WaveliftHow to save audio from a video in Chrome (3 ways)
You can convert the video with an extension, record the tab while it plays, or save the video file and convert it. Converting is fastest; recording works almost anywhere; saving the file only works on some pages.
To save audio from a video in Chrome, the quickest way is a converter extension such as Wavelift. Open the video, click the icon and pick MP3. The file is in your Downloads folder in roughly 6 to 20 seconds for a few-minute video. If the site isn't supported, record the tab instead, which takes as long as the video. Here is each way, step by step.
Way 1: convert it with an extension (fastest)
- Add Wavelift to Chrome. It's free and needs no account.
- Open the video you want the audio from.
- Click the Wavelift icon in the toolbar. Pin it first if you don't see it: click the puzzle piece, then the pin next to Wavelift.
- Choose MP3 (or M4A, Opus) and a quality, then click Download MP3.
Shortcut: right-click any video link and choose "Convert to MP3", or press Ctrl+Shift+M (Cmd+Shift+M on a Mac). The free plan covers 2 downloads a day, up to 128 kbps, for videos up to 10 minutes. How Wavelift works explains the conversion in more detail.
The fastest of the three ways takes about a minute to set up.
Way 2: record the tab while it plays
A tab-recording extension captures whatever sound the tab makes. Install one from the Chrome Web Store, open the video, start recording, play the video to the end, then stop and save. It works on almost any page, but it takes as long as the video itself. Anything else that plays in that tab ends up in the recording too. Keep the tab muted from other sounds and don't skip around.
Way 3: save the video file, then convert it
Some pages play a single, plain video file. In that case you can save the file and convert it on your computer:
- Press F12 to open Chrome's developer tools and go to the Network tab.
- Choose the Media filter and reload the page.
- Right-click the video file in the list and open it in a new tab, then save it.
- Convert the saved file to MP3 with a file converter.
Most large video sites stream in many small pieces instead of one file, so this way often finds nothing useful. It's handy for simple pages and your own hosted videos.
Which way to save audio from a video in Chrome
| Convert (Wavelift) | Record the tab | Save the file | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time for a 4-minute video | About 10 to 20 seconds | About 4 minutes | A minute or two, if it works |
| Works on | Supported video sites | Almost any page | Pages with a single video file |
| Quality | From the source, bitrate you choose | Whatever played, including other sounds | From the source |
| Effort | 3 clicks | Play the whole video | Developer tools plus a converter |
Tips for better audio
- For talks, lectures and podcasts, 128 kbps is enough and keeps files small.
- For music, pick the highest bitrate you have; 320 kbps is part of Wavelift Pro.
- Only need one part? Trim it before downloading (Pro) instead of editing the file afterwards.
When none of these will work
Paid streaming services protect their videos with copy protection, and none of these ways get around it, nor should they. Videos that need you to log in may also fail. And whichever way you use, only save what you have the right to keep: your own uploads, content you have permission to save, and Creative Commons or public-domain media.
More: video to MP3 in Chrome, explained, or go back to the Wavelift home page.