In this guide
QuickTime Player can export a compatible movie as audio-only AAC. For a short supported MP4 or MOV, the browser converter offers WAV or MP3. Both save the existing soundtrack mix, not separate voices and instruments.
To extract audio from a video on a Mac, open the video in QuickTime Player and choose File → Export As → Audio Only. Name the output and choose where to save it. Apple says this creates an MPEG-4 audio file with an AAC track. Play the saved file and check its duration; export availability depends on the source.
If you need WAV or MP3 instead, the free video-to-audio converter can process a supported short MP4 or MOV locally in your browser. Both methods export the soundtrack mix, including any speech, music and effects already combined in it.
Choose a method
| Need | Method | Output to check |
|---|---|---|
| A quick audio-only file | QuickTime Player → Export As → Audio Only | AAC in an MPEG-4 audio file. |
| WAV or MP3 from a short video | Use the local browser converter | Format, duration and audio quality; file and codec limits apply. |
| Audio from an iMovie project | Share the project as an audio-only file | The project mix, including edits and muted tracks. |
| The original compressed audio without re-encoding | Use a compatible stream-copy workflow | Selected stream, codec, container and sync. |
Export audio with QuickTime Player
- Open your video. In QuickTime Player, open a supported movie and play a short section to confirm the soundtrack.
- Choose Audio Only. Select File → Export As → Audio Only. Apple's QuickTime export guide describes the format and notes that some protected recordings cannot be exported.
- Save a separate file. Choose a name and destination, then save. Keep the original video.
- Listen to the export. Open the saved audio, check the beginning and end, and compare its duration with the source. If you plan to return it to an edit, also check alignment with the picture.
Audio Only is an AAC export; it is not an MP3 or WAV simply because the filename is changed. If you need another format, choose an appropriate converter or editor and verify the actual output.
Extract WAV or MP3 in the browser
- Open the video-to-audio converter and select a supported MP4 or MOV stored on your Mac.
- Choose 16-bit WAV at 44.1 or 48 kHz, or a 48 kHz MP3 at 128, 192 or 320 kbps.
- Convert, preview and download the file. The video is read locally; the tool does not require an account or upload it.
Input and output must each fit 50 MiB, the audio must be no longer than five minutes, and decoded audio must be mono or stereo. Browser support depends on the codecs in the file. The tool does not select among multiple audio streams. MP3 is a new lossy encode and may introduce delay or padding; WAV is larger and cannot restore detail lost in the original.
Export audio from iMovie
For a project or clip already in iMovie, select it and choose File → Share → File. In the export dialog, choose an audio-only option from Format, then name and save the result. Apple describes this in its iMovie export instructions. Listen to the saved project mix: edits, levels and track mutes affect what you hear. Exporting the mix is different from obtaining separate original tracks.
What if you need just a voice or sound effect?
When the wanted sound shares a soundtrack with music or other voices, an audio-only export retains that overlap. Export separate tracks from the original project if available. Otherwise, test the voice isolator or sound effect extractor on a short passage, then compare the result with the original. Isolation may retain bleed or alter the wanted sound. These AI services are separate from the free converter; downloads require an account and sufficient credits, with the cost shown in the download dialog.
Common questions
Can I extract audio from a YouTube video on Mac?
Start with your original file or an available copy of your own upload. Saturalabs' converter accepts a local file, not a YouTube URL. See the YouTube audio guide for the creator download workflow and permission considerations.
Why is the saved file silent or unsupported?
First play the source to confirm it has sound. A video container can hold different codecs or multiple streams, and not every browser or editor handles each one. Try a compatible source or a desktop workflow that lets you select the intended stream.