How to convert YouTube to MP3
If you only want the sound — a song, a podcast, a lecture you'd rather listen to on a walk — you don't need the whole video. Copy the link, paste it into the YouTube downloader, pick the audio option, and you get an MP3 back. It plays in any music app, and the file is a fraction of the size of the video. Here's the same thing for each device.
On iPhone and iPad
iOS is a little particular about where downloads go, so this is the one worth reading closely.
- Open the video in the YouTube app. Tap Share, then Copy link.
- Open this page in Safari and paste the link into the box.
- Choose the MP3 / audio option, then tap Download. The file saves to Files.
- Open Files under Downloads to play it, or move it into a music app from there.
On Android
Android is the simpler of the two — the file lands in Downloads and your player finds it.
- In the YouTube app, tap Share on the video and choose Copy link.
- Open the downloader in Chrome, paste the link, and pick MP3.
- Tap Download. The MP3 lands in your Downloads folder, ready for any music app.
On a computer
- Copy the video's URL from the address bar, or use Share → Copy link under the video.
- Paste it into the downloader and choose the audio (MP3) option.
- Click Download. The MP3 saves to your browser's Downloads folder.
A few things worth knowing
- The video has to be public. Private, members-only, and paid videos can't be reached, so their audio can't either.
- An MP3 is far smaller than the video, which is exactly why it's the right pick for music and long podcasts.
- If the download won't start, re-copy the link from the Share button — a half-copied URL is the usual culprit.
Common questions
Is converting YouTube to MP3 free?
Yes. No account, no charge, and no app to install. Save as many as you want for your own use.
Why does the audio option finish faster than the video?
Because it's only pulling the sound. There's no picture to fetch and no video-plus-audio merge, so an MP3 comes down quicker than a 720p MP4.
Why can't I convert this video?
Almost always it's a private, deleted, or region-blocked video. Public videos work; anything you can't watch without signing in can't be reached.