Extracting audio from video files can be a useful task for various applications such as podcast creation, music extraction, or sound editing. On macOS, there are several ways to accomplish this task using built-in tools or third-party applications. This article will guide you through a few methods to extract audio from video files on your Apple device.

Method 1: Using QuickTime Player

QuickTime Player, which comes pre-installed on macOS, can be used to extract audio from video files.

1. Open QuickTime Player: Find QuickTime Player in your Applications folder and open it.

2. Open the Video File: Click on File > Open File... and select the video file from which you want to extract audio.

3. Export as Audio Only: Once the video is open, click on File > Export As > Audio Only. This will save the audio as an M4A file.

Method 2: Using iMovie

iMovie is another application available on macOS that can help you extract audio from video files.

1. Open iMovie: Launch iMovie from your Applications folder.

2. Create a New Project: Click on Create New and select Movie.

3. Import Video: Click on Import Media and select the video file.

4. Detach Audio: Drag the video file to the timeline. Right-click on the video clip in the timeline and select Detach Audio. The audio will appear as a separate track.

5. Export Audio: Click on File > Share > File.... In the pop-up window, select Audio Only from the Format dropdown menu, then click Next and save the file.

Method 3: Using Terminal with FFmpeg

For those who prefer command-line tools, FFmpeg is a powerful open-source tool that can be used for audio extraction.

1. Install FFmpeg: If you don't have FFmpeg installed, you can install it using Homebrew. Open Terminal and type:

   brew install ffmpeg

2. Extract Audio: Once FFmpeg is installed, you can extract audio by running the following command in Terminal:

   ffmpeg -i input_video.mp4 -q:a 0 -map a output_audio.mp3

   Replace input_video.mp4 with the path to your video file and output_audio.mp3 with the desired output file name.

Method 4: Using Third-Party Applications

There are also third-party applications available on the App Store or online that can provide a more user-friendly interface for extracting audio. Some popular options include:

• Audacity: A free, open-source audio editor that can import video files and export audio.
• VLC Media Player: A versatile media player that can also convert video files to audio.