This article will introduce several methods of removing the DRM copy protecion from iTunes songs:
There are several ways to remove DRM (Digital Rights Management) copy protection from iTunes songs. One way is to remove the iTunes DRM with a burn-and-rip method, or using a virtual burn-and-rip program. Both methods require many steps to follow, like selecting drivers etc. and are therefore time consuming. A much more user friendly and easy method is to use an application that can remove the iTunes DRM copy protection directly.
Such perfect solution is TuneConvert DRM Converter, which allows to remove iTunes DRM with just 1-click. Besides, freeware tools like FairGame are also able to remove DRM, but the source of such freeware is often dubious, so we recommend to check the freeware first with an antivirus software to protect from spyware and computer viruses.
Method 1 — Remove DRM protection from iTunes songs using burn-and-rip:
-> Insert a CD-RW or CD-R disc into the CD-ROM drive. I recommend you choose a CD-RW disc so that you can use it many times save some money.
-> Burn your playlist to make an audio CD. Do not select the ‘MP3 CD’ option because it won’t work with protected music files.
-> When the audio CD was burned, use iTunes to import the music tracks from this CD as MP3 files.
Method 2 — Remove DRM protection from iTunes songs on Windows using TuneCopy:
TuneCopy is an easy to use DRM converter, which automatically unprotects iTunes songs and create unprotected MP3 or AAC files, which you can use on any device.
-> Download TuneCopy DRM Converter from http://www.tunecopy.net and install it on Windows XP or Vista. 64bit version is also supported.
-> Start TuneCopy DRM Remover and select the iTunes songs you want to untprotect
-> Within no time TuneCopy will create DRM free AAC or MP3 files from your iTunes songs at PerfectAudio quality.
Method 3 — Remove DRM protection from iTunes songs using FairGame on Mac OS X:
FairGame is a freeware application for Mac OS X which can remove DRM copy protection from iTunes songs. FairGame can unprotect your iTunes and create new unprotected AAC music files while preserving the album, title, group, lyric etc tags. Since FairGame re-compresses the song files, it is not lossless. Fairgame uses iMovies AAC encoder to create the new files.
Configuration needed to use FairGame:
-> In the system prefences for ‘Universial Access’ enable ‘Access for assistive devices’
-> In the ‘Import’ preferences of iMovie HD choose ‘Place clip in Movie Timeline’
Usage of FairGame:
-> Select the songs in iTuntes you want to unprotect
-> Press the ‘Process Songs’ button
-> IMPORTANT: While FairGame unprotects your songs, you are not allowed to press or select anything in iTunes, otherwise you would interupt and cancel FairGame.
Method 4 — Remove DRM protection from iTunes songs using iMovie on Mac OS X:
This method can be done with the iMovie software that comes along with your Mac, but it require many manual steps per file.
-> Open iMovie
-> Create a new project:
-> Select the ‘Media’ tab in the iMovie window. Now you will see a media browser in the right part of the iMovie window.
-> Choose the ‘Audio’ tab and select the playlist containing your iTunes music, or simply use the search function to select songs.
-> Select song which is DRM protect, drag the song from the media browser one the iMovie timeline that is marked with ‘Drag audio here to build your project.’
-> In order to export songs, iMovie requires a picture linked to the audio track. Just drag any kind of image to the track of song you imported in the step before.
-> After iMovie imported the image, select ‘Share..’ in the ‘Share’ sub menu.
-> Select ‘Expert Settings’ in “Compress movie for’ menu, so that you can export audio files.
-> Choose the ‘Share’ button.
-> Press ‘Sound to AIFF’ in the ‘Save as’ dialog.
-> Press ‘Save’
-> Now iMovie will export the movie project to an audio file, which will require around 30 seconds, depending on the size of the song and the speed of your PC.
The next steps will show you how to compress the large AIFF file to a much smaller AAC file:
-> Locate the AIFF file iMovie just exported and drop onto your iTunes Library
-> Right click on this song in iTunes and select ‘Convert Selection to AAC’
-> Now iTunes will create a compressed AAC file from the AIFF file.
-> When iTunes finished the compression drop the AIFF file into the trash can and select ‘Get Info’ for the AAC file and change the title, track name of AAC file.
See also:
How to convert DRM copy protected WMA to MP3 files
How to remove DRM from iTunes songs on Windows + Mac
Free ringtones for your iPhone – using iTunes 7.x
Download TuneCopy DRM Remover
