REWINDMP3 files on iPhone
MP3 is a lossy audio format that shrinks music by discarding sounds most listeners will not miss. It became the default way to carry songs in the late 1990s. REWIND plays MP3 files you import from the Files app, with tags and cover art.
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What is an MP3?
MP3 is short for MPEG-1 Audio Layer III. It is a lossy format: the encoder throws away detail that is hard to hear, and what is left takes roughly a tenth of the space of a CD. The standard dates from 1993, and the format spread widely in the second half of the nineties. Background reading: MP3 on Wikipedia.
Typical bitrates and file sizes
Size depends on bitrate, the amount of data used per second of music. A four-minute song works out roughly as follows.
| Bitrate | Approx. per minute | Four-minute song |
|---|---|---|
| 128 kbps | About 1 MB | About 3.8 MB |
| 192 kbps | About 1.4 MB | About 5.8 MB |
| 320 kbps | About 2.4 MB | About 9.6 MB |
How do I get MP3 files onto an iPhone?
The route is the same for every format; see how to add music files to iPhone.
- Copy the files to iCloud Drive, or send them with AirDrop, or download them in Safari.
- Open REWIND and choose to import.
- Pick a folder or single tracks in the Files app.
- Play them on any machine.
How does REWIND play MP3?
REWIND supports MP3 directly. Tags and cover art are read from the file, and you can use the equalizer, analog sound and every machine. For a matching look, try the early MP3 player machines. See retro MP3 player app for iPhone.
When is MP3 still a good choice?
MP3 plays everywhere, so it is the safe choice for files that must work on any device. At 192 kbps or higher most listeners are happy on ordinary headphones. For an archive of CDs you care about, a lossless type like FLAC is safer, because you cannot rebuild detail that a lossy encode discarded.
Frequently asked questions
Is MP3 lossless?
No. MP3 is lossy. It removes detail to reduce file size, and that detail cannot be recovered.
Does REWIND play MP3 files?
Yes. Import them from the Files app and play them on any machine.
What MP3 bitrate should I use?
192 to 320 kbps is a common range for good quality. 128 kbps gives smaller files with more audible compromise.
Can REWIND play MP3 files with a copy protection?
Plain MP3 files have none. Protected streaming downloads cannot be imported.
Keep exploring
AAC and M4A on iPhoneThe successor to MP3. Sizes, how to load AAC on iPhone, and how REWIND plays it.
FLAC on iPhoneFree lossless audio. Sizes, loading FLAC on iPhone, and what REWIND does and does not promise.
Offline Music Library for iPhoneImport folders or tracks from Files. Tags, cover art, search, favorites, shuffle and repeat. Offline.How to Add Music Files to iPhone Without iTunesFour ways to get MP3, FLAC and M4A files onto an iPhone, and how to import a whole folder into a player.