Can QuickTime Player save audio as MP3?

No, QuickTime Player can't save audio as MP3. Its File → Export As → Audio Only option creates an MPEG-4 audio file with AAC sound, according to Apple's QuickTime Player User Guide. To get an MP3, open that file in the Music app and use File → Convert → Create MP3 Version.

Does converting a video to MP3 lose quality?

Yes, converting a video to MP3 can lose a little quality, because MP3 is a lossy format that drops some sound data to save space. Apple notes that converting between compressed formats, such as AAC to MP3, may reduce quality. A bit rate of 256 to 320 kbps keeps the loss hard to hear.

What is the difference between M4A and MP3?

M4A and MP3 are both compressed audio formats. M4A usually holds AAC audio in an MPEG-4 file, the type QuickTime Player creates with Audio Only. MP3 is older and plays on almost every device, including car stereos and basic music players.

How do I extract audio from several videos at once on a Mac?

Several videos can be handled at once with Finder's Encode Selected Video Files action, which has an audio-only option for pulling out the sound track. Apple doesn't say it saves MP3, so plan on the Music app step. FinderBuddy's Video to MP3 tool also works on a whole selection and saves MP3 files at up to 320 kbps.

Is it legal to extract audio from a video?

Extracting audio from a video is fine when the video is your own or the owner allows it, such as a lecture you recorded or a family clip. Saving songs or shows from copyrighted videos can break copyright law. The rules differ by country, so check the terms of the source before keeping the audio.

How to Convert MP4 to MP3 on Mac (3 Ways)

Video & audio

Quick answer

How do I convert MP4 to MP3 on Mac?

To convert MP4 to MP3 on a Mac, open the video in QuickTime Player and choose File → Export As → Audio Only, which saves the sound as an AAC file. Then, in the Music app, set Import Settings to MP3, add that file, and choose File → Convert → Create MP3 Version. Both apps come with macOS.

QuickTime Player's Export As → Audio Only pulls the sound out of a video as an AAC file.
The Music app turns that file into an MP3 with File → Convert → Create MP3 Version.
If you only listen on Apple devices, the AAC file may be all you need.
FinderBuddy's Video to MP3 does both steps from Finder's right-click menu, up to 320 kbps.

You have a video of a talk, a lecture, or a voice memo someone sent as MP4. You don't need the picture. You just want the sound on your phone or in a podcast app.

Here's the good news. Your Mac can extract audio from a video with apps you already have. It takes two short steps, and nothing gets uploaded.

A quick bit of background. MP4 is a video file that holds both picture and sound. MP3 is an audio-only format that plays on almost anything, from car stereos to old music players. To go from one to the other, you first pull out the audio track, then save it as MP3.

How do I extract audio from a video on Mac?

QuickTime Player can extract the audio from a video in one step. Apple's QuickTime Player User Guide says the Audio Only export saves an MPEG-4 audio file with AAC sound.

Open the MP4 (or MOV) in QuickTime Player.
Choose File → Export As → Audio Only.
Give it a name, pick a folder, and click Save.

That's it. You now have the sound on its own, usually as an .m4a file. If the Export menu shows no options, Apple notes the video may be copy-protected.

Doing several videos at once from Finder

Finder's Encode Selected Video Files action also has an audio-only option. Apple's QuickTime automation tips describe it as a way to extract the audio track. Select the videos, Control-click, choose Encode Selected Video Files (it may sit in the Services or Quick Actions submenu), and pick Audio Only.

How do I turn the audio into an MP3 with the Music app?

The Music app converts the AAC file into an MP3 and keeps the original. You set MP3 as the import format once, then use Create MP3 Version. These steps come from Apple's guide to converting music file formats.

Open Music and choose Music → Settings, then click Files.
Click Import Settings, choose MP3 from the Import Using menu, and click OK.
Add your audio file with File → Import, or drag it from Finder into the Music window.
Select the song in your library.
Choose File → Convert → Create MP3 Version.

The MP3 shows up next to the original in your library. To find the actual file, right-click the MP3 version and choose Show in Finder.

One honest note. Apple says converting from one compressed format to another, like AAC to MP3, may reduce quality. For speech it's rarely a problem. For music you care about, pick a higher quality setting in Import Settings.

The faster way: Video to MP3 from the right-click menu

FinderBuddy adds Video to MP3 to Finder's right-click menu. It saves a video's sound straight to MP3, up to 320 kbps, so you skip the two-app shuffle.

Select one video, or a whole batch, in Finder.
Right-click and choose FinderBuddy → Video to MP3.

Files are processed on your Mac and never uploaded, and your original videos are kept. If you need a different audio format, FinderBuddy's Convert Audio handles MP3, M4A, WAV, AIFF, and FLAC, keeping titles, artists, and cover art.

FinderBuddy is a free download with a set of free tools. The video and audio tools unlock with a one-time license. Grab it from the download page and follow the setup guide.

Which MP3 quality should you choose?

Pick 128 kbps for speech and 256 to 320 kbps for music. The kbps number (kilobits per second) is how much data each second of sound gets. More data means better sound and a bigger file.

Bit rate	Size per minute	1-hour recording
128 kbps	About 0.96 MB	About 58 MB
192 kbps	About 1.44 MB	About 86 MB
320 kbps	About 2.4 MB	About 144 MB

Those numbers are simple math (bit rate times length), not test results. Real files land close to them. Keep in mind that a high bit rate can't add detail the video never had. A phone recording of a meeting won't sound better at 320 kbps than at 128 kbps.

What this means for you

Listening on an iPhone or Mac only? The AAC file from QuickTime is enough. Stop there.
Need a true MP3 for a car stereo, an old player, or an upload form? Add the Music step.
Converting lots of videos? Use Finder's audio-only option or a right-click tool so you're not exporting one file at a time.
Already have M4A files? Our guide on converting M4A to MP3 on Mac picks up from there.

Also, only extract audio from videos you made or have the right to use. Pulling songs out of someone else's video can break copyright rules.

My take

For a single lecture or interview, I'd use QuickTime's Audio Only and call it done. AAC files play in QuickTime Player, the Music app, and on iPhone.

The Music app step makes sense when something truly demands MP3. And if you're pulling audio from a folder of videos every week, the two-app routine gets tedious. That's where a single right-click tool earns its place.

Got a video that's too big to keep around after you save the sound? You can compress the video on your Mac too.

The short version

Converting MP4 to MP3 on a Mac is easier than it looks. QuickTime Player pulls the sound out, and the Music app turns it into an MP3. Both are free and already on your Mac.

Try it once with one video. After that, it really does become second nature.

Frequently asked questions

Can QuickTime Player save audio as MP3?: No, QuickTime Player can't save audio as MP3. Its File → Export As → Audio Only option creates an MPEG-4 audio file with AAC sound, according to Apple's QuickTime Player User Guide. To get an MP3, open that file in the Music app and use File → Convert → Create MP3 Version.
Does converting a video to MP3 lose quality?: Yes, converting a video to MP3 can lose a little quality, because MP3 is a lossy format that drops some sound data to save space. Apple notes that converting between compressed formats, such as AAC to MP3, may reduce quality. A bit rate of 256 to 320 kbps keeps the loss hard to hear.
What is the difference between M4A and MP3?: M4A and MP3 are both compressed audio formats. M4A usually holds AAC audio in an MPEG-4 file, the type QuickTime Player creates with Audio Only. MP3 is older and plays on almost every device, including car stereos and basic music players.
How do I extract audio from several videos at once on a Mac?: Several videos can be handled at once with Finder's Encode Selected Video Files action, which has an audio-only option for pulling out the sound track. Apple doesn't say it saves MP3, so plan on the Music app step. FinderBuddy's Video to MP3 tool also works on a whole selection and saves MP3 files at up to 320 kbps.
Is it legal to extract audio from a video?: Extracting audio from a video is fine when the video is your own or the owner allows it, such as a lecture you recorded or a family clip. Saving songs or shows from copyrighted videos can break copyright law. The rules differ by country, so check the terms of the source before keeping the audio.