When people use YouTube for consuming podcasts and music, they usually prefer the audio format to listening on the go. For this purpose, you may need to extract audio from YouTube on Mac. Ever since YouTube has limited video downloading features for premium users, people have been looking for alternative ways to extract audio.
However, you must remember YouTube’s terms of service and ethical usage while downloading audio. To help you access audio for a comfortable and ethical experience, this article focuses on the methods to rip audio from YouTube Mac.

In this article
- Part 1. The Best YouTube Audio Extractor for Mac [Free Batch Processing]
- Part 2. Rip YouTube Audio Mac with QuickTime
- Part 3. Extract Audio from YouTube Mac with FFmpeg Terminal Commands
- Part 4. Rip Audio from YouTube Mac with Browser-Based Tool
- Part 5. Avoiding Risks: Safe Extraction Practices
- FAQs about YouTube Audio Extraction Mac
Part 1. Free Batch Processing: The Best YouTube Audio Extractor Mac
The quality of ripped audio from a YouTube video depends on the type of media extractor used. Therefore, you should rely on Wondershare UniConverter for the extraction of voice. This platform fetches your YouTube audio through a link, supporting all video formats. The file downloads as an MP3, but this platform can convert it into other audio formats.
Furthermore, UniConverter supports video and audio downloading from over 10,000 video sites to cater to a broad audience. After extracting audio from YouTube videos, you can organize them in the Finished tab within the tool.

Best YouTube Audio Extractor for Mac
How to Rip YouTube Audio Mac Using Wondershare UniConverter
Step 1. Navigate to the Downloader from the Main Interface
First, open UniConverter on your Mac and advance to the top right corner to select the “Download” feature. Simultaneously, head to YouTube and copy the link to the video using the “Share” button below it.
Step 2. Attach the Video Link to Convert and Download the Audio
Once you reach the next interface, expand the format drop-down menu and select the “Audio” option. In the designated URL field, paste the copied YouTube video link and hit the “Downlaod” button to start the process.
Step 3. Access and Edit the Audio in the Finished Tab
After your audio has been extracted, you will be automatically directed to the “Finished” tab. Using this tab, you can edit or download the audio to your device.
Advantages of Using UniConverter for Audio Extraction
- Quality Preservation: Unlike other tools, it preserves your audio quality as the original one.
- High-Quality Video Support: This platform supports YouTube videos with qualities as high as 4K and 8K.
- Batch Processing: If you need to rip multiple audio files from a YouTube channel, you can use the batch-processing feature.
- Post-Extraction Editing: Once your audio has been downloaded, you can enhance its quality or remove vocals.
Part 2. Rip YouTube Audio Mac with QuickTime
To extract audio from your YouTube video for podcasts or background music, you can utilize the built-in media tool Mac offers. QuickTime Player makes the process simple for saving the sound file without requiring additional software. This native application allows you to detach the audio from the video effortlessly.
This YouTube audio ripper on Mac allows you to save the extracted sound as separate files for creative repurposing. To learn how to save the audio from your video as a new and unique file, read the steps provided next:
Step 1. Start by selecting the video available on your Mac for audio extraction. Right-click the media to enable a list of options. From here, hover over the “Open With” option and click the “QuickTime Player” option from the expanded list.
Step 2. Once the video starts playing within the media player, head to the top left corner and enable the list of options by pressing the “File” menu. From here, locate the “Export As” option and hover over it. The platform will offer you multiple formats for saving the media; locate the “Audio Only” option and click it.
Step 3. In the following small window, specify the name and location folder of the audio. Finally, press the “Save” button to save the audio of the video desperately to your Mac device.
Part 3. Extract Audio from YouTube Mac with FFmpeg Terminal Commands
If you do not have much storage on your macOS device, you can rip YouTube audio Mac using the built-in Terminal commands. It is a more tech-savvy method that showcases your technical expertise. This process is a little lengthy and features a few steps of execution. The following instructions feature a detailed guide on using the FFmpeg Terminal commands for audio ripping:
1. Install Homebrew
Step 1. To start the process, open your Mac homepage and press the “Command +Space” keys from the keyboard to open a Spotlight Seach bar. Type “Terminal.app” in the bar and select the “Terminal” option from the list.
Step 2. After the Terminal opens in the next window, head to Safari to open Homebrew’s official site. Locate their URL and select the “Copy” icon to add the link to the clipboard.
Step 3. Having copied the link, head to the Terminal window, paste the copied URL, and press “Enter” to proceed. When the system prompts you to enter a password, type your Mac password and hit “Enter.”
Step 4. Homebrew takes anonymous data from Google Analytics and could potentially copy data from your macOS device, too. To avoid this from happening, it is important to turn off the brew analytics. To do this, give the “brew analytics off” command and let the process complete. When asked, enter your system password to finish the installation.
2. Install FFmpeg from Homebrew
Instructions. Once Homebrew is installed on your Mac, enter the “brew install ffmpeg” command into the Terminal. Hit the “Enter” key and wait, as it will take some time to install FFmpeg on your device.
3. Extract Audio
Instructions. Open YouTube and copy the video link that you need to extract the audio from. After FFmpeg is also installed, scroll to the end of the window and type “ffmpeg -[video url] -vn-ab 320k output.mp3” into the Terminal.
In this command, 320k represents the audio quality that you need as a result. Replace the “Video URL” command with the copied video link from YouTube. Within a few moments, the audio extraction process will be completed.
Part 4. Rip Audio from YouTube Mac With Browser-Based Tool
The audio extraction methods mentioned above are effective but need installation on the Mac. Online downloaders have their own downsides but offer quick downloading without straining your CPU. When looking for personalized audio, savefrom.net and download custom audio from a YouTube video.
This platform allows you to select the desired audio quality in KBPS. It offers support for multiple audio formats, including Opus, M4A, and more. If you need to know how to download the audio using this YouTube audio ripper Mac, follow the instructions below:
Step 1. To start, open savefrom.net on your Safari and paste the copied video URL into the designated URL field. Now, press the “Download” button to bring the intended video to this page.
Step 2. Expand the “Download” drop-down menu when your video thumbnail appears on the page. From this menu, select the desired audio output format and press “Download” to save the audio file to your device.
Part 5. Avoiding Risks: Safe Extraction Practices
While extracting audio from the different online sites on your Mac, staying cautious is essential for avoiding security threats and legal issues. Keep the following safety practices in mind while extracting audio from YouTube video Mac:
- Beware of Fake Download Buttons: Many websites use misleading ads that mimic real download buttons. This can lead to viruses entering your system or unwanted software installations. Always verify the official download source while using a new or lesser-known website for downloading audio.
- Avoid Browser Hijacks: Some extraction sites may force redirects or install malicious extensions. If your browser starts lagging or behaves oddly, try removing the extensions or clearing the cache.
- Use Trust Tools and Avoid Shady Websites: One should stick to reputable software and open-source alternatives instead of unofficial online converters that may compromise your data or inject malware.
- Check Permissions and Software Sources: Download from official developer websites or trusted app repositories like the Mac App Store to minimize security risks. Avoid granting excessive permissions to unknown apps.
- Consider Legal Alternatives: To extract audio from YouTube to Mac, look for options that allow audio download legally. There are many services that offer safer and copyright-compliant options for saving the media to your device.
FAQs about YouTube Audio Extraction Mac
1. Can I be legally trapped by extracting YouTube audio?
Whether it is legal or not depends on the type of content you are downloading. Extracting audio from a copyrighted video is illegal in most countries. In contrast, it is legally fine to rip audio from a video that is released under the Creative Commons license.
2. Why does YouTube audio extraction ruin my audio quality?
It is possible that the media extractor that you are using is poor in quality. To overcome this, use Wondershare UniConverter and download your audio files of high quality. You can also convert the downloaded files to the format of your choice.
3. Can you capture audio from YouTube?
There is no official way of ripping audio from YouTube Mac, but you can use third-party platforms. Wondershare UniConverter is a robust video converter and downloader that effectively captures audio from YouTube videos.
4. Is it possible to remove audio from a YouTube video?
Yes, with the right tools, removing audio from a YouTube video is possible. For high-quality downloading, use Wondershare UniConverter on your Mac. Besides high quality, this tool preserves the original audio quality in the downloaded file.
Conclusion
To conclude, saving the audio from video can help you repurpose the content for multiple personal uses. This guide explored various methods for extracting audio from YouTube on Mac. These methods included online technique, built-in player, and command-dl utility. While these methods provide an easy solution, it is essential to approach audio extraction responsibly using tools like UniConverter.
For a safer and more efficient experience, this tool offers high-quality extraction with additional features like format conversions. Explore these techniques and choose the best solution to ensure a safer and ethical experience.