There was a time not too long ago when 3GP was the format of choice for a lot of smartphone users. That’s still the case to some degree but due to their inherent limitations, 3GP files are slowly becoming obsolete. That’s bad news for anyone who is still using these types of files, however, this problem can easily be fixed by simply converting those files to a different format. With that in mind, today we’re going to take a look at how 3GP to MP3 conversion works and the best tool to use for that task.

Part 1: 3GP vs MP3

3GP is a multimedia container specifically designed to work alongside mobile phones. While 3GP files can be played on certain 2G and 4G devices, they are generally associated with 3G phones, hence the name of the format. 3GP containers can hold both video and audio data, however, the format leaves a lot to be desired in the quality department. The main advantage of the 3GP format is that these types of files are very small, which was a major benefit back in the day when storage space on mobile phones was limited.

So how does 3GP compare to MP3? Well, MP3 is a lot more popular for starters and it’s still relevant despite its age. The format is already more than 25 years old but continues to have a special place in the hearts of many music lovers around the world. If you’re looking to switch from 3GP to MP3 you should know that MP3 files can only store audio data so this format is not capable of playing any kind of video. When it comes to audio, however, you won’t find better-sounding files out there unless you want to convert to files that are a lot bigger.

So why should you convert 3GP to MP3? The main reason is a very simple one and is related to compatibility. 3GP files haven’t aged well and are no longer supported by a lot of current generation media players, including smartphones. You can still play these files on your computer but the low resolution makes them close to unwatchable and the sound quality isn’t much better either. MP3 files, on the other hand, are as popular as ever and will work on pretty much any multimedia device you can think. An MP3 file is similar in size to a 3GP file of a similar length so there’s no need to worry about storage space either.

Part 2: How to Convert 3GP to MP3

Now that you have a better understanding of why you should convert 3GP to MP3, it’s time to take a look at how you can do that. The tool we’re going to use today is called DVDFab Video Converter and is the absolute best in its class. In addition to straight video-to-video conversion, the software can also handle video-to-audio conversion and supports a lot of different formats so converting from 3GP to MP3 won’t be a problem. DVDFab Video Converter also offers a few useful editing and customization tools to work with that allow users to convert certain aspects of their files before converting them. Let’s take a look at a quick example of how this software can be used to convert 3GP to MP3.

1. Open the main DVDFab 11 client and then click on the Converter module found in the upper menu. To load your files, simply drag them in the center area or use the “Add” button to achieve the same result. Since you’re converting 3GP files they’re most likely on your mobile device so click the “Add from Mobile” option to load them directly.

convert 3gp to mp3

2. Open the Profile Switcher to select the format you want for the output. We’re doing a 3GP to MP3 conversion in this example so in the Profile Switcher we’re going to select Format -> Audio -> MP3. The process works very similar if you want to convert to other formats so just pick a different option if you want to convert to something else instead.

convert 3gp to mp3

3. If needed, click the Advanced Settings button to make changes related to the audio. For example, you can change the volume, sample rate, bit rate, and more.

convert 3gp to mp3

4. Finally, use the bottom menu to pick a suitable location for your new file/s and then click Start to begin the conversion process.

convert 3gp to mp3

Conclusion

Converting 3GP to MP3 files is an absolute piece of cake when you’re using an intuitive piece of software such as DVDFab Video Converter. The only real drawback of this type of conversion is that you lose the video part of the file (if present). However, with DVDFab Video Converter you can also convert all your 3GP files to formats that preserve both the video and audio so don’t hesitate to download the software and test it out for yourself.