Convert MP4 to MP3
Settings
No file yet
Settings appear after you choose a file.
A lecture, meeting or screen recording saved as MP4 can be listened to as audio alone. The MP3 holds only the sound and opens in most music apps.
MP4 or MP3?
Keep MP4 when
- The picture matters too. The MP3 holds only the sound.
- The sound should stay as it is. MP4 to MP3 loses a little more.
Pick MP3 when
- A car stereo, an old player or an editor only reads MP3.
- A site, an app or a person you send it to asks for MP3.
About MP4 and MP3
MP4
The most widely used video format. It plays on most phones, computers and platforms, and is the usual way video is shared.
MP3
The most common audio format. Small files that play on most players and apps made in the last two decades.
Questions
Which bitrate should I pick?
The commands use 192 kbps, a common middle ground between size and sound. Change -b:a 192k to 128k for a smaller file or 320k for more detail.
Does the sound get worse?
A little. The sound in an MP4 is already compressed, and converting it to MP3 drops a bit more. Keep the MP4 as the master copy.
What happens to the video?
The MP3 holds only the sound. The MP4 stays as it is.
Do the title and artist stay?
With the FFmpeg lines, yes: FFmpeg carries tags such as the title across to the MP3.
Can I convert a whole folder at once?
Yes. Drop them all here. In Terminal, one line converts every MP4 in the folder.