Converting M4A file to MP3 - Selected files could not be found

Question

iTunes IOS 12.9 on PC

I want to convert M4A files (in this case, audiobooks) to MP3. This is what happened.

1. Changed the iTunes import settings to MP3.
2. Selected the book.
3. Selected File > Create MP3 version.

But iTunes displayed None of the selected files could be converted because they could not be found.

I did a general web search and found and tried two purported solutions: - Exit and reopen iTunes (did not work) - Use Ctrl-A to select all of the tracks (did not work)

In the next post, I explain what did work.

Answer 1

Another solution:

1. Select View | As Songs to display the library as a list of tracks (i.e. not organised by album). This is the key part.
2. Then hold the Control key and select the songs to be converted by clicking each one.
3. Lastly, select File | Convert | Create MP3 Version.

Before doing the above, make sure that the sound encoder is set to MP3 under Edit | Preferences | Import Preferences | Import Using ...

Answer 2

To successfully convert from M4A to MP3 on a PC, this is what worked for me.

1. Open iTunes.
2. Change import settings to MP3.
3. Select the file and expand it to see all tracks.
4. Type Ctrl-A to select all tracks. Notice the heart symbol at the left of each track. One or more of the symbols might be "filled in" while others are just an outline of a heart.
5. While holding Ctrl-A, choose each track by toggling to get a "filled in" heart.
6. When all tracks are selected, then go to File > Convert > Create MP3.

The Mp3 files were stored in Users > [username] > Music > iTunes > iTunes Media > Music > [composer/authorname] folder.