How to Download Compressed Files to MP3

by Avery Martin Google

There are two main categories of audio files -- compressed and uncompressed. When a sound engineer records an audio file, the data is recorded in an uncompressed format. Files downloaded from the Internet almost always come in a compressed file format, in which some parts of the file have been removed to reduce the file size. The most common formats for compressed audio are MP3, AAC and OGG. When an audio file does not download as an MP3, audio converters make it possible to change the audio format and compress the file further if needed. PowerPoint presentations tend to work more smoothly when MP3 files are used.


Drag the compressed audio file into the Audacity editing pane.

Click on the "File" menu and then select the "Export" option.

Choose "MP3 Files" and then click on the "Options" button in the dialog box. Choose the "Bit Rate" and the "Quality" you want for the MP3 file.

Click "OK" and enter in any metadata information you want included, such as the file name, author, date and other relevant information. This makes it easier to find the file later.


Click on the iTunes "Preferences" box under the application's main drop-down menu.

Select "Import Settings" and then choose "MP3" as the desired audio output. Set the frequency of the MP3 file to increase or decrease the quality of the audio file. Select "OK" and return to the main iTunes window.

Drag your audio file into the iTunes media player. Right-click on the imported file and select "Convert to MP3..." This converts your file to an MP3 file.


Click on "Add Folder" and select the folder where you downloaded the compressed audio file.

Select the MP3 format for your audio files in the drop-down menu that appears near the bottom of the dialog box. Change any advanced settings to modify the quality of the MP3 file.

Choose the audio file from the selection screen and choose "Convert." The application then converts all of the selected audio files to MP3 format.

Things Needed

  • Audio editor


  • For music files, select 192 kbps or higher for the best quality file. Voice-overs and spoken audio can be set to 128 kbps.
  • While compression helps to reduce the overall size, some audio data does get lost in the process. The most common type of compression for an MP3 is called lossy, in which extremely high and low frequencies are removed as well as softer, nearly imperceptible sounds. Most people don't notice a great difference between a compressed and uncompressed audio file.

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