Each video format carries a different kind of sound
The file extension describes the wrapper; for an MP3, what matters is the audio inside. Here's what you'll usually find:
- MOV, iPhone videos and Mac screen recordings. The sound is AAC, so the original-audio option saves an .m4a in an instant.
- WebM, screen recordings made in a browser and video saved from websites. The sound is usually Opus, which can be kept as an .ogg file.
- MKV: OBS recordings and video libraries. Often AAC, but it can be Opus, FLAC (saved untouched as a lossless .flac) or a surround format such as Dolby Digital.
- MP4 and M4V, nearly always AAC. The MP4 to MP3 page goes deeper into bitrates and file sizes.
MP3, or the track that's already there?
Copying the original track is the cleanest choice: no decoding, no fresh compression, and it's done almost before you let go of the button. The only question is whether your player can open the result.
- .m4a (AAC), plays on iPhones, Macs, Android phones and Windows. A solid choice for most people.
- .ogg (Opus), sounds great at small sizes, but some Apple apps, car stereos and older players won't open it.
- MP3, the format nothing refuses. Converting re-encodes the sound, so choose 192 kbps or more for music.
Not sure? MP3 at 192 kbps is the no-surprises option.
Whichever you pick, treat the bitrate under Soundtrack in your file as a ceiling. A browser recording with 96 kbps Opus sound won't improve at 320 kbps, it just gets bigger, so 128 to 192 kbps is plenty there. Save the top settings for videos whose original sound was generous to begin with.
Several audio tracks, or surround sound
Some videos: MKV files especially, carry more than one audio track, such as two languages or a separate microphone recording. ClipLime extracts the main track, which is normally the first or default one.
MP3 holds at most two channels, so a 5.1 soundtrack is mixed down to stereo. To keep every channel, save as WAV instead, which stores all of them uncompressed.
Not every browser can decode surround formats such as Dolby Digital and DTS. If yours can't, the formats are greyed out and the panel explains why, another browser, such as Safari, sometimes can.
Good uses for it
- Saving a lecture capture or a recorded stream as audio to replay on the go.
- Keeping the sound of a band rehearsal or a voice note you happened to film.
- Pulling the narration out of a screen recording to re-edit or transcribe it.
- Offering an audio-only version of a talk or sermon for people who'd rather listen than watch.
Afterwards, trim the file or lift out a section with the MP3 cutter, and even out the volume with Normalize Audio. Want the opposite, the picture with no sound? Mute the video.