrate is set | Compare the bitrate of the MP3 with the WMA in your player's file info |
| The tags are missing | We tested title and artist only; other tags were not checked | Re-tag the MP3 in your music app |
| You need a lossless copy | MP3 is always lossy | Use WAV to MP3 only from a WAV master, not from a WMA |
Studio recordings at a fraction of the size
Voice memos and Apple audio, everywhere
The sound from a video
Open-format audio for every player
| Compared on | WMA | MP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Microsoft; stored in the ASF container | Open standard, from the MPEG family |
| Compression | Lossy for the standard codec; WMA Pro and a lossless variant also exist | Lossy |
| Where it plays | Windows; many Mac, phone and car players need extra software | Phones, Macs, car stereos, browsers and nearly every audio app |
| Protection | Some older store-bought files carry DRM | No DRM in the format |
| Converting between them | Cannot be copied into MP3 | Needs a re-encode from WMA |
Facts checked on November 4, 2026
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Add the WMA file to the converter in your browser, keep MP3 as the output and download the result. Nothing is installed. We saw no sign-up wall, quota or paywall in our test conversions.
Open the converter in the phone's browser, choose the WMA file and download the MP3 when it is ready. The phone does none of the encoding, because the conversion runs on indox servers.
Use the converter in Safari or any other browser, and save the MP3 when it finishes. The Mac needs no extra software, and the MP3 opens in Music and QuickTime.
Both can do it on your own computer if you set them up for it, and the result is the same kind of re-encode. This page is the shorter route when you have only a file or two and do not want to configure anything.
Some, yes. Both formats are lossy, so the audio is compressed twice. In our test the MP3 sweep stopped near 16.5 kHz while the WMA reached 20 kHz. Much music has little content up there, so many listeners will not hear a difference at 128 kbps, but it is not lossless.
No. The name is only a label. Inside, the file is still a Windows Media stream, and most players will refuse it. The audio has to be decoded and encoded again to become an MP3.
Files bought with DRM are locked to a licence, and a converter may not be able to read them. We did not test a protected file. If you own the music, play it in the software that holds the licence.
It depends on the bitrate. In our test a 128 kbps stereo WMA of 173,530 bytes gave a 128 kbps MP3 of 160,800 bytes. A 64 kbps mono WMA gave a 32 kbps MP3 of 24,489 bytes from 55,030 bytes.
In our test, yes. The title and artist of the WMA came through as ID3 tags with no option set. Cover art and album tags were not tested.