MP3 file extension

MP3 Audio File

The .mp3 file format (or 'MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3' to give it its full name) is probably one of the most popular file types in the world and is famous for holding audio data such as music tracks.

The mp3 format allows an audio track's file size to be reduced considerably, making it ideal for transferring across the internet or storing on a portable media device, such as an iPod or your phone.

The smaller file size comes at a cost, the quality is never as good as the original although it takes a finely-tuned ear to really hear the difference.