I’m attempting to upload an mp3 file to audacity, but it keeps giving me the message:
“Import failed. This is likely caused by a malformed MP3.”
I have run through both of the workarounds suggested at https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/opening_malformed_mp3_files.html but neither of them are working for me. I can open this mp3 file in Groove Music and it plays just fine, so I’m not worried about a corrupted file damaging audacity. Is there any way to completely turn off the error checking?
Analyse the “MP3” file on this web page and tell us what it says: https://mediaarea.net/MediaInfoOnline
If it’s playable, usually [u]Kabuu Audio Converter[/u] or [u]TAudioConverter[/u] can successfully convert it to WAV.
When you re-export in Audacity it’s making an entirely-new MP3, which will be good. (Assuming you want to keep the MP3 format).
Sometimes, you’ll run across a file named MP3, but it’s actually MP4 or something else. That will confuse Audacity. You can use [u]MediaInfoOnlne[/u] to find the true format and then you can re-name it. (If it’s really an MP3, MediaInfo won’t tell you what’s wrong.) To open most of these other formats you will need to have FFmpeg installed.
There is also a tool called [u]MP3diags[/u] that can diagnose and repair MP3s, but it’s an “advanced tool” and it’s easier if you can convert it to WAV.