1. You need a audio convert software named "TuneClone" first, you need download and install TuneClone Audio Converter free trial version.then just follow the screen tips to install TuneClone Audio Converter, this software will install a virtual CD Drive on your PC, and convert protected music files by using this virtual CD Burner. Download TuneClone for converting your M4P files
  2. After installation, please open iTunes, and select menu "Edit" and select menu item "Preferences..."
    Select TuneClone virtual cd burner for converting your M4P files
  3. Set iTunes CD burner to "TuneClon Virtual CD_RW".
    Set iTunes cd burner to TuneClone virtual CD for converting M4P to MP3
  4. Create a playlist for the M4P files that you want to convert to MP3 files.
    create a playlist for M4P files
  5. Click "Burn Disc" button to convert M4P to MP3 with virtual CD burning.
    Convert M4P to MP3 by burning audio cd
  6. After the playlist has been burned. you will get the converted MP3 files in TuneClone's main window.
    Convert M4P to MP3 with TuneClone

    7. Since TuneClone uses a virtual cd drive to convert music files, it also supports almost all the music formats that your media player software supports. No matter it is protected or not.

    Download TuneClone for converting your M4P files


    More about iTunes protected music files:

    Apple's FairPlay digital rights management (DRM) is integrated into iTunes, which manages songs purchased in the m4p file format from iTunes Store before January 2009. iTunes relies on FairPlay to implement three main restrictions:

    • Users can make a maximum of seven CD copies of any particular playlist containing songs in the m4p file format purchased from the iTunes Store.
    • Users can access their purchased songs in the m4p file format on a maximum of five computers.
    • Songs in the m4p file format can only be played on a computer with iTunes or an iPod; other MP3 devices do not support FairPlay encoded tracks.

    There are no restrictions on number of iPods to which a purchased song can be transferred nor the number of times any individual song can be burned to CD. When Apple initially introduced FairPlay, songs purchased through iTunes had limits of three simultaneous machines and ten CD copies of a playlist. The adjustment to the current limits was implemented with the introduction of iTunes 4.5 in April 2004, presumably as the result of re-negotiations Apple had with major labels. To remove Apple's DRM, a user can convert protected files to an unprotected format format by using iTunes to burn them to an audio CD and ripping the CD back to iTunes. however, this method could not preserve the music's meta information, such as album name, artist,gerne etc. TuneClone simulate the cd-burning and ripping process by using a virtual cd and can keep all the information of the songs, even the album photo.

    More info about Apple's DRM, please read here


Below is step by step guide that show you how to convert DRM protected iTunes M4P to MP3 on Mac OS X (including Snow Leopard) with TuneClone Audio Converter for Mac.

Step 1. Download TuneClone Audio Converter for Mac from http://www.tuneclone.com and run it.

Note: During the startup, a virtual CD burner will be installed, which will be used to convert iTunes music files. The authorization of administrator will be needed to install TuneClone virtual CD burner.

Step 2. Make settings in TuneClone Audio Converter for Mac

Go to top-left "TuneClone -> Preferences..." a window will appear as below:

Convert M4P to MP3 on Mac

Step 3. Make settings in iTunes (iTunes 9.0.1)

Create a new playlist and add the songs you are going to convert.

Right click the playlist you just created and choose "Burn Playlist to Disc". Or you can click the "Burn Disc" button at the bottom right corner of iTunes interface.

In the pop-up dialog of "Burn Settings", you can make settings as highlighted below:

Convert M4P to MP3 on Mac

Note: You need to tick the "Include CD Text" option to perserve the music metadata such as name, artist, album names.

Step 4. Start to burn

Click the "Burn" button to start burning. After the burning get started, TuneClone will automatically convert the iTunes music to MP3 files. You can open the TuneClone manager screen to check out the burning status.

Convert M4P to MP3 on Mac

Tip: You can easily get the output MP3 files on your Mac machine by clicking the "Reveal in Finder" button on the manager screen.

Note: The most important step is to choose the CD burner. Then the software can convert music files automatically. It is especially easy when you want to batch convert lots of files.