How do I turn a video into an audio file?
There are many reasons why someone may want to extract the audio track from a video file. Some common scenarios include:
- Listening to music videos in the car or on a portable music player – By extracting just the audio, you can listen to the music from a music video without needing to watch the video.
- Capturing audio clips from videos for remixing/sampling – Music producers and DJs often extract audio clips from videos to remix into their own productions.
- Creating mobile ringtones from songs and music videos – Ringtones work best as short audio clips rather than video files. Extracting the audio is necessary to create ringtones from music videos.
- Reducing file size for storage/transfer – Audio files take up much less space than video files. Extracting audio reduces file size for easier storage and transfer.
- Isolating dialogue/sound effects from video – Some video editors extract audio to work on the soundtrack separately from the visuals.
- Accessibility – Those with visual impairments can still enjoy audio content extracted from videos.
In summary, extracting audio from video files provides more flexibility in how you can listen to and utilize audio content from videos.
Video File Formats
Some of the most common video file formats include:
MP4 – MP4 is the most widely compatible and supported video format. It was developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and supports high quality video compression. MP4 files work across platforms and can contain multiple audio and video tracks. They are ideal for sharing and streaming videos online. See https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/video/discover/best-video-format.html for more details.
MOV – MOV is a video format developed by Apple and is compatible with both Windows and macOS. It’s able to contain several tracks with different types of data like audio, video, effects, and text. MOV files work well for editing projects. See https://mailchimp.com/resources/video-formats/ for more information.
AVI – AVI (Audio Video Interleave) is an older video format developed by Microsoft. It supports various video and audio codecs but doesn’t compress video as efficiently as modern formats. AVI files are less commonly used today unless compatibility with outdated software is required.
MKV – MKV (Matroska Video) is an open, flexible container format that supports advanced features like unlimited number of video/audio tracks. MKV has gained popularity for HD videos and Blu-ray rips, but compatibility can be limited on some devices. Refer to https://www.makeuseof.com/most-common-video-formats/ for details.
Audio File Formats
There are many audio file formats to choose from when converting a video to audio. Here is an overview of some of the most common audio file formats:
MP3 – MPEG-1 Audio Layer III or MP3 is the most common lossy audio format. It compresses audio while losing some data to reduce file size. MP3 files are widely supported across devices and platforms.1
WAV – An uncompressed audio format developed by Microsoft and IBM. WAV files contain CD-quality audio but also have large file sizes. WAV is supported by Windows and macOS.2
FLAC – Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) is a compressed but lossless format, meaning no audio data is lost. FLAC files are roughly half the size of uncompressed formats like WAV while maintaining CD-quality.3
AAC – Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) is a lossy format that compresses better than MP3 at similar quality levels. It is the default audio format for Apple devices and supported across platforms.2
Software Options
There are several software tools available for extracting audio from video files. Some of the most popular options include:
HandBrake
HandBrake (https://handbrake.fr/) is a free and open source video transcoder that allows you to easily convert video files and extract audio tracks. It supports input formats like MP4, MKV, AVI and output formats like MP3, AAC, FLAC, AC3, etc. Handbrake has a simple interface and presets which make it easy for beginners to extract audio from videos.
FFmpeg
FFmpeg (https://www.ffmpeg.org/) is a powerful command line tool for manipulating audio and video files. You can use FFmpeg to decode video files and extract audio in formats like MP3, AAC, WAV, etc. FFmpeg supports a wide range of media formats. However, FFmpeg requires some technical knowledge to use since it relies on commands rather than a graphical interface.
VLC Media Player
VLC media player (https://www.videolan.org/vlc/) is a free open source cross-platform multimedia player. It has the ability to play most multimedia files and supports extracting audio tracks from videos. To extract audio using VLC, simply open the video, go to Audio > Audio Track > Extract Audio to save the audio track.
Audacity
Audacity (https://www.audacityteam.org/) is an easy-to-use open source audio editor and recorder. You can open video files in Audacity, select the audio tracks you want, and export them as an audio file like MP3, WAV, AIFF, etc. Audacity provides editing tools to trim, split or combine audio clips.
Using HandBrake
HandBrake is a free, open-source video transcoder that allows you to easily convert video files into different formats. One of its capabilities is extracting the audio from a video file into a separate audio file. Here is a step-by-step guide to extracting audio with HandBrake:
- Download and install HandBrake on your computer from https://handbrake.fr/.
- Open HandBrake and click on “Source” to select the video file you want to extract audio from.
- Under “Destination”, click on “Browse” to select where you want to save the extracted audio file.
- For “Container”, select the audio format you want like MP3, AAC, FLAC, etc.
- Under “Audio”, make sure the codec matches the container you selected. For MP3, choose MP3 as the codec.
- Click on “Add to Queue” to add the audio extraction job to the queue.
- Click on “Start Encode” to start extracting the audio from the video.
- The encoding process will run and save the extracted audio file in the destination you selected.
The key things to ensure in HandBrake are selecting the input video, choosing the output audio format/codec, and specifying the destination. The extraction process itself is simple and quick once configured.
Using FFmpeg
FFmpeg is a powerful and versatile command line tool for manipulating audio and video files. One of its many capabilities is extracting audio from video files. Here is a step-by-step guide to extracting audio with FFmpeg:
1. Download and install FFmpeg on your computer. You can get binaries for Windows, Mac, and Linux from the official FFmpeg website.
2. Open a command prompt or terminal window and navigate to the directory containing your video file. For example:
cd /path/to/video/file
3. Run the ffmpeg command to extract audio. The basic syntax is:
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vn -acodec copy output.aac
This will extract the audio from input.mp4 into an AAC audio file called output.aac. The -vn option tells FFmpeg to drop the video stream. -acodec copy stream copies the audio without re-encoding.
4. You can tweak the command with additional options. For example, to extract audio to MP3 format at 192 kbps bitrate:
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vn -acodec libmp3lame -ab 192k output.mp3
See the FFmpeg documentation for additional options and advanced usage.
Using VLC
One free software option for extracting audio from a video is VLC media player. Here are the basic steps to extract audio using VLC:
Step 1: Download and install the latest version of VLC media player on your computer.
Step 2: Open VLC and go to Media > Convert/Save. Click “Add” and select the video file you want to extract audio from.
Step 3: Under Profile, select Audio – MP3 or another desired audio format.
Step 4: Click “Convert/Save” and select a name and save location for the output audio file.
That’s it! VLC will now extract and save just the audio portion from the video file in the selected audio format.
Using Audacity
Audacity is a free, open source audio editing software available for Windows, Mac and Linux. It provides an easy way to extract audio from video files.
Here is a step-by-step guide to extract audio from a video using Audacity:
- Install and open Audacity on your computer.
- Click on File > Import > Audio and select the video file you want to extract audio from.
- This will import the audio track from the video into Audacity.
- You can edit the audio as needed by cutting, copying and pasting segments.
- When done, click File > Export Audio to export the audio in desired format like MP3, WAV, FLAC etc.
- Specify file name and click Save to extract audio from video.
Audacity provides a simple and handy way to extract high quality audio from videos. With its editing features, you can also trim, cut and enhance the audio before exporting it.
Choosing Output Format
When selecting an audio output format, you’ll need to consider the intended use as well as the quality and file size tradeoffs. The most common and versatile format for general use is MP3. According to Descript.com 1, MP3 offers a good balance of quality and file size, and is supported by most devices and software. For highest quality, lossless formats like WAV and FLAC preserve all the original audio data but result in large file sizes. As Adobe notes 2, these are great for editing but not for sharing. For convenience across platforms, AAC (M4A) may be a good option.
Consider what device or software you intend to use for playback, as compatibility varies between formats. Check the audio quality requirements, such as bitrate. However, higher bitrate does not always mean better quality audio – it depends on how the audio was encoded and the complexity of the audio itself. Finally, consider your available storage space if file size is a limitation.
Conclusion
Converting a video into an audio file is a straightforward process with the right software. We covered the main video and audio formats, as well as several software options like HandBrake, FFmpeg, VLC, and Audacity. The steps involve:
- Installing the software of your choice on Windows, Mac or Linux
- Opening the video file in the software
- Selecting audio only export and the desired output format like MP3 or AAC
- Configuring any output settings
- Exporting/converting the file
Follow the step-by-step instructions outlined for your chosen software, and you should be able to easily extract the audio portion from a video file. This allows you to listen to the audio on its own, share it more easily, or edit the audio track.
For additional help and how-to guides, check out these resources: