Workflows 5 min read
Extracting Audio from Video: Stream Copy vs Transcode, and Output Formats
If your video has an AAC track, "extracting audio" can mean copying that track out untouched — instant and lossless — or converting it to another format. The source codec decides the cheap path.
Format quick guide
- M4A (AAC copy): lossless extraction from most phone/screen-recorder video; plays everywhere modern.
- MP3: universal compatibility, transcode required; 128–192 kbps is fine for voice, 192+ for music.
- WAV: uncompressed, for editing pipelines; huge files.
- Opus (WebM): smallest at equal quality, but playback support is weaker outside browsers.
Copy or transcode?
If the goal is "audio from this video" and the source is AAC, copy it — zero quality loss, done in seconds. Transcode only when you need a specific format (MP3 for a device, WAV for an editor) or the source codec is exotic (AC3, DTS, Opus in some containers).