How to Extract Audio From a Video (MP3, M4A or WAV)

By HSP · Published October 21, 2026 · 6 min read · Productivity & Skills

Plenty of videos are really about the sound. A lecture you recorded on your phone, a band rehearsal, a family member telling a story at dinner, a voice message that arrived as a video. You do not need the picture to enjoy any of them, and an audio file is smaller, easier to play in the background and simple to send. Here is how to pull the soundtrack out cleanly, and how to choose settings that sound good without wasting space.

Step by step: video to MP3 in a minute

1. Open the tool. Go to our free Video to MP3 converter and choose a video from your phone or computer. MP4, MOV (the iPhone default), WebM and MKV files all work.
2. Pick a format. MP3 plays everywhere. M4A (AAC audio) is a little more efficient and suits Apple devices. WAV is uncompressed, which is useful if you plan to edit the sound.
3. Choose a bitrate. 96 or 128 kbps for talking, 192 kbps for music.
4. Extract, listen, download. Press Extract audio, check the result in the player and save it. The conversion runs inside your browser, so the video is never uploaded to a server.

Only need one part, such as a single song from a concert clip? Cut the video first with the Video Trimmer, then extract just that section.

MP3, M4A or WAV: which one?

MP3, officially MPEG-1 Audio Layer III, was introduced in 1991 and finalised in 1992, according to MDN's audio codec guide. More than thirty years later it is still the format almost every phone, car stereo, laptop and smart speaker can play. That is its biggest strength. M4A files usually hold AAC audio, a newer codec that tends to sound a little better at the same bitrate. WAV normally stores plain, uncompressed PCM audio: nothing is thrown away, but the files are huge.

How big will the audio file be?

Audio size is easy to estimate because a constant bitrate means a constant amount of data every second. Divide the bitrate by 8 to turn kilobits into kilobytes, then multiply by the length in seconds:

• 96 kbps MP3: 96 ÷ 8 = 12 KB per second, about 0.72 MB per minute.
• 128 kbps MP3: 16 KB per second, about 0.96 MB per minute. A 45-minute lecture comes to roughly 43 MB.
• 192 kbps MP3: 24 KB per second, about 1.44 MB per minute.
• CD-quality WAV: 44,100 samples × 16 bits × 2 channels = 1,411.2 kbps, which works out to about 10.6 MB per minute.

These are simple planning numbers (1 MB = 1,000 KB here); real files add a tiny bit of overhead for tags and headers. If you want the same kind of estimate for the video itself, see our guide on how to calculate video file size.

Which bitrate should you choose?

MDN lists the bitrates the MP3 standard allows, from 32 kbps all the way up to 320 kbps, and recommends at least 128 kbps for stereo sound at 48 kHz. In practice:

• Speech (classes, interviews, voice notes, sermons): 96 kbps is clear, and 128 kbps leaves headroom for music in the background.
• Music you performed or recorded: 192 kbps is the usual sweet spot. Go to 256 or 320 kbps only if you care about every detail and have the space.
• Anything you will edit: export WAV, do your editing, then save the finished version as MP3.

One thing surprises many people: the sound inside most phone videos is already compressed, usually as AAC. Converting it to a 320 kbps MP3 makes the file bigger but cannot bring back detail that was removed when the video was recorded. That is why 192 kbps is usually as high as you need to go.

Common problems and quick fixes

• "No sound track" message: the video has no audio at all, which is common with screen recordings made without a microphone.
• The audio is too quiet: the original recording was quiet. Turning up the bitrate will not help; a sound editor's normalise feature will.
• You wanted the opposite: to keep the picture and remove the sound, for example before adding music, use Mute Video.
• You need the words, not the sound: drop the recording into Audio to Text, which also runs on your own device, and read our guide on transcribing audio for free.

Respect the creator

Extracting audio is meant for videos you made or have permission to use: your own recordings, a lesson your teacher allows you to keep, a family clip. Our converter deliberately works only with files already on your device and does not download from YouTube or other websites. Copying someone else's music or shows can break copyright law and the rules of the platform you got them from.

VSH take: the student's secret weapon

Our favourite use is the simplest one. Record a class or a study group on your phone, extract a 96 kbps MP3, and revise by listening on the bus or during a walk. A whole hour of talking fits in about 43 MB. Pair it with focused sessions on our Pomodoro timer, check important dates on the exams hub, and find subject help on our study pages. Off on a trip? Turn your favourite travel vlogs into a playlist of memories before you fly, and look for fares on our flight deals hub.

File sizes in this guide are estimates for planning; real sizes depend on the encoder and settings. Always record lectures or other people only where you are allowed to. ViralScopeHub is not affiliated with any app, platform or school mentioned here.