How to convert .ape files to .mp3 using Windows

May 13th, 2007 by Ross McKillop | Print This Post Print This Post
Windows iPod/iPhone

You’ve downloaded a show or two from DimeADozen and now you want to convert the ape files to mp3 to take with you on your iPod or MP3 player. This tutorial will walk you through the steps to do just that, using Windows. note: this is another tutorial in the Beginners guide to lossless audio series.

First things first, make sure you’ve downloaded and installed Monkey’s Audio and iTunes, both of which are free.

There are two steps in converting your .ape files to .mp3. The first is to decode the .ape’s into .wav files. After that’s done, you’ll encode the .wav files into .mp3’s.

Decoding .ape files with Monkey’s Audio
Encoding .wav files with iTunes

Decoding .ape files with Monkey’s Audio

  1. Open Monkey’s Audio and select the arrow next to the Compress button. Select Decompress from the drop-down list.

    2. convert ape to mp3
    Click to enlarge

  2. Drag all of the ape files you want to convert into the main Monkey’s Audio window.

    3. convert ape to mp3
    Click to enlarge

  3. Click the Decompress button.

  4. Watch as Monkey’s Audio converts your .ape files to .wav files.

    5. convert ape to mp3
    Click to enlarge

  5. When it’s finished, check to make sure all of the .wav files were created (they’ll be in the same folder as your .ape files).

    6. list of wav files
    Click to enlarge

Encoding .wav files with iTunes

  1. First you need to make sure that iTunes will encode the songs to .mp3 (rather than the default, which is .aac). Start by selecting Edit and then Preferences…

    2. setting up itunes

  2. Select the Advanced tab, and then the Importing tab. Select MP3 Encoder from the Import Using: list, and then choose a quality from the Setting list. You may want to remove the check-mark from Play songs while importing (I find it annoying, and it makes the encoding time slightly longer). Click OK when you’re done.

    3. setting up itunes
    Click to enlarge

  3. Back in the main iTunes window, select File and then Add Folder to Library…

    4. setting up itunes

  4. Navigate to the folder that you saved the .wav files in and select it. Click OK

    5. setting up itunes

  5. Find the newly imported .wav files in iTunes and select them all (single-click the first file, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard, and then single-click the last file). Right-click on any of the selected files and choose Convert Select to MP3. You may want to get a cup of coffee right now, as this step will take a while (depending on the number of files you’re converting).

    6. setting up itunes
    Click to enlarge

  6. iTunes will let you know it’s done converting the files by playing a little “beep”. Now is also a good time to remove the .wav files from your iTunes library so you don’t confuse them with the (identical looking) mp3 files. With the .wav files still highlighted, click the Delete key on your keyboard. If prompted, click the Remove button.

    7. setting up itunes
    Click to enlarge

That’s it, you’re done! Rename the files in iTunes (if you wish), give them a listen or transfer them to your iPod/mp3 player. Don’t forget to delete the .wav files if you no longer need them - they’re pretty big and take up quite a bit of space on your hard drive.

The .mp3 files can be found by going to My Documents -> My Music -> iTunes -> iTunes Music -> Artist Name -> Album Name

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Related Posts:

 How to play .flac, .shn, .ape and other audio formats in OS X
 A beginners guide to lossless audio
 How to convert .ape files to .mp3 using OSX
 How to convert .uif to .iso files in OS X
 How to convert .shn files to .mp3 using Windows

  1. 28 Responses to “How to convert .ape files to .mp3 using Windows”

  2. By Rob on May 27, 2007 | Reply

    Thanks for the convert APE to MP3 walkthrough. Very useful.

    Rob

  3. By Leah on Sep 1, 2007 | Reply

    ThankYOU! After downloading an ApE torrent than having NO idea what the hell an .ape file was, this was VERY useful. It also helps me out with my .wav files that I havn’t been able to use on my itunes!

  4. By Stan Kossen on Sep 9, 2007 | Reply

    The instructions on how to convert an APE file to Wav to MP3 were really simple and easy to follow. I thank you for the clear presentation.

    I didn’t go the iTunes route for converting the Wav to MP3. I used a simple free program, “River Past Wave to MP3,” which was as easy as cutting soft cheese to use.

    Thank you again.

    Stan Kossen

  5. By alex on Sep 13, 2007 | Reply

    Thanks a million. Very useful and easy to follow.
    Good job.

  6. By christopher on Sep 24, 2007 | Reply

    when i convert my .ape file, it will always turn out to be a very big wave file. i cannot extract in into different track.

  7. By twilight beak on Sep 27, 2007 | Reply

    Thank you.

    Bue I prefer my script to decompress, split the wav file, and call FAAC to encode them automatically with CUE file tag support in Linux. The encoded file is compatible with Amarok/iTunes or whatever else.

    One line and everything is done there. Bye

  8. By jabba on Sep 29, 2007 | Reply

    really simple. cheers.

  9. By siggi on Oct 7, 2007 | Reply

    Wierd the monkey always disapear when he is about to get a file.

  10. By Altergrave on Oct 24, 2007 | Reply

    Really nice walkthrough. Very neat and easy to follow.
    Made me convert to higher bitrates.
    No need for that JMAC.. PATHfile.. and so on.

    I just hope you’ll also make a guide for splitting of APE tracks.

    Anyway, you’re good!

    Thanks yo!

  11. By DDM on Nov 1, 2007 | Reply

    Thanks a million! I used Cue splitter to split the files, and then the Monkey. Worked perfectly!

  12. By kaede fuyou on Nov 24, 2007 | Reply

    thank you so much!

  13. By Michael on Dec 7, 2007 | Reply

    may I ask what to do to convert an .ape file (a full CD image) to many .mp3 files? (each .mp3 consists of one song but not the whole CD image)

  14. By sebjustseb on Dec 26, 2007 | Reply

    For some reason, the Monkey’s Audio program doesn’t work properly sometimes unless its version 4 or higher. There’s a beta download on the monkey audio site that’s good. And for splitting files, Cuesplitter is excellent

  15. By Anonymous on Jan 3, 2008 | Reply

    Thanks, this helped alot. Was really easy to understand with the supplied pics.

  16. By woo! on Mar 21, 2008 | Reply

    yay! it worked great!

  17. By Clegg on Mar 27, 2008 | Reply

    Thanks - never heard of an .ape file before and your help was just the ticket !

  18. By Arian on Apr 2, 2008 | Reply

    Thank u sooo MuCH!

  19. By Speckled Jim on Apr 19, 2008 | Reply

    Awesome, thanks. Such an easy to understand walkthrough.

  20. By Geoff on Apr 24, 2008 | Reply

    Dude,
    This is the second or third post of yours which has helped me out. first it was flac to mp3 now ape to mp3!! Simple and easy to follow. Thanks for your time and effort!

  21. By Ross McKillop on Apr 24, 2008 | Reply

    Geoff,

    Right on - glad they helped! Next up it’ll be shn to mp3 :)

  22. By António on Apr 27, 2008 | Reply

    Thanks for your explanations on how to convert Ape files. Very useful. Well done.

  23. By Atham on May 2, 2008 | Reply

    Thank you very much man. your help’s been really helpful. Appreciate it!

  24. By Alex on May 21, 2008 | Reply

    Just What I was looking for, Thanks !!!

  25. By Ernie Shufflebottom on May 25, 2008 | Reply

    Thanks. Keep up the good work!

  26. By Bernie on Jun 15, 2008 | Reply

    Thanks for the simple explanation. I was going apeshit over ape files!

  1. 3 Trackback(s)

  2. May 13, 2007: A beginners guide to lossless audio - Simplehelp
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  4. Mar 29, 2008: How to extract songs in .ape file format? - Asian4Ever.net

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