WaveliftVideo to MP3 in Chrome: how a converter extension works, and what it can't do
A video to MP3 Chrome extension saves the audio of the video you're watching, without pasting links into a converter site. The kind you pick decides how long it takes: seconds, or as long as the video itself.
With Wavelift, you click the toolbar icon on the video page and choose MP3 and a quality. The file is saved in about 6 to 20 seconds for a video a few minutes long. That speed comes from converting on a server instead of recording the sound while it plays. Below: the three kinds of video to MP3 extensions, how Wavelift handles a conversion, which format to pick, and when you need a different tool.
Video to MP3 Chrome extensions: the three kinds
Search the Chrome Web Store for "video to MP3" and you get three different tools under similar names. They solve different problems.
| Page converter (Wavelift) | File converter | Tab recorder | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you give it | The video page you're on | A video file already on your computer | Whatever plays in the tab |
| Time for a 4-minute video | About 10 to 20 seconds (our measurements) | Seconds, once you have the file | 4 minutes, because it records in real time |
| Sound quality | Taken from the source, re-encoded at the bitrate you pick | Depends on the file | Recorded from playback, so other tab sounds and volume changes can end up in it |
| Best for | Saving audio from videos online | Files you downloaded or recorded yourself | Pages that no converter supports |
If the video is online, a page converter is the shortest path. If it's already on your disk, a file converter is faster and works offline.
How Wavelift converts a video
- Open the popup on a video page. Wavelift asks our server which formats exist for that video, which takes about 4 to 6 seconds.
- Pick MP3, M4A, Opus or WAV, or MP4 for video, and a quality.
- The server fetches the media and converts it. A progress bar shows each stage.
- Chrome saves the file to your Downloads folder, and it appears in Wavelift's download history.
- The copy on our server is deleted within about an hour. Nothing is kept on your computer except the file and your history.
Two shortcuts skip the popup: right-click a video link and choose "Convert to MP3", or press Ctrl+Shift+M (Cmd+Shift+M on a Mac) on a video page.
Want to try it on a video of your own? Wavelift is free to install, no sign-up needed.
Which format and quality to pick
| Format | Pick it when |
|---|---|
| MP3 | You want it to play everywhere: phones, cars, old players. |
| M4A (AAC) | You mostly listen on Apple devices; files are a little smaller for the same quality. |
| Opus | You want the smallest file for speech, like lectures and podcasts. |
| WAV | You'll edit the audio and want no extra compression (Pro). Files are large. |
For quality, 128 kbps is plenty for speech. For music, higher bitrates such as 320 kbps keep more detail; that's part of Pro.
Free and Pro limits
The free plan allows 2 downloads a day, up to 720p video and 128 kbps audio, for videos up to 10 minutes. Wavelift Pro removes those limits. It adds MP3 up to 320 kbps, 1080p and 4K, any length, trimming and whole playlists. Pro costs $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, and you buy or cancel it inside the extension.
When Wavelift is the wrong tool
- The file is already on your computer. Use a local file converter instead; it's faster and works offline.
- The video is behind copy protection, like paid streaming services. Wavelift can't convert it and doesn't try to get around it.
- You don't have the right to keep it. Use Wavelift for your own uploads, content you have permission to save, and Creative Commons or public-domain media. See our terms.
Questions
Does Wavelift install anything besides the extension?
No. The conversion runs on Wavelift's server, so there's no extra software and nothing heavy running on your computer.
Can I convert a whole playlist?
Yes, with Pro. The free plan converts single videos, including a video you opened from a playlist.
More: three ways to save audio from a video in Chrome, or go back to the Wavelift home page.