Extract audio from video (MP4 to M4A)
Your files are converted on your device. They are never uploaded.
or drop them here
.mp4.m4v.mov
- Files stay on your device
- Batch + ZIP
- No sign-up, no limits
This converter runs in your browser and needs JavaScript. Turn it on to convert; the steps below explain everything.
Copy the original sound out of an MP4 or MOV into an M4A file: no re-encoding, no quality loss.
Most MP4 and MOV videos store their sound as AAC, which is exactly what an M4A file contains. So you don’t have to convert anything: this page copies the compressed AAC data packet by packet from the video into a new M4A file and drops the picture. That keeps the sound bit-for-bit identical to the video’s and takes a second or two even for an hour-long recording. M4A plays on iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac and in every browser. Your video is processed locally and never uploaded.
How to convert MP4 to M4A
- Add the MP4 or MOV files (phone videos, screen recordings, camera clips).
- There are no settings to choose: the original audio track is copied as it is.
- Download the M4A files, or all of them as a ZIP; the result line confirms “copied, no quality loss”.
What happens to quality, size and metadata
Nothing is decoded or re-compressed, so the quality, bitrate and sample rate of the M4A are exactly those of the video’s soundtrack, and the file is only as large as the audio part of the video. Gapless timing is kept: the small encoder delay at the start is preserved with an edit list, so the audio lines up with the original. If a video holds sound that isn’t AAC (Opus or MP3 in some MP4s), it is copied as it is and we tell you, because a few players expect AAC in M4A. No trimming here: cutting a compressed track cleanly needs re-encoding; use MP4 to MP3 with start and end times instead.
- Test files
- 2
- Average input
- 905 KB
- Average output
- 145 KB
- Size change
- 84% smaller
- Time per file
- 107 ms
MP4 vs M4A
| Full name | MP4 | M4A |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | MPEG-4 Part 14 | MPEG-4 Audio |
| Introduced | 2003 | 2003 |
| Defined by | MPEG · ISO/IEC 14496-14 | MPEG · ISO/IEC 14496-14 + 14496-3 (AAC) |
| Compression | Lossy or lossless | Lossy or lossless |
| Chrome / Edge | Yes | Yes |
| Safari | Yes | Yes |
| Firefox | Yes | Partly |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone / iPad | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Typical use | Phone videos, screen recordings, downloads from cameras and video for sharing. | iPhone Voice Memos, music from Apple apps, and audio extracted from MP4 video. |
MP4 MP4 is a container defined in ISO/IEC 14496-14. It usually holds H.264 or HEVC video and AAC audio, plus chapters and metadata. It is the most widely supported video file: phones, browsers, TVs and social apps all play it.
M4A M4A is an MP4 file that contains only sound, nearly always AAC (sometimes Apple Lossless). AAC sounds better than MP3 at the same bitrate. Apple devices use it for voice memos and music, but some older players, car stereos and websites accept only MP3.
Sources for this table
- www.iso.org/standard/79110.html
- www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc4337
- caniuse.com/mpeg4
- developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Media/Guides/Formats/Containers
- developer.android.com/media/platform/supported-formats
- www.iso.org/standard/76383.html
- caniuse.com/aac
Browser support data: caniuse.com, CC BY 4.0.
Without this site
Mac: QuickTime Player’s File › Export As › Audio Only saves an M4A file; it re-encodes the audio rather than copying it, though at good quality. iPhone: in Shortcuts, the “Encode Media” action with “Audio Only” switched on outputs M4A. Windows has no built-in audio extraction; in the free VLC player, Media › Convert / Save can copy the audio track. Android has no built-in option.
Troubleshooting
- The video has no sound track. Screen recordings without microphone audio can’t be extracted. Check the video plays with sound.
- Someone needs MP3, not M4A. Some car stereos and older websites accept only MP3. Use MP4 to MP3 for those.
- “Can’t be copied into an M4A as it is”. The sound uses a codec M4A can’t hold (for example PCM in some camera MOVs). Convert to MP3 instead.
- Windows shows the M4A as “MPEG-4 Audio”. That is the same thing; it opens in Media Player.
Questions and answers
How do I extract audio from an MP4 without losing quality?
Copy the audio track instead of converting it. That is what this page does: the AAC data from the MP4 goes into an M4A file unchanged, so the sound is identical to the original. Converting to MP3 always re-encodes and loses a little, even at 320 kbps.
What is the difference between M4A and MP3?
Both are compressed audio. M4A usually contains AAC, which sounds better than MP3 at the same bitrate and is what phones record in videos. MP3 is older and plays on absolutely everything, including old car stereos. For keeping the original sound, M4A; for maximum compatibility, MP3.
Why is extracting audio so fast?
Because nothing is decoded or encoded. The page reads the compressed audio packets from the video and writes them into a new file, which is about as much work as copying a file. That is why even long recordings take only a moment, also on a phone.
Can I play M4A on Windows and Android?
Yes. Windows 10 and 11 play M4A in Media Player, Android plays it in its music and file apps, and every current browser plays it. Very old players and some car head units are the exception; for those, make an MP3 instead.