How to Extract Audio From a Video File

Extracting audio from a video lets you save a soundtrack, podcast interview, conference recording, or speech as a standalone audio file without the video.

Method 1: VLC (Free, All Platforms)

VLC can extract audio from any video format without re-encoding (if you choose the right settings):

1. Open VLC → Media → Convert/Save (Ctrl+R or Cmd+R)
2. Click Add → select your video file
3. Click Convert/Save
4. In "Profile", select Audio – MP3 (or FLAC for lossless)
5. Set a destination file with the .mp3 or .flac extension
6. Click Start

Method 2: HandBrake (More Control Over Quality)

1. Open HandBrake → load your video
2. In the Summary tab: Container: MP4 with audio only — actually HandBrake always includes video; use VLC or FFmpeg for audio-only extraction

Method 3: FFmpeg (Best Quality, Command Line)

FFmpeg can extract audio without re-encoding (lossless extraction):

Extract AAC audio from MP4 (no re-encoding):

ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -vn -acodec copy audio.aac

Extract as MP3 (re-encodes):

ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -vn -ab 320k audio.mp3

Extract as WAV (uncompressed):

ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -vn audio.wav

Method 4: Audacity (All Platforms, Requires Plugin)

1. Install Audacity and the FFmpeg library (needed to open video files)
2. File → Import → Audio → select your video file
3. Audacity imports only the audio track
4. File → Export in your desired format (MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG)

Method 5: Online Tools (No Software)

Search for "extract audio from video online" for browser-based tools. Upload your video and download the extracted audio. Note: This uploads your file to a third-party server — avoid for sensitive content.

Which Format to Extract To?

• MP3 — smallest file, widest compatibility, for sharing or podcasts
• AAC — slightly better quality than MP3 at the same size, for Apple devices
• WAV — uncompressed, for further editing in a DAW
• FLAC — lossless compressed, ideal if the source video has high-quality audio