How to extract audio from a video on Mac
Updated 12 November 2026.
Drop the video into Cutaway's Convert tab, choose an audio format such as WAV or MP3 as the output, and click Convert. The audio file is saved next to the video.
Download for MacNo account. macOS 15 or later, Apple silicon.
Steps
- Add the video. Open the Convert tab and drop in the video file. MOV, MP4, MKV and other common video files all work.
- Choose an audio format. Open the format menu on the row and pick from the audio formats: M4A, MP3, WAV, AIFF, FLAC or Opus.
- Pick a quality. Smaller, Balanced or Best sets the bitrate for M4A, MP3 and Opus. WAV, AIFF and FLAC are lossless.
- Click Convert. The audio file is saved next to the video unless you choose another folder. The video itself is left untouched.
Which format to choose
- WAV or AIFF for editing. They are uncompressed, and every editor and audio tool opens them.
- FLAC to keep full quality in a smaller file.
- M4A or MP3 to share or upload. MP3 plays everywhere. M4A sounds better at the same size.
- Opus for voice at very low bitrates.
From a link instead of a file
If the video is online, paste its link into the Download tab and choose Audio only. Cutaway downloads the audio stream without the picture.
Turn on Trim to a section to take only part of it, such as one answer from a long interview.
What editors use this for
Pulling a music bed or a voice track out of a reference clip, sending dialogue to a sound designer, getting an interview into a transcription tool, or keeping the audio from a screen recording when the picture isn't needed.
Questions
Does extracting the audio reduce its quality?
With WAV, AIFF or FLAC, nothing is lost beyond what the video's own audio track already held. M4A, MP3 and Opus compress the sound, and Best keeps the most detail.
Can I do this for several videos at once?
Yes. Drop them in together and use Set all to… to pick one audio format for the batch.
Is the video uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion happens on your Mac, and Cutaway has no server that receives files.
Can I download audio from any link?
Download only what you own or have permission to use. Cutaway is not affiliated with any website it can download from.
Related guides
Get Cutaway
Cutaway is a Mac app that downloads, trims and converts the media around your edit. It runs on your Mac, with no account and no analytics.
Download for MacNo account. macOS 15 or later, Apple silicon.