4 Ways to Convert MP4 to MP3 on Mac (Step-by-Step)

How to Convert MP4 to MP3 on Mac
Do you have an MP4 video file that you‘d like to extract the audio from to save space or play on an MP3 player? Converting MP4 to MP3 on your Mac lets you pull out just the audio track and save it in the widely compatible MP3 format.

As an Apple computer technician, I‘m often asked by clients what‘s the best way to do this. There are a few different options, each with their own pros and cons.

In this guide, I‘ll walk you through four methods for converting an MP4 file to MP3 on your Mac:

1. Using the Permute app
2. Using the free VLC Media Player
3. Using an online converter tool
4. Using QuickTime and the Apple Music app

I‘ll provide detailed step-by-step instructions with screenshots for each method. By the end, you‘ll have all the info you need to pick the best MP4 to MP3 conversion method for your needs and technical comfort level. Let‘s dive in!

Why Convert MP4 to MP3?
First, why would you want to convert an MP4 video to an MP3 audio file? There are a few key reasons:

• To extract the audio track from a music video, interview, audiobook, etc. to listen to without the video
• To reduce the file size dramatically by removing the video and saving just the audio
• To save the audio in the widely compatible MP3 format that can be played on virtually any device

MP3 is a lossy compressed audio file format that offers a good balance of small file size and decent sound quality. It‘s supported by computers, smartphones, tablets, car stereos, MP3 players, and more. The tradeoff is that some audio quality is lost during MP3 compression compared to lossless formats.

Now that we understand why converting MP4 to MP3 can be useful, let‘s look at how to do it on macOS.

Method 1: Using the Permute App
Permute is a multi-format media converter for Mac that makes quick work of converting MP4 to MP3. The polished app is really intuitive to use but does cost $14.99.

Here‘s how to use Permute to convert MP4 to MP3:

1. If you don‘t already have it, download and install Permute from the Mac App Store or developer‘s website.

2. Launch Permute on your Mac. Drag and drop the MP4 video file you want to convert into the Permute window, or click the + button to browse for the file.

3. Once your MP4 is loaded into Permute, look for the Format menu near the bottom of the window. Click it and select MP3.

4. Click the Play button in the lower left to start the conversion. Permute will process your file and save the MP3 in the same folder as the source MP4.

That‘s it! Permute makes converting MP4 to MP3 a quick and easy process. It also supports conversion between many other media formats.

The downside is that Permute is not free. But if you need to convert formats frequently, its ease of use may be worth the price. There‘s also a free trial available.

Method 2: Using VLC Media Player
VLC is a popular open source media player that can also do MP4 to MP3 conversions. The app is free to download and use on Mac, Windows and Linux.

Here‘s how to convert MP4 to MP3 using VLC on a Mac:

1. If you don‘t have it already, download VLC for Mac from the official site and install it.

2. Open VLC and click File > Open File. Browse to the MP4 file you want to convert and click Open.

3. In VLC, click File > Convert/Stream.

4. In the Convert window, click the Profile drop-down and select Audio – MP3.

5. Click Browse to choose where to save the MP3 file and give it a name.

6. Click Save to start the MP4 to MP3 conversion. Once done, you‘ll find your new MP3 in the chosen location.

While not quite as simple as Permute, VLC still makes it fairly straightforward to convert MP4 to MP3 on a Mac. And you can‘t beat the price of this open source software.

Method 3: Using an Online Converter
Don‘t want to install any extra software? There are websites that let you convert MP4 to MP3 right in your web browser.

While convenient, using an online converter has some potential downsides to be aware of. You‘ll be uploading the MP4 file to a third-party site, which comes with privacy and security risks if you‘re dealing with sensitive content.

Online converters also tend to have file size limits and slower speeds compared to converting MP4 to MP3 on your own computer. And of course, you need to be online to use them.

If you go the online route, make sure to use a reputable converter site and ideally don‘t upload anything sensitive. I‘d also recommend running a malware scan afterwards using a tool like MalwareBytes just to be safe.

Here‘s the general process for using an online MP4 to MP3 converter:

1. Go to a reputable converter site in your web browser. Some popular options are Zamzar, CloudConvert, and Online-Convert.

2. Click Browse and select the MP4 file from your Mac that you want to convert to MP3.

3. Choose MP3 as the output format.

4. Enter your email address if prompted (to receive a download link).

5. Click the Convert button to upload your MP4 and convert it to an MP3.

6. When the conversion is complete, download the MP3 file to your Mac.

While not my first choice, online converters can do the job in a pinch. Just exercise caution and pick a well-established service.

Method 4: Using QuickTime and Music App
Our final method uses two apps that come pre-installed on every Mac: QuickTime and Music (formerly iTunes).

In QuickTime, we‘ll extract the raw audio from the MP4 video and save it as an M4A file. Then in the Music app, we‘ll convert the M4A to an MP3. It takes a few more steps, but it works well once you get the hang of it.

Here‘s the full process:

1. Open the QuickTime Player app on your Mac. Click File > Open File and select the MP4 you want to convert.

2. In QuickTime, click File > Export As > Audio Only. Choose a location, name the file, and click Save. This will save the audio from your MP4 as an M4A file.

3. Open the Music app. Click Music > Preferences in the menu bar.

4. Go to the Files tab and click Import Settings. Set the Import Using dropdown to MP3 Encoder. Click OK.

5. Drag and drop the M4A file you exported from QuickTime into the Music app.

6. Select the imported M4A in your Music library. Click File > Convert > Create MP3 Version. This will make an MP3 copy in your library.

7. Drag the new MP3 file from Music to the desired location in Finder. You can then delete the intermediate M4A file.

And there you have it – an MP3 file converted from your original MP4, using only the tools already on your Mac. The extra steps compared to the other methods may be worth it if you want to avoid downloading any extra software.

MP3 Quality and Compatibility
Whichever method you choose, you‘ll likely see some options for the MP3‘s bitrate, or how much the audio is compressed. A higher bitrate will give you better sound quality but a larger file size.

For most purposes, 128 kbps is a good bitrate setting for MP3. It will sound good enough for the average listener and have a small file size. If you want better quality, go for 192 kbps or 256 kbps. For voice recordings, you can get away with lower bitrates like 64 kbps.

The great thing about MP3 is that it‘s supported by virtually every digital audio player out there. From smartphones to car stereos to dedicated MP3 players, your converted file will likely play without a hitch.

Organizing and Playing MP3 Files
As you convert MP4 to MP3, it‘s a good idea to keep your files organized. Give the MP3 files clear names and consider adding metadata like artist, album, and genre using the ID3 tags. This will help you find them later on your computer and other devices.

You can play the converted MP3 files right in the Music app on your Mac if you want. You can create playlists, sync them to your iPhone/iPad, or upload to iCloud Music Library to access on other devices. Or just move them to a thumb drive or SD card to play in other MP3 players.

Wrap-up
To recap, we‘ve covered four ways to convert an MP4 video to an MP3 audio file on macOS:

1. Using the easy but paid Permute app
2. Using the open source and free VLC Media Player
3. Using a convenient but less private online converter
4. Using a combination of built-in QuickTime and Music apps

For most users, I‘d recommend Permute if you‘re willing to pay for the easiest experience, or VLC if you want a free tool that can do a lot more than just convert MP4 to MP3.

But if you have sensitive videos, using QuickTime and Music is the most private option since your files never leave your computer. And if you just need a quick, one-off conversion, an online tool may do the trick.

I hope this guide has helped demystify the MP4 to MP3 conversion process on Mac. Whichever method you choose, you should now be able to extract the audio from your videos and save it in the versatile MP3 format. Happy listening!