How To Remove iTunes Protected Files (2025 Guide)

Have you encountered a scenario where iTunes-protected files cannot be converted? Do you know how to fix it? If you have encountered such a scenario and you want to solve it right away, we are going to share with you things that you can do, below.

It is natural that when iTunes-protected files cannot be converted, you look for ways to convert such files. Well, there can be plenty of reasons why you cannot proceed with the said conversion, one of the most common ones, and can be a main reason as well is because files from iTunes are protected by DRM encryption.

It can be true that you can find several converters of the files in the AAC format online, but none of these converters support the conversion of protected AAC files. This can be because these converters can utilize normal MP3 encoder features, but lacks the presence of DRM-removal technology.

Music files from iTunes or Apple Music are in the AAC format, this is why when you encounter iTunes-protected files that cannot be converted, they are definitely in the AAC format. To proceed with the conversion, you need to use a professional tool that is equipped with excellent features and wit.

We are going to share with you one of the best professional tools fitted to do the job, so you have to stay tuned to be able to learn more about the said tool. Let us start and solve the query, so you can finally listen to all the songs you want, even if you are using a non-Apple device or any device that you own.

Article Content Part. 1. Getting To Know Protected AAC Audio File BetterPart 2. What Are The Ways To Convert iTunes Library Songs To MP3?Part 3. How To Convert iTunes Protected Files?Part 4. How To Locate All Your Converted MP3 Files A Lot Quicker Than Ever?Part 5. To Summarize It All

Part. 1. Getting To Know Protected AAC Audio File Better

Before we proceed with the discussion of the things that we can do in case iTunes-protected files cannot be converted, we should have an idea of what a protected AAC audio file is. You can commonly find the protected AAC file format from Apple Music or iTunes Music.

It can be:

Apple Music- all the songs from Apple Music are protected by DRM encryption technology.

iTunes Music- songs that you have purchased using the platform before the year 2009 are protected with FairPlay Digital Rights Management technology.

To those who do not know what FairPlay is, it is a Digital Rights Management technology that is used and also developed by Apple. It is used to prevent the contents from being shared, copied, or played using devices that are deemed unauthorized. So, if you are planning to play protected AAC files in your MP3 players, and Android phones, you cannot proceed with it.

If you purchased songs from iTunes before the year 2009, these songs are still protected by FairPlay. However, in April 2009, Apple finally stopped adding DRM protection to iTunes music and proceeded in using a high-quality format which is referred to as the iTunes Plus.

In case you are having confusions, and you cannot classify your songs in your iTunes library, you can check them using the guides that we have below.

1. Open iTunes and then tap the Music section.
2. Then, go to the specific song that you wish to identify, right click on it.
3. Then you have to tap the Song Info and then proceed to the File tab. For you to see the file type you have to tap Kind.

Now, that you have an idea of how can you check your music files, we can proceed in identifying ways to address the dilemma where iTunes-protected files cannot be converted. Let us proceed with the next parts of the article.

Part 2. What Are The Ways To Convert iTunes Library Songs To MP3?

As we have mentioned there are music files from iTunes that we can still convert to MP3, through the use of iTunes as well. It is just when iTunes-protected files cannot be converted that we need to use some of the reliable and tested professional converters today.

In this part of the article, we are going to talk about the procedures of how are we going to convert songs from iTunes library to MP3, let us see them below.

For Mac Computer

1. To begin, you need to open the iTunes app on your Mac computer, and then from the top bar, you have to tap the Music option. Then you need to choose Preferences.
2. Go and choose the Files tab, and then tap the Import Settings option.
3. Then tap the drop-down icon, which is beside the Import Using option, and then you have to choose the MP3 encoder which you can find in the options that are displayed on your screen.
4. Tap the Settings option, and then choose your preferred audio quality.
5. Choose the songs that you want to convert to the MP3 format.
6. Then tap File from the top bar and then choose the Convert option, and then choose the Create MP3 version.

Once you are done, you just have to wait until the conversion from AAC format to MP3 is fully completed. You will then see all your converted files which are in the MP3 format located at a location adjacent to all the original songs which are in the AAC format.

For Windows

1. On your Windows computer, start launching the iTunes app. From the top bar, you should choose Edit. Then, go and choose Preferences.
2. Choose the General tab, and then choose Import Settings which you will from the pop-up menu that will appear. Then, you just have to follow the same instructions we have for Mac computer, which is discussed and enumerated above.

Part 3. How To Convert iTunes Protected Files?

We can do so many things with the aid of music. You can have it used for your work or entertainment as well. Other than these purposes, there can be other more. However, you may encounter dilemmas along the way such as when iTunes-protected files cannot be converted.

But since we have arrived at all the solutions that we can try to do, it is now possible to fix the said dilemma right away. However, even if the said error can be fixed, it could still brought inconvenience on the part of the user of the music app. Of course, we all want a smooth sailing experience that is free from any form of nuisance or inconvenience.

To make sure things would not go as bad as it is, being able to encounter iTunes-protected files cannot be converted, we have a definite solution that you can try. This would only require you to use a tool and proceed with file conversion to not just stream music files but also download them to your devices as well.

Once music files are downloaded you can be able to access them easier than usual, given that they will also be used for personal purposes only. This could be possible through the use of a tool called the TunesFun Apple Music Converter.

As the name of the professional tool says, it is a converter that you can help in transforming and modifying your music files.

⭐ Apple Music tracks are in the AAC file format, a type of file that is not common and not mostly used or utilized. The tendency you always have is to convert these music files to formats like MP3 or FLAC, which are known to be common. And this could be possible through the help of TunesFun Apple Music Converter.

⭐ And since we are aware of the DRM encryption in Apple Music files, it is understandable that we also have to get rid of them. With the presence of the conversion tool, TunesFun Apple Music Converter, it will be removed alongside the process of conversion. The said process will also not take too long as the tool has a faster conversion rate compared to other tools in the market.

⭐Aside from being an excellent and truly reliable partner, the TunesFun Apple Music Converter will also assure you of the best quality files that you will love!

⭐ And one more thing, the TunesFun Apple Music Converter has a very simple, straightforward, and sleek interface, anyone can move freely and do the conversion by themselves even if they are just new to using it! The steps are really easy to follow and do! We have listed these steps below in case you wanted to try TunesFun Apple Music Converter to convert your music files for you anywhere or anytime!

Click to download and follow the step-by-step guide!
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Step 1. Initially, it is needed to download and install the TunesFun Apple Music Converter on your computer. Once the tool has been successfully installed, you can now proceed to the importing of the Apple Music files that you needed to convert. Tap the Add Files button to proceed.

Step 2. Choose the file types that you want to have as your output, and make sure that you have set everything according to what you want. Then, you also need to create a folder so you have a home for all the files that you have converted.

Step 3. And finally, hit the Convert tab. Once the tab is tapped, you just have to wait for a few minutes until all your imported files are finally converted.

And that is what you should do in case you encounter a situation when iTunes-protected files cannot be converted. The best tool to use is the TunesFun Apple Music Converter. You can also monitor the status of the conversion process at the main interface of the professional tool.

Part 4. How To Locate All Your Converted MP3 Files A Lot Quicker Than Ever?

It might also be a problem for you if you do not know where to locate all your converted MP3 files, to easily find all of them, you can sort the music files based on the Date Added by Column, once done, you will be able to see all your Apple Music files listed together.

• You need to create a new playlist, and then enter a name that you prefer. You can use any name that you want, as long as it would not be too hard to recognize it later on.
• Now, you need to add the converted MP3 songs to the playlist that you have just created. It will enable you to find your songs in the MP3 format, especially during the times that you need all of them.

It is also needed that you have an idea, that once you have converted a specific iTunes song to the MP3 file format, the original file will remain unchanged, however, the newly converted file will lose some of its data, which may cause a little change in the quality of the said song. The best thing about the conversion is, the newly converted file is relatively smaller in size, which means that you can be able to store more songs on your devices, especially if they are all in the same format.

Part 5. To Summarize It All

It would be an annoyance if you love a certain song and it turns out that it is an iTunes-protected file that you can’t convert easily. It would only be a natural move that you look for the best alternatives out there which can help you deal with when iTunes protected files cannot be converted situation is experienced by anyone.

We are then lucky that we have procedures on how to convert AAC files that are not protected, to the MP3 format, and by the use of the TunesFun Apple Music Converter, we are also able to finally convert iTunes-protected files. These situations only prove how technology is capable of bringing out the best that we need, most of the time.