MOV to MP3 Converter
Save the sound of a MOV video from an iPhone, a Mac or a camera as an MP3 that plays on any device. Keep the whole soundtrack or just the part you need.
Output: MP3 at 192 kbps, with the original sample rate and stereo or mono kept.
Preview the processed audio and confirm its range and quality before downloading or reusing it.
How to convert MOV to MP3
The converter takes the audio track out of the MOV file and saves it as MP3. The video is not changed.
Step-by-step
- Choose a MOV file or drag it onto the upload area. On an iPhone, you can pick a video straight from Photos.
- Keep Complete soundtrack, or choose Selected time range and enter the start and end time.
- Click Convert to MP3 and wait while the audio is extracted.
- Listen to the result in the player, then download the MP3.
What you get
An MP3 that plays everywhere, not only on Apple devices:
- MP3 at a constant 192 kbps, which sounds clean for speech, music and recordings of events.
- Audio converted from whatever the MOV contains: AAC from an iPhone or a Mac, or uncompressed PCM from a camera.
- The original sample rate and channels: stereo stays stereo, and mono stays mono.
- The whole soundtrack or only a selected time range, cut to the second.
- A preview player, so you can check the audio before downloading it.
Where MOV files come from
MOV is Apple's QuickTime format. The iPhone Camera app records MOV, screen recordings made on a Mac with Shift-Command-5 or QuickTime Player are saved as MOV, and many Canon and Nikon cameras record MOV too. Any of them converts the same way: the converter reads the audio, whatever codec it uses.
Typical uses are getting the speech from a recorded presentation or lecture, the music from a concert filmed on a phone, or a voice note that was recorded as a video. The MP3 is much smaller than the MOV: a minute of audio at 192 kbps takes about 1.4 MB.
Converting MOV to MP3 on a Mac or iPhone
On a Mac, QuickTime Player can save only the sound (File > Export As > Audio Only), but it saves M4A, not MP3. M4A plays on Apple devices and most modern apps, but not on every car stereo, old MP3 player or upload form that asks for MP3. The iPhone has no built-in way to save a video's sound as MP3.
This converter works in Safari on both: upload the MOV, convert it and download the MP3. On an iPhone, the file goes to the Downloads folder in the Files app.
When to convert MOV to MP3
Convert when you need the sound of a MOV as a separate file:
- Listening to a recorded lecture, meeting or sermon from an iPhone without the video.
- Taking the narration or music out of a Mac screen recording for editing or a podcast.
- Sending the audio to someone on Windows or Android, or to a service that accepts only MP3.
- Preparing audio for transcription, subtitles or a voice-over.
Quality and limits
The MP3 cannot sound better than the audio in the MOV, and MP3 is a lossy format. At 192 kbps, most people hear no difference from the iPhone's AAC audio. If the MOV comes from a camera with uncompressed sound and you plan to edit it, use the audio extraction tool and choose WAV to avoid another round of compression.
Files can be up to 200 MB, which is about a minute of 4K iPhone video or less. For a longer recording, trim the video in Photos first and convert only the part you need. If a MOV has no audio track, the converter tells you there is no sound to extract.
More ways to work with video sound
Video to MP3 Converter
Save the sound of any video as an MP3 file, whole or in part.
Extract Audio from Video
Choose WAV instead of MP3 when you are going to edit the audio and want to avoid another round of compression.
Remove Audio From Video
Keep the picture and remove the sound, for example before posting a clip.
Add Audio To Video
Put music or a voice-over onto a video, or replace its sound.
Need to Edit Your Video?
Continue with trimming, resizing, cropping, text, subtitles, audio, and other edits in the full editor.
Learn more about extracting audio
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about converting MOV files to MP3.
Is the MOV to MP3 converter free?
Yes. It is free, you do not need an account, and the MP3 has no watermark or added sound.
Can I convert MOV to MP3 on an iPhone?
Yes. Open this page in Safari, choose a video from Photos or Files, convert it and download the MP3. It is saved to the Downloads folder in the Files app.
Why not just use QuickTime on a Mac?
QuickTime's Export As > Audio Only saves M4A, not MP3. If M4A is enough for you, that works. Use this converter when you specifically need MP3, for example for a car stereo, an old player or a form that accepts only MP3.
Will the MP3 sound as good as the video?
Very close. The audio is encoded at 192 kbps with the original sample rate and channels. For further editing, choose WAV in the audio extraction tool to avoid another round of compression.
Can I convert only part of the MOV?
Yes. Choose Selected time range, enter the start and end time in hh:mm:ss, and only that part is saved as MP3.
Is there a file size limit?
Yes, files can be up to 200 MB. If a recording is larger, trim it first, for example in the Photos app on the iPhone, and convert only the part you need.