> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Audio Extraction

> Extract audio from videos and convert to various formats

## Overview

yt-dlp can extract audio from videos and convert it to your preferred format. This requires ffmpeg and ffprobe to be installed on your system.

## Basic Audio Extraction

The simplest way to extract audio is using the `-x` flag:

```bash theme={null}
yt-dlp -x "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaW_jenozKc"
```

<Tip>
  By default, audio is extracted in the best available format. yt-dlp will choose the optimal format automatically.
</Tip>

## Specify Audio Format

<Steps>
  <Step title="Choose your format">
    Select from supported formats: `mp3`, `aac`, `flac`, `m4a`, `opus`, `vorbis`, `wav`, `alac`, or `best`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Extract with format conversion">
    ```bash theme={null}
    yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 URL
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set quality level">
    ```bash theme={null}
    # Quality 0 (best) to 10 (worst) for VBR
    yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 0 URL

    # Or specify bitrate directly
    yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 320K URL
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Audio Format Examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash MP3 (Most Compatible) theme={null}
  # High quality MP3
  yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 0 URL

  # Standard quality MP3 (192K)
  yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 192K URL

  # Using preset alias
  yt-dlp -t mp3 URL
  ```

  ```bash AAC (Apple Devices) theme={null}
  # High quality AAC
  yt-dlp -x --audio-format aac --audio-quality 256K URL

  # Using format preference
  yt-dlp -f 'ba[acodec^=aac]' -x --audio-format aac URL

  # Using preset alias
  yt-dlp -t aac URL
  ```

  ```bash FLAC (Lossless) theme={null}
  # Lossless audio extraction
  yt-dlp -x --audio-format flac URL

  # Best lossless format available
  yt-dlp -f 'ba[acodec^=flac]/ba' -x --audio-format flac URL
  ```

  ```bash Opus (Efficient) theme={null}
  # High quality Opus (modern codec)
  yt-dlp -x --audio-format opus --audio-quality 128K URL

  # Best opus format without conversion
  yt-dlp -f 'ba[acodec^=opus]/ba' -x --audio-format opus URL
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Advanced Audio Extraction

### Extract without re-encoding

If the source already has the desired audio codec, avoid re-encoding to maintain quality:

```bash theme={null}
# Download best audio-only format without conversion
yt-dlp -f 'ba' URL

# Prefer specific codec
yt-dlp -f 'ba[acodec^=opus]/ba[acodec^=mp4a]/ba' URL
```

### Multiple audio quality rules

Convert based on source format:

```bash theme={null}
# Similar to --remux-video syntax
yt-dlp -x --audio-format "opus>mp3/best" URL
```

This will:

* Convert opus to mp3
* Keep other formats in their best available quality

## Audio-Only Downloads

### Best audio quality

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash YouTube Music theme={null}
  # Best quality from YouTube Music
  yt-dlp -f 'ba' "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=..."
  ```

  ```bash SoundCloud theme={null}
  # Original quality download
  yt-dlp -f 'ba' --embed-thumbnail --add-metadata URL
  ```

  ```bash Bandcamp theme={null}
  # FLAC if available, otherwise best
  yt-dlp -f 'ba[acodec^=flac]/ba' URL
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Extract Audio from Playlists

Download and extract audio from entire playlists:

```bash theme={null}
# Extract MP3 from all videos in playlist
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 \
  -o "%(playlist)s/%(playlist_index)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" \
  PLAYLIST_URL

# Skip already downloaded
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 \
  --download-archive downloaded.txt \
  PLAYLIST_URL
```

## Embed Metadata and Artwork

<Warning>
  Metadata embedding requires either `mutagen` (Python package) or `ffmpeg` to be installed.
</Warning>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Basic metadata embedding">
    ```bash theme={null}
    yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 \
      --embed-metadata \
      --embed-thumbnail \
      URL
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Custom metadata">
    ```bash theme={null}
    # Parse artist from title
    yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 \
      --parse-metadata "title:%(artist)s - %(title)s" \
      --embed-metadata \
      URL
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete music file">
    ```bash theme={null}
    yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 0 \
      --embed-metadata \
      --embed-thumbnail \
      --parse-metadata "%(uploader|)s:%(meta_artist)s" \
      -o "%(artist,uploader)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" \
      URL
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Audio Processing Options

### Normalize audio

Use ffmpeg postprocessor arguments:

```bash theme={null}
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 \
  --ppa "ffmpeg:-af loudnorm" \
  URL
```

### Split by chapters

Extract each chapter as separate audio file:

```bash theme={null}
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 \
  --split-chapters \
  -o "chapter:%(title)s - %(section_number)s %(section_title)s.%(ext)s" \
  URL
```

### Remove sponsor segments

Combine with SponsorBlock to remove ads/sponsors:

```bash theme={null}
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 \
  --sponsorblock-remove sponsor,selfpromo \
  URL
```

## Preset Aliases for Audio

yt-dlp includes convenient presets:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash MP3 Preset theme={null}
  # Equivalent to: -f 'ba[acodec^=mp3]/ba/b' -x --audio-format mp3
  yt-dlp -t mp3 URL
  ```

  ```bash AAC Preset theme={null}
  # Equivalent to: -f 'ba[acodec^=aac]/ba[acodec^=mp4a.40.]/ba/b' -x --audio-format aac
  yt-dlp -t aac URL
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Organizing Audio Downloads

### Music library structure

```bash theme={null}
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 \
  -o "%(uploader)s/%(album,playlist)s/%(track_number)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" \
  --embed-metadata \
  --embed-thumbnail \
  PLAYLIST_URL
```

### By date

```bash theme={null}
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 \
  -o "%(upload_date>%Y)s/%(upload_date>%m)s/%(title)s.%(ext)s" \
  URL
```

## Python API Example

Extract audio programmatically:

```python theme={null}
import yt_dlp

URLs = ['https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaW_jenozKc']

ydl_opts = {
    'format': 'm4a/bestaudio/best',
    'postprocessors': [{
        'key': 'FFmpegExtractAudio',
        'preferredcodec': 'm4a',
    }]
}

with yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
    ydl.download(URLs)
```

## Troubleshooting

### ffmpeg not found

<Warning>
  Audio extraction requires ffmpeg. Install it from [ffmpeg.org](https://ffmpeg.org) or use your package manager.
</Warning>

```bash theme={null}
# Check if ffmpeg is installed
ffmpeg -version

# Specify ffmpeg location if needed
yt-dlp -x --ffmpeg-location /path/to/ffmpeg URL
```

### Quality loss during conversion

```bash theme={null}
# Download best audio without re-encoding
yt-dlp -f 'ba' URL

# If conversion needed, use highest quality
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 0 URL
```

### Thumbnail not embedding

```bash theme={null}
# Install mutagen for better thumbnail support
pip install mutagen

# Or use AtomicParsley for MP4/M4A
yt-dlp -x --audio-format m4a --embed-thumbnail URL
```

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Post-Processing" icon="gears" href="/guides/post-processing">
    Advanced post-processing options
  </Card>

  <Card title="Metadata Modification" icon="tags" href="/guides/metadata-modification">
    Customize metadata in audio files
  </Card>

  <Card title="Playlists" icon="list" href="/guides/playlists">
    Extract audio from entire playlists
  </Card>

  <Card title="Format Selection" icon="sliders" href="/core-concepts/format-selection">
    Advanced audio format selection
  </Card>
</CardGroup>