Audio Extractor — Get MP3 or WAV Out of Any Video
Load a video, choose MP3 or WAV, and MediaVault separates the audio track locally and hands you the file. Useful for turning an interview recording into a podcast asset, lifting a voiceover out of a rough cut, or archiving the audio from a talk. The work is done by FFmpeg running inside your browser tab, so the video is never sent to a server.
What the Audio Extractor actually does
It reads your file into browser memory, discards the picture, and encodes the audio into the format you pick. That is the whole job, and it helps to know the edges of it before you start.
- It extracts the whole audio track. There is no trim control, so cut the video down first if you only want a section.
- It always re-encodes. There is no option to copy the original audio stream untouched, so even MP3 output is a fresh encode.
- MP3 output uses a high-quality variable-bitrate setting (LAME quality level 2). WAV output is uncompressed 16-bit PCM at 44.1 kHz.
- It has no audio-track picker. If a video carries several audio tracks, FFmpeg's default stream selection decides which one you get.
- It also accepts audio files, so you can use it to turn a WAV or M4A into an MP3.
- The download starts automatically and the file is named extracted_ followed by the original file name.
MP3 or WAV — which to pick
MP3 is compressed and small, which suits sharing, podcast drafts and anything that will be listened to rather than edited further. WAV is uncompressed and much larger, which is what you want if the audio is going into an editor for further processing. As a rough size guide, 16-bit 44.1 kHz stereo WAV works out to about 10.6 MB per minute, and mono is half that.
Why extraction should be local
Audio is where the sensitive part of most recordings lives — the conversation itself. Interviews, client calls, therapy sessions and internal meetings are exactly the material that should not be handed to a conversion site in exchange for an MP3.
Tips for a clean extraction
A few habits avoid the usual surprises.
- Keep an original copy of the video. Extraction writes a new file and never touches the source, but you cannot get the picture back from an MP3.
- Choose WAV if you plan to edit, denoise or process the audio afterwards, so you only pay the lossy-encoding cost once at the very end.
- Very long or very large videos are loaded entirely into browser memory. If the browser struggles, split the recording into parts first.
- Check the result by playing the first and last few seconds before you delete anything.
After you have the audio
If the recording is noisy, run the extracted file through the audio denoiser. If you want the words rather than the sound, the AI subtitle generator transcribes locally and can export an SRT. If you only wanted the vocals or the backing track, the vocal remover works on the extracted file.
How to use it
- Open the Audio Extractor. Use the button above, or open the studio and choose Audio Extractor from the tool list.
- Add your file. Drop in a video (MP4, MOV, MKV, WebM, AVI and other formats FFmpeg can read) or click the drop zone to browse. The file name and size appear once it is loaded.
- Choose MP3 or WAV. Pick MP3 for a small file or WAV for uncompressed audio from the Save Audio As menu.
- Click Separate and Download. FFmpeg loads in your browser, strips the video and encodes the audio. A status line shows progress and there is no upload step.
- Check the file. The extracted audio downloads automatically. Play it back before deleting the original video.
Frequently asked questions
Does extracting audio reduce quality?
Choosing WAV keeps the decoded audio as-is in an uncompressed file. MP3 is a fresh lossy encode at a high-quality variable-bitrate setting, which is generally transparent for speech and fine for most listening, but it is not bit-for-bit identical to the source.
What video formats are supported?
MP4, MOV, MKV, WebM, AVI and the other common containers FFmpeg can read. The file picker also accepts audio files.
Is my video uploaded?
No. Extraction happens in your browser and the file never leaves your device.
Can I extract only part of a video?
Not inside the extractor; it always converts the whole audio track. Cut the section you want with the video splitter first, then extract from that smaller file.
What happens if the video has several audio tracks?
The extractor has no track selector, so FFmpeg picks one using its default stream selection. If you need a specific track, check the result and, if it is the wrong one, remux the track you want into its own file first.
How big will the WAV file be?
About 10.6 MB per minute for stereo 16-bit 44.1 kHz audio, and about half that for mono. MP3 output is much smaller.
Why did extraction fail?
The tool shows a generic error when FFmpeg cannot finish. Common causes are a video with no audio track, a corrupted file, or a file too large for your browser to hold in memory. Try a smaller piece of the video to narrow it down.
Is the Audio Extractor free?
Free accounts get 2 completed operations per day across the tools, with no watermark. Pro removes the daily limit.
Related tools
- Audio Denoiser — Strip hum, hiss and rumble out of voice recordings.
- Video Splitter — Slice long recordings into equal parts or custom segments.
- AI Subtitle Generator — Auto-generate SRT captions with Whisper running on your own device.