MP4 files are used to store and view the video, whereas MP3 files are used to store and view audio. Both the MP4 and MP3 file formats have the same lineage – they both come from the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format of file compression. In addition, both the MP4 file format and the MP3 file format are quite similar when it comes to their properties, with the only major difference between the two is the fact that the MP4 format is for video and the MP3 format is for audio.

Windows Media Player

Conversion between the two formats works in a pretty simple manner. The MP4 file format contains both video and audio, whereas the MP3 file format only contains audio. That being the case, an MP4 file can be converted into an MP3 file by simply stripping away its video contents. Converting an MP3 file into an MP4 file doesn't go as smoothly, however, as it is not generally possible to add a video to an audio file and turn it into an MP4 file. There are a boatload of different applications and programs designed for the Windows Operating System that is capable of converting MP4 files into MP3 files. In fact, even Microsoft's native media player for the Windows Operating System – Windows Media Player – is capable of converting MP4 files into MP3 files.

Some Common Issues and their resolutions:

Here are some common problem which you might encounter and some of their resolutions:

Windows Media Player not showing the Menu Bar:

  1. Click on Organise and then select Layout.
  2. After that, check the  "Show Menu Bar" option (If you cannot access the menu bar, pressCtrl + M).

Save As Greyed Out:

  1. Navigate to the file location from File Explorer, right-click on the file and select "Rename".
  2. Change ".mp4" to ".mp3". (Click on "View" on top and check "File Name Extensions" to view extensions while renaming).

If you have any version of Windows Media Player on your Windows computer and would like to use it to convert an MP4 file into an MP3 file, here's what you need to do:

  1. LaunchWindows Media Player.
  2. Click onFile>Open…. In theOpendialog that appears, navigate to the location on your computer the MP4 file you want to convert into an MP3 file is located in, locate the MP4 file and click on it to select it, and click onOpen to have it opened inWindows Media Player.
  3. Once the target MP4 file has been opened inWindows Media Player, click onFile>Save as…. In theSave asdialog that appears, click on theFile name: field, move your mouse pointer to the very end of the file's name (the extension), and change the4 in the extension of the file to a3, changing the extension from.mp4to.mp3.
  4. Navigate to the directory on your computer where you want the converted MP3 file to be saved, and click onSave. As soon as you do so, Windows Media Player will begin converting the MP4 file into an MP3 file, and once the file has been converted it will be saved to the designated location on your computer. This process does not usually take a lot of time and is fairly quick.

Once you have completed all of the steps listed and described above, an exact copy of the MP4 file (minus the video part of the file, of course) you chose to convert into an MP3 file is saved to the directory on your computer you specified during the process as an MP3 file.

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Kevin is a dynamic and self-motivated information technology professional, with a Thorough knowledge of all facets pertaining to network infrastructure design, implementation and administration. Superior record of delivering simultaneous large-scale mission critical projects on time and under budget.