How to Take Audio from a Video: Complete 2026 Guide

You've found a video with perfect audio—maybe it's a song, an interview, a funny sound clip, or educational content you want to listen to offline. Now you want to take that audio from the video and save it as a separate file.

This guide walks you through the easiest ways to do exactly that, regardless of what device you're using.

Quick Answer: The Fastest Way

If you just want the audio right now without reading a whole guide:

1. Open freevideotoaudio.com
2. Upload your video
3. Click Convert
4. Download your audio file

Done. Takes about 30 seconds for most videos.

Now, if you want to understand all your options and which works best for your situation, keep reading.

Understanding What Happens When You Take Audio from Video

Every video file is actually a container holding two things:

• Video track — the visual content
• Audio track — the sound

When you "take audio from a video," you're separating these two parts and keeping just the audio. This process is sometimes called:

• Audio extraction
• Ripping audio
• Converting video to audio
• Stripping audio

They all mean the same thing.

Method 1: Browser-Based Converter (Recommended)

Online converters are the go-to choice for most people. Here's why:

• Works on any device with a browser
• Nothing to install
• Usually free
• Quick and easy

Step-by-step:

1. Visit freevideotoaudio.com
2. Drag your video file onto the page (or click to browse)
3. Wait for the file to load
4. Select your preferred audio format:
   • MP3 — works everywhere, good quality
   • WAV — highest quality, larger file
   • AAC — great for iPhones
   • OGG — good for Android
   • FLAC — lossless, for audiophiles
5. (Optional) Use the timeline to trim a specific section
6. Hit Convert
7. Download your audio file

The whole process happens in your browser—your video file never gets uploaded to any server. That means it's fast and your files stay private.

Method 2: On Windows PC

If you prefer desktop software or need to work offline:

Using VLC (Free)

1. Download VLC if you don't have it
2. Open VLC → Media → Convert/Save
3. Add your video file
4. Click Convert/Save
5. Under Profile, pick an audio format
6. Set destination and click Start

Using Audacity (Free, More Control)

1. Install Audacity and the FFmpeg library
2. Go to File → Import → Audio
3. Select your video file
4. Edit the audio if needed
5. Export as MP3 or your preferred format

Method 3: On Mac

Using QuickTime (Built-in)

1. Open your video in QuickTime Player
2. Go to File → Export As → Audio Only
3. Choose where to save
4. Click Save

Note: This exports as M4A format. If you need MP3, use an online converter or another tool.

Using iMovie (Free)

1. Create a new project in iMovie
2. Import your video
3. Add it to the timeline
4. Go to File → Share → File
5. Under Format, choose Audio Only
6. Export

Method 4: On iPhone

Quickest Option: Safari

1. Open Safari and go to freevideotoaudio.com
2. Upload your video from Photos or Files
3. Convert and save the audio

Using Shortcuts App

1. Open Shortcuts
2. Create a new shortcut
3. Add "Encode Media" action
4. Set to Audio Only
5. Add "Save File" action
6. Run the shortcut on any video

Third-Party Apps

Search "video to audio" in the App Store. Popular options:

• Media Converter
• Video to MP3

Method 5: On Android

Chrome Browser Method

1. Open Chrome
2. Go to freevideotoaudio.com
3. Upload your video
4. Convert and download

Apps

Search Play Store for "video to mp3." Top rated options:

• Video to MP3 Converter
• Timbre
• VidCompact

Most free apps show ads but work fine for basic conversion.

Choosing the Right Audio Format

When you take audio from video, you'll need to pick an output format. Here's a simple guide:

My recommendation: MP3 at 256 kbps works great for most situations. It's compatible with every device and sounds excellent.

What About YouTube Videos?

This is a common question. If you want audio from a YouTube video:

1. First, check if it's legal — downloading copyrighted content without permission is against YouTube's terms
2. If you have permission (it's your video, Creative Commons, etc.):
   • Download the video first using a YouTube downloader
   • Then extract the audio using any method above

We don't provide YouTube downloading because it's a legal gray area, but extracting audio from videos you already have is perfectly fine.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Video Won't Convert

Possible causes:

• File is corrupted
• Format isn't supported
• File is too large

Solutions:

• Try a different video file to test
• Convert the video to MP4 first
• Use desktop software for large files

Audio Quality Is Bad

The audio in your output file can only be as good as the source. If the original video had low-quality audio, extraction can't fix that.

For best results:

• Start with high-quality source videos
• Don't re-encode multiple times
• Choose appropriate bit rate (256-320 kbps for music)

File Size Is Huge

If your audio file is unexpectedly large:

• You might have chosen WAV (uncompressed) format
• Switch to MP3 or AAC for smaller files
• Lower the bit rate if file size matters more than quality

Conversion Takes Forever

Large video files take longer. Tips:

• Use the trim feature to extract only what you need
• Desktop software is usually faster than online tools for huge files
• Close other browser tabs to free up memory

Privacy and Security

When using online tools, consider:

• Browser-based processing (like our tool) keeps files on your device
• Upload-based tools send your files to a server
• Read privacy policies if working with sensitive content

Our converter uses WebAssembly to process everything in your browser. Your video never leaves your device.

Wrapping Up

Taking audio from a video is straightforward once you know the options:

• Fastest for most people: Online converter like freevideotoaudio.com
• For offline use: VLC (free, all platforms)
• For editing afterward: Audacity
• On iPhone: Safari + online tool or Shortcuts
• On Android: Chrome + online tool or dedicated app

Whatever method you choose, the process is quick and the results are the same—a clean audio file ready to use however you want.

Need to grab audio from a video right now? Head to our free converter and get it done in less than a minute.