MP4 to M4A converter
Extract M4A audio from MP4 video in seconds, free. No upload, no sign-up, no size limit: it runs in your browser.
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Quick answer: To extract M4A audio from MP4 video, add the MP4 file to the iHateFiles MP4 to M4A converter and press Convert. The conversion runs in your browser, so the file is never uploaded, and it is free with no sign-up, watermark or size limit. Lifts the soundtrack out of the video and saves it as M4A. The picture is discarded; nothing is re-recorded.
Should you convert MP4 to M4A?
Worth doing when you want the soundtrack of an MP4 on its own: a podcast, an interview, a piece of music from a video. Choose a higher bitrate than you think you need, because the M4A is encoded from the video's audio rather than from a master.
Taking the sound out of MP4
An MP4 file holds H.264 or H.265 video with AAC sound. This keeps the sound, discards the picture, and writes the result as M4A (AAC). The MP4 original is not altered.
One more generation of compression
The sound inside an MP4 is almost always compressed already. Re-encoding it as M4A compresses it again, so set the bitrate at or above the original. For music, 192 kbps or more is a safe floor; for speech, far less is fine.
MP4 and M4A side by side
| MP4 | M4A | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the file | H.264 or H.265 video with AAC sound | AAC |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Carries sound | Yes | Yes |
| Plays on | every phone, laptop, TV, browser and messaging app | Apple devices, Android, browsers and most modern players |
| Here | Read and write | Read and write |
What usually goes wrong
About the MP4. Two MP4 files can behave completely differently depending on the codecs inside. A file that will not play is usually an unusual codec in an ordinary container, not a broken file.
About the M4A. M4A, M4B, M4R and AAC are largely the same thing with different extensions. Renaming usually works, though it is not something to rely on.
How to convert MP4 to M4A
- Add your MP4 file. It is read from your disk and stays there.
- Check the settings. The output format is already set to M4A.
- Press convert and the M4A file is saved back to your device.
Questions
How do I convert MP4 to M4A?
Open this page, add your MP4 file, and press convert. The file is decoded and re-encoded by your own browser and saved back to your device. Nothing is uploaded.
Is this MP4 to M4A converter free?
Yes, completely. There is no account, no sign-in, no watermark and no daily limit, because there is no server doing the work. Your own device does it.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. There is no upload endpoint. The conversion runs inside this browser tab, so your file never leaves your device. You can open your browser's network panel and watch: nothing carrying your file is sent.
Is there a file size limit?
No fixed limit. Because the work happens on your machine there is no server quota. The only ceiling is your own device's memory, which for video means very large files may be slow.
Does extracting audio reduce the quality?
The soundtrack is re-encoded to M4A, so there is one generation of loss at the bitrate you choose. Pick a higher bitrate, or a lossless target like WAV or FLAC, to avoid it.
Can I convert several MP4 files at once?
Yes. Add as many as you like and they are converted one after another, then offered as a single ZIP.