If you’ve ever wanted to extract background music, dialogue, or sound effects from a movie or video on your Mac, you don’t need any complicated tools. macOS already includes several built-in apps that make this process simple and completely free. In this guide, you’ll learn how to convert video to audio on Mac using QuickTime Player and iMovie, plus a few extra options for more flexibility.
These methods are ideal if you want to save a soundtrack, turn a video into a podcast-style audio file, or reuse audio content from recordings.
Method 1: Extract Audio from Video Using QuickTime Player
QuickTime Player is more than just a video player—it’s a lightweight media tool included with macOS that also supports basic editing and exporting features.
It allows you to quickly convert video files into audio without installing extra software, as long as the video is not DRM-protected.
Steps to extract audio with QuickTime Player
First, open QuickTime Player on your Mac. You can find it using Spotlight Search.
Next, open your video file by clicking File > Open File. QuickTime supports common formats such as MP4 and MOV.
Once your video is open, go to the top menu and click File > Export As > Audio Only.
After that, choose where you want to save the file. You can rename it and select a folder.
Click Save, and QuickTime will extract the audio and export it as an M4A (AAC audio) file.
This method is fast and ideal for simple conversions where you just need the audio track without editing.
Method 2: Extract Audio from Video Using iMovie on Mac
iMovie is Apple’s free video editing software and offers more control compared to QuickTime. It’s useful if you want to edit or export audio with more customization options.
Steps to extract audio in iMovie
Open iMovie on your Mac.
Drag and drop your video file from Finder into the iMovie timeline.
Once the video is loaded, click File in the top menu, then select Share > File.
In the export window, you can add a name and optional description.
For format settings, choose Audio Only if available in your version of iMovie. In some versions, audio is automatically separated during export, while others allow you to select audio formats like AAC.
Click Next, choose a location to save the file, then click Save.
iMovie will export the audio track from your video as a standalone file.
This method is especially useful if you want to trim, edit, or work with longer videos before extracting the sound.
More Ways to Convert Video to Audio on Mac
Besides Apple’s built-in tools, there are additional options if you need more advanced features or batch conversion.
GarageBand is another free Apple app that can import video files and allow you to export the audio track with more editing control, such as trimming or mixing.
Third-party apps like VLC Media Player or LosslessCut also support video-to-audio conversion and may offer more format options like MP3, WAV, or FLAC depending on your needs.
These tools are helpful if you frequently convert media files or need more flexibility than QuickTime or iMovie provide.
Final Thoughts
Extracting audio from video on a Mac is simple thanks to built-in tools like QuickTime Player and iMovie. Whether you want to save background music, isolate dialogue, or repurpose audio content, both methods offer quick and reliable solutions without needing extra downloads.
For basic tasks, QuickTime is the fastest option. If you need more control or editing features, iMovie is the better choice. And for advanced workflows, tools like GarageBand or VLC can give you even more flexibility.