Extract Audio from Video
Take the soundtrack out of an MP4, MOV, MKV or WebM and keep it as a standalone audio file. When the original codec already fits, the track is copied rather than re-encoded — which means no loss and a job that finishes in seconds.
MP4 · MOV · MKV · WebM · AVI · MPEG-TS — or an audio file, if that is what you have
Copy when you can, re-encode only when you must
If a video's audio is already AAC and you want M4A, or already MP3 and you want MP3, there is nothing to convert — FFmpeg can lift the compressed track out of the container verbatim. The result is bit-for-bit identical to the source, it happens in a second or two regardless of length, and it is the only genuinely lossless option. Choose "Keep the original track" and the tool picks the right container for whatever codec it finds.
Re-encoding only becomes necessary when you need a codec the source is not in — turning a video's AAC audio into MP3 for an older car stereo, or into WAV because an editor wants to see the samples. Each generation of lossy encoding adds artefacts, so it is worth asking whether the target format is really required before spending quality on it.
Which format for which job
MP3 remains the compatibility champion — every device of the last twenty-five years plays it — and at 192 kbps it is transparent for most listening. M4A/AAC gets the same quality in a smaller file. OGG/Opus is the best of the lossy codecs and is what you want for speech and podcasts, though support outside browsers is patchy. WAV is uncompressed and enormous, but it is what audio editors and samplers want. FLAC halves a WAV with no loss at all.
Extracting audio is also the cheapest way to get a transcript-sized file out of a recording, and it pairs naturally with the trimmer when only part of the video matters — cut first, extract second, and you avoid decoding minutes of unused footage.
FAQ
Can I extract audio from a video that has several tracks?
Yes. When more than one audio stream is found, a track picker appears so you can choose which language or commentary you want.
Why is the output bigger than expected?
WAV and FLAC store far more data than MP3 — that is the point of them. If size matters, choose MP3, M4A or Opus.
Is the file uploaded to a server?
No. Extraction happens on your device; the file is read locally and the result is handed straight to your downloads.