How to Download Audio from YouTube on Mac (Free & Easy Methods)

In today’s digital world, video-to-audio conversion has various benefits and is widely practiced. People convert their favorite YouTube videos into audio and listen to them as podcasts. After converting the music files, people can stream them on a long drive or use them as their ringtones. Additionally, tutorial videos are widely downloaded as MP3 audio files through the Mac download YouTube audiotechnique.

Before downloading a video from YouTube, you have to keep the legal considerations and the platform’s terms of service in mind. Therefore, this article highlights the methods to download audio from YouTube Mac while keeping copyright and YouTube’s terms of service in consideration.

Copyright Disclaimer:

The tools listed are for downloading publicly available or non-copyrighted content only.

Downloading copyrighted material without permission is illegal and violates YouTube's Terms of Service. Always ensure you have proper authorization and respect content creators' rights.

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only. We are not responsible for any misuse of the tools or software mentioned herein.

Part 1. Why Download YouTube Audio on Mac?

Whether you are creating content for fun or for studying purposes, downloading the audio from platforms like YouTube can be incredibly useful. Here are some of the key benefits you can get when saving the sound to your system from this social streaming site:

1. Offline Access to Music: Downloading YouTube audio on Mac allows you to enjoy your favorite tracks and podcasts without an internet connection. It ensures uninterrupted listening to music and podcasts without encountering connectivity issues.
2. No Ad Interruptions: The saved audio eliminates all the disruptive ads that often play before or during the YouTube videos. This offers a seamless and immersive experience, especially for meditation tracks or educational content.
3. Better Sound Quality: Streaming quality also depends on the internet speed; however, downloaded sound can be saved in high-quality formats. This ensures crisp and clear audio, enhancing the experience for music enthusiasts.
4. Creating Playlist: Organizing the downloaded audio files in the form of a playlist lets you categorize content based on genre and activity. It provides easy access to your favorite songs, lectures and other soundtracks without repeatedly searching YouTube.
5. Utilizing Audio in Work Projects: Users can integrate the downloaded audio into their presentations and work-related videos. This saves time and ensures a smoother workflow for content creators and professionals.

Part 2. Best Free YouTube Audio Downloader for Mac

While downloading a file from YouTube, you should never compromise on the quality. Therefore, choosing the right downloading platform is an essential part of the process. The following list features the top tools that allow for youtube audio saving on Mac.

1. Batch Download Audio From YouTube on Mac with Wondershare UniConverter

Speaking of high-quality downloading, Wondershare UniConverter downloads YouTube videos as audios in bulk while maintaining supreme quality. Unlike most video-to-audio converters and downloaders, this tool delivers outputs in over 10 file formats of audio alone. For efficient results, users can avail of the “High-Speed Download” feature offered by UniConverter.

While downloading your video as audio, you can select the desired settings to get tailored results. This flexible downloader allows you to pick the audio encoder, channel, sample rate, and bitrate of your choice.

Best YouTube Audio Downloader for Mac

Effortlessly batch save audio from YouTube videos on Mac with few clicks away.

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Step 1. Access the Downloader From the Homepage

After downloading Wondershare UniConverter on your Mac, sign in with your credentials and explore the homepage. Here, select the “Downloader” button from the top-right of the main interface.

Step 2. Paste the YouTube Video URL to Download it as Audio

Copy the link of your favorite YouTube video and head back to the UniConverter interface. Locate the URL field, select file format as “Audio” from the respective drop-down menu, and paste your link in it. Here you are allowed to import multiple urls at the same time. Once you are all set, click the “Download” button to start the downloading process in the next window.

Step 3. Access the Downloaded Audio From the Finished Tab

You will be directed to the “Finished” tab on the next screen, where your audio downloading will be in process. Once the process is finished, you can download the MP3 audio or edit it to refine it.

Benefits of Using UniConverter to Download YouTube Audio

1. Post-Download Editing: Once your audio has been downloaded, you can trim it and perform various other editing actions.
2. Batch Saving: It supports batch downloading audios from YouTube videos within several clicks, greatly saving time.
3. Multiple Format Conversion: After you download the audio file, convert it into various other audio formats for diverse shareability.
4. User-Friendly Interface: This tool offers an intuitive user interface with readable buttons and navigation.
5. Wide Website Support: Besides YouTube, it downloads videos and audio files from over 10,000 different websites.

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2. Use Audacity to Download Audio from YouTube Mac Free

Audacity is a free and open-source audio editing tool that is widely used for recording, editing, and mixing audio files. It supports both Mac and Windows platforms and offers features like multitrack editing and plugins for an efficient audio editing experience. 

Step 1. To save the video from YouTube audio, record it with Audacity for better clarity and crisp results. Launch the tool on your Mac and play the video simultaneously on the streaming platform. Next, press the “Red” round button to begin the recording and use the “Stop” button to abort the process.

Step 2. After the recording is completed successfully, head to the toolbar located at the left and press the “File” option. Now, choose the “Export Audio” option from the expanded list to proceed forward.

Step 3. In the "Export Audio" window, expand the “Format” drop-down menu, select “MP3 Files” and hit the “Export” button to save the audio file.

3. Download YouTube Audio to Mac with Downie

Downie is a user-friendly YouTube audio downloader for Mac that offers a quick solution for downloading audio from this platform. After you have downloaded the audio files, your media will appear on the main interface where you can easily manage it. Check out the following instructions to learn how you can use Downie to save YouTube audio files.

Step 1. To initiate, copy a YouTube video URL and open Downie on your Mac. Following that, use the “+” button at the bottom left, and your copied link will be pasted automatically.

Step 2. Now, you will be directed to the YouTube interface, and you can access the “Done” button at the top-right to get the video downloaded.  

4. Download YouTube Audio on Mac with ClipGrab

ClipGrab transcends the conventional video downloading process by offering you an in-app search utility. You can search for the desired video and download it in the format of your choice. To learn how you can use this YouTube audio downloader Mac, follow the steps below.

Step 1. To begin with, open ClipGrab on your Mac and use the search bar to enter the desired video title. When the video options appear on the screen, select the video that you need to download as audio.

Step 2. Expand the “Format” menu to select the “MP3 (audio only)” option from the list. After entering the desired settings, click the “Grab this Clip” button to start the extraction process.

Step 3. When the “Select Target” dialogue box opens, check the video title and hit the “Save” button to save the extracted audio on your device.

Part 3. How to Download YouTube Audio to Mac Free Online?

Although offline downloaders are more diverse, accessing them can be a little challenging for some people. Therefore, using online options is an accessible way to download audio from YouTube Mac free. Check out the following list to land your most suitable offline YouTube audio downloader:

1. y2mate.com

When looking for an easy-to-use video downloader and converter, you can rely on this tool. Besides downloading the audio to your device, you can use this site to share content across various social media platforms. Follow the guide below to learn how you can use this website to download YouTube videos on a Mac.

Instructions. To start the process, open the y2mate.com website on the browser and paste the YouTube video URL in the designated URL field. Now, your video will be automatically fetched into the homepage. Next, access the “Audio” section and click “Download” to save the converted file to your device.

2. Online VideoConverter.com

This is the right tool for those looking for a website that allows YouTube video and audio downloading under the same roof. Users can enjoy the functionality of this website for free without needing to sign up. To learn more about how this site downloads YouTube audio to Mac free online, follow the guide below.

Step 1. First, open this website on your browser and head to the “Convert YouTube MP3” section from the homepage. Paste the copied link into the designated URL field and click the “Convert” button to start the process.

Step 2. When the video thumbnail appears on the screen, locate the audio file and press “Download” to save it directly to your device.

3. savefrom.net

Users looking for a quick downloading solution can access this platform for audio extraction. It offers audio downloading on various platforms, allowing you to pick the desired file type. Check out the following instructions and learn how you can download audio from YouTube Mac free using this site.

Instructions: To start, open this website on your browser and paste the copied video URL in the designated search bar. After you click “Download,” your video will be fetched for downloading. Next, scroll down to expand the “Download” drop-down menu and select the desired “Audio” format. Now, your audio will automatically be downloaded to your device.

Part 4. How to Use YouTube-dl (Command Line) to Download YouTube Audio Mac

If you do not want to download software or use a downloader website, you can use Mac’s programming interface to download audio. Homebrew is an open-source package manager for Mac that easily installs apps that are not macOS supported by default. Users who like using advanced methods for audio downloading can rely on this technique. The following section is all about how to download audio from YouTube on a Mac using Homebrew:

1. Install Homebrew

Step 1. Start by opening your Mac’s homepage and pressing the “Command + Space” keys from your keyboard to unveil a search bar. Using this bar, type “Terminal.app” and select the “Terminal” option from the extended menu.

Step 2. When the Terminal window opens, minimize it and open Homebrew on the browser. Using its homepage, locate its link and copy it by hitting the “Copy” button.

Step 3. Now, in the Terminal window, paste the copied link to the Terminal, press the "Enter" key, and wait for the system to process. When the “Password” code appears, enter your Mac’s user password, but the password will not be visible on the Terminal. Follow the instructions that are given on the Terminal and wait for the system to notify you of the completion of the installation.

Step 4. As Homebrew collects anonymous data from Google Analytics, it is important to turn off the data collection from your Mac. To do this, give the system a “brew analytics off” command and wait for the process to complete. If you are asked for a password, enter it to complete the downloading process.

2. Install YouTube-dl

Instructions: After installing Homebrew on your Mac, open the Terminal and give the “brew install youtube-dl” command. To start the process, press the “Enter” key from your keyboard.

3. Download Audio

Step 1. When you have installed yt-dl on your device, open YouTube and copy the URL of the video that needs to be downloaded. Now, give the “youtube-dl” command on the Terminal, paste the copied video link, and hit the “Enter” key to begin the process.

Step 2. In a few moments, the available video formats of the video link will be displayed on the screen. To download the YouTube video as audio, enter the “youtube-dl -f 50” command accompanied by the video URL. In this command, the number 50 represents the serial number of the audio or video file that you need to download. Now, your YouTube video will be downloaded as audio on your device.

Part 5. Browser Extensions that Enhance Your Downloading Experience

Although the platforms mentioned above are effective, they are not easily accessible to many users. Browser extensions are an easy-to-use means of downloading media efficiently. Unfortunately, Chrome Web Store does not allow you to download media directly from YouTube due to a change of policies. Therefore, using third-party websites and software is the best choice to answer the question of how to download audio from YouTube on a Mac.

Part 6. Legal and Safety Tips

As mentioned before, you have to keep legal considerations in mind while downloading audio from YouTube. To help you with safe downloading, the following list mentions the top legal and safety tips as you download audio from YouTube Mac.

1. Only Download the Content You Have Permission to Download: While looking for a video to download, pick a channel that provides downloading permissions. If you do not see any permission in their videos, send them a message to ask for permission.
2. Avoid Shady Websites with Malware Risks: Many websites are blocked in some countries due to malware risks. Avoid using such sites to download audio and ensure safe browsing a downloading.
3. Watch Out for Scams & Phishing: Some downloading websites may trick you into giving personal data or clicking a fake download button that leads to scams. You should avoid using such sites by choosing platforms that ensure security.
4. Ensure Ethical Use of the Downloaded Audio: Once you have downloaded the audio, you should not use it for manipulation or voice cloning. Ethical use of the downloaded content will keep you out of the legal radar.

FAQs about Mac Downloading YouTube Audio

1. How do I download audio from the YouTube Audio Library?

To download audio from YouTube Audio Library, open YouTube Studio on the browser and navigate to the “Audio Library” from the left panel. When the Audio Library opens, select your desired music track and press the “Download” button next to that audio.

2. How to download YouTube audio without premium?

If you do not have a premium subscription to YouTube, you can use any third-party downloader to download audio. For this purpose, Wondershare UniConverter is the most reliable option as it provides safe downloading.

3. Is there an app to download audio from YouTube?

Video Master for YouTube is a mobile application that allows you to download audio from YouTube Mac free on the phone. Besides, you can also download videos from this streaming platform to enjoy offline videos. 

4. How do I extract audio from a YouTube video on a Mac?

To extract audio from a YouTube video on a Mac, you can use Wondershare UniConverter. This tool fetches your videos and converts them into the audio format of your needs.

Conclusion

In summary, this article was about Mac download YouTube audio using different techniques. We explored third-party software, websites, and the youtube-dl methods to save audio. While downloading media from YouTube, it is important to respect content creators and copyrights. Keeping this in mind, Wondershare UniConverter is the most reliable and safest downloader that provides diverse and efficient results. Try these methods and share with us the method that worked the best for you.

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