CD sales rebounded in part because buying CDs is a great way to support your favorite bands. But the problem is: you can't listen on your digital device unless you convert the CD into a digital format in advance.

In ancient times - 2001 - people knew how to do this, but many things that should be remembered were forgotten.

Don't worry: We're here to remind you (or even teach you for the first time in your life) how to convert CDs to digital format on your computer.

Get the optical drive

You will notice that CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs are the same shape, and any optical drive that can play Blu-ray or DVDs can also read CDs. Your computer may already have a CD drive on it, especially if you have a desktop computer. However, laptops are hardly equipped with optical drives anymore. This is because, in order to make modern laptops thinner and lighter, manufacturers have had to eliminate bulky optical drives. This will be a huge problem in the late 90s, but with the advent of higher-speed internet connectivity and digital alternatives, most people are beginning to abandon optical drives.

[Related: Modern Guide to Cassette Player]

Luckily, you don't need a built-in optical drive to convert CDs: the external DVD drive connected to your computer via USB, for as low as $23, can easily do the job without you diving into your parents' basement to look for old ones computer. If you want to convert Blu-ray discs, you need a special drive, which may cost you about $70 – you can find them online or at your local computer store. Whatever type of drive you buy, make sure it is compatible with the USB port on your computer so you don't have to spend extra money on an adapter or USB hub.

How to convert CDs in Windows system

The easiest tool to convert CDs in Windows 11 systems is Windows Media Player. If you are old enough you may have bad memories of this app and you may prefer other alternatives to play your favorite tunes. But for converting music, a new version of Windows Media Player makes things extremely simple.

Insert the disc into your optical drive and the software will automatically recognize it, including the album cover. You may be unable to help click the

Convert CD button to copy the music to your computer. But before you do this, be sure to check the program's conversion settings , you can find it by clicking the three dot buttons on the right side of the interface. Here you can decide in which format you want to save your music.

Under the

Format title, you will find a drop-down menu where you can select five different audio formats: AAC, MP3, WMA, FLAC, and Apple Lossless. If you don't care about file size, as long as you get the highest sound quality, you may want to change it to FLAC. But if you're happy with standard quality and want to optimize the space, you don't need to change this setting: the default 256kbps AAC is the perfect balance between file size and audio quality.

Now that you have selected the output format, you can click the Convert CD button. After about 10 minutes, after the process is completed, the contents of the CD will be displayed in the music folder of your Windows account. You can put it there if you want, or move it to any folder you like.

[Related: How to digitize all your VHS and cassettes]

How to convert CDs on Mac system

In the past, Apple users used the company's version of Windows Media Player—iTunes with better reputation—to convert music. The program has now disappeared, but the music app has taken its place.

To convert CD using Apple's Music app, insert the disc and the tool will open.

The app automatically looks for artist, album, and track information, but to get an album cover, you must right-click the empty album icon and select Get album cover . After that, click to import CD to copy the contents of the CD. Unlike Windows Media Player, you don't need to manually format the output, as the music app will ask you before starting the conversion process every time.

This platform supports AAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless, MP3 or WAV. The default option AAC is a good balance between file size and audio quality, so this option is only changed if you want specific content or want audio quality.

After the process is completed, the audio file will be displayed in the music folder in your home directory. If you prefer, you can listen using the Music app or any other app.

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