@toddprouty

Converting an MP3 to audiobook format

You have an audiobook in MP3 format, perhaps of the public domain variety. Notice how your player doesn’t remember where you left off? So annoying. Here’s a quick and easy way to convert such MP3s into an audiobook format that won’t drive you batty. Assumptions: You know your way around iTunes and your computer’s file system.

1. Import the MP3 file into iTunes.
2. Find the audiobook in your library. At this point you may want to make sure the title is in the track name, not just the album name as it sometimes is. Might as well change the genre to “Audiobook” while you’re at it.
3. Right-click the track and select “Convert Selection to AAC.” Churn, churn, ploop! Duplicate track.
4. Right-click one of the two versions of your audiobook and select “Show in Finder.”†
5. Keep that window open and return to iTunes. Delete both files and confirm, but be sure to click the “Keep Files” button.
6. Go back to the Finder/Explorer window showing the files. Delete the one with the .mp3 extension.
7. Change the extension on the remaining file from .m4a to .m4b.
8. Import the file back into iTunes.

Your audiobook should now show up under, yes, Audiobooks in your iTunes Library. Enjoy the bookmarky goodness!

* That’s Control-click for you Mac users without a right mouse button, but you should know that by now. Oh, and get a decent mouse, already.

† Or “Show in Explorer” for Windows, I imagine. Not really interested enough to find out. People still use Windows?