Permute 3

Permute 3 is a powerful and intuitive media conversion utility developed exclusively for macOS. It stands out in the crowded field of converters because it combines support for nearly every video, audio, and image format imaginable with an incredibly simple, drag-and-drop interface.

If you have ever encountered a file that "your Mac won't play" or a video that "Social Media won't accept," Permute 3 is the elegant solution.

Core Features: Three Converters in One

Permute 3 is essentially three specialized converters housed within a single, unified application, ensuring no format is left behind.

1. Video Conversion (The Powerhouse)

• Format Flexibility: Easily convert files from obscure formats (like MKV, WEBM, or AV1) into universal standards like MP4 (H.264) or HEVC (H.265).

• Hardware Acceleration: Permute leverages your Mac’s GPU (especially on Apple Silicon M-series chips) for hardware-accelerated encoding, resulting in incredibly fast conversion times without overheating your machine.

• Presets: Includes built-in presets for specific devices and destinations, such as Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, Web Optimized, or even preparing files for burning to DVD/ISO format.

• Subtitles: It supports converting videos with multiple subtitle tracks and can even burn subtitles permanently into the video file if needed.

2. Audio Conversion

• High-Fidelity Support: Convert high-quality audio files like FLAC, WAV, and Apple Lossless to space-saving formats like MP3 or AAC.

• Volume Adjustment: A built-in feature allows you to increase or decrease the volume of a track before converting it, useful for normalizing a collection of files.

• Audio Extraction: Easily strip the audio track from any video file and save it separately (e.g., converting an MP4 video to an MP3 podcast).

3. Image Conversion

• Batch Resizing: Quickly resize and convert large batches of images (e.g., converting HEIC to JPG for web use).

• PDF Tools: One of the most useful features is the ability to stitch multiple images into a single PDF file.

The Downie 4 Synergy

Permute is developed by the same company that makes the popular video downloader, Downie 4, and the two apps are designed to work together seamlessly:

• Automated Conversion: You can set Downie 4 to automatically send downloaded files to Permute 3. For example, Downie downloads a WEBM file from YouTube, and Permute instantly converts it to an MP4 and saves it to a designated folder.

• Companion Bundle: They are often sold together at a discount, making them the ultimate Mac media toolkit.