Convert YouTube to MP3

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Converting a YouTube video to an MP3 file is an easy way to save the audio for anything from a song to an inspiring talk, to a hilarious comedy routine. You can convert a YouTube video to an MP3 file in a number of ways: a conversion website is the way to go if you would prefer not to download any software, but browser extensions and conversion programs are also options if you don't mind downloading. It’s really just a matter of preference, as all three can produce similar-quality MP3 downloads.

Steps

Using a Conversion Website

  1. Go to YouTube and find the video that you want to convert.
  2. Play the video. It's important to ensure that you’re on the video page and that the video is open/playing; that way, the correct link for the video will be in the address bar.
  3. Copy the video’s URL from the address bar. To copy the video’s URL, go to the address bar (at the top center of your browser window), highlight the URL, and right click your mouse and choose “copy”, or hit ctrl+c (on a PC) or command+c (on a Mac).
  4. Find a YouTube-to-MP3 conversion website. Open a new tab or browser window and type “YouTube to MP3 converter” into your search engine’s search field. Your search will likely return many websites. The MP3 quality may differ depending on which site you use, but you should be able to find something decent for free. As these sites are constantly changing, it's best to search current reviews when choosing which site to use.
    • If a site asks you to pay for the service, it might even be a scam; you’re better off just trying another site that doesn’t charge.
    • Be careful when choosing a conversion site that you don’t wind up on a scam site. Before going to the site, do an online search of the site’s name to see if any negative search results come up.[1]
    • Another thing you can do if you’re unsure of how to tell whether a site is safe, is to type “https://google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site=“ into your browser, followed by the web address of the site you’re considering opening.[2]
  5. Paste the URL into the appropriate field on the conversion website. Once you’ve chosen which conversion website you'll use, open it up and paste your YouTube video’s URL into the relevant field — exactly where this field is and how it looks will differ depending on the website, but it should be pretty obvious. If it isn’t, access the website’s Help page for detailed instructions.
    • To paste the URL, right click your mouse and select “paste”, or hit ctrl+v (on a PC) or command+v (on a Mac).
  6. Click "convert". Once you’ve pasted your YouTube video's URL into the appropriate box on the conversion website, click the “convert” button. The button may be named something else (for example, “Start” or “Go”), but it should be pretty obvious — if it isn't, you'll find instructions on the website's Help page.
  7. Wait for the file to convert. Depending on your Internet connection and the YouTube video’s file size, the conversion may take anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes to complete.
  8. Download the converted file. Once the website has finished converting the YouTube video into an MP3 file, it should offer you the option to click a “download” button. Click on this button to download the file on to your computer.
  9. Find the file in your “Downloads” folder. Unless you’ve specified otherwise, the file will likely download to your computer’s “Downloads” folder.
  10. Play the MP3 and enjoy! Once you’ve downloaded the MP3 file you should be able to open it and listen to it in a media player (for example, Windows Media Player or iTunes) and/or add it to your music library.

Using a Browser Extension

  1. Type “YouTube to MP3 browser extension” into your search engine. This will bring up a list of browser extensions — also called “add-ons” — from which you may choose. For more specific search results, include the name of your specific browser in your search.
    • For example, if you use Safari, type “YouTube to MP3 browser extension Safari” into your search engine.
  2. Choose an extension. You will likely have a lot of extensions to choose from — many of them will be free. Extensions may vary in ease of use, MP3 quality, and the level of privacy (i.e. lack of spyware) they provide. To ensure that you’re choosing a high-quality and reputable extension, search its name plus “reviews” to see what other users have said about it.
    • Ultimately you’ll want something that will not slow down your browser too much, and that won’t place any malware or unwanted software on your computer.
    • Signs that you’ve downloaded malware include pop-up ads and spam; your home page changing to a site you don’t recognize; and being redirected to unfamiliar pages.[3]
  3. Download the extension. Many browser extensions have multiple versions to suit different browsers. Ensure that you download the correct extension for your browser — this includes ensuring that your browser version is compatible with the extension.
    • The process for checking your browser version will differ depending on which operating system (i.e. Windows, Mac or Linux) and which browser you're using. If you are unsure of how to check your browser version, type “how to check <browser name> version <operating system name>” into your search engine.[4]
    • For example, with Safari on a Mac, you would ensure that you have a browser window open, then click on the word “Safari” in the upper left corner of your desktop, next to the apple icon. This would open a drop-down menu, and you would choose the first option, “About Safari,” from the menu, which would then open a small pop-up window with the browser details — including the version number.
  4. Follow the installation instructions. Clicking “download” on the extension page will start the installation process. Specific extensions will have slightly different installation processes, so just follow the installation wizard.
    • You may need to restart your browser once you’ve finished installing the extension, so ensure that you’ve bookmarked or otherwise noted any webpages you have open that you would like to return to.
  5. Go to YouTube and find the video that you want to convert to MP3. The plugin should now show up somewhere around the video — it will likely appear above or below the video, but some extensions also appear in the upper right-hand corner of the video.
    • If you have any difficulty finding the extension, go to the extension site (from which you downloaded the extension) and read the instructions/look at screenshots to see where the extension buttons should show up on your YouTube video page.
  6. Convert the video to MP3. Click on the extension button to convert the video to MP3. This will download an MP3 file from the video on to your computer.
  7. Find the file in your “Downloads” folder. Unless you’ve specified otherwise, the extension will likely download the MP3 file into your computer’s “Downloads” folder, but this isn’t always the case.
    • If you’re unsure of where the file will go, consult your extension’s instruction page. A good extension should have a solid help page.
  8. Play the MP3 and enjoy! Once you’ve downloaded the MP3 file you should be able to open it and listen to it in a media player (for example, Windows Media Player or iTunes) and/or add it to your music library.

Using Conversion Software

  1. Type “YouTube to MP3 conversion software” into your browser’s search engine. This will bring up a list of YouTube to MP3 converters that you can download to your computer.
  2. Choose a converter. Your search should return a long list of conversion programs, many of which will be free. These programs will vary in ease of use, MP3 quality, and the level of privacy they provide. To ensure that you’re choosing a high-quality and reputable program, search its name plus “reviews” to see what other users have said about it.
    • Ultimately you’ll want something that will not slow down your computer or put anything harmful such as malware or viruses on it.
      • Signs that you’ve downloaded malware include pop-up ads and spam; your home page changing to a site you don’t recognize; and being redirected to unfamiliar pages.[5]
  3. Download the program. There will likely be several different versions of the software to suit different operating systems. Ensure that you download the correct version of the software for your operating system.
    • You’ll also want to make sure that the software is compatible with your operating system version. If you're unsure of how to check which operating system version you're using, type “how to check <operating system name> version” into your search engine.
    • For example, to check which Mac operating system you’re using, click on the apple icon in the upper left-hand corner of your desktop. This will open a drop-down menu, from which you will choose the first option: “About this Mac.” A small pop-up window will then open that lists details about your computer, including which operating system (OS X) and version you’re using.
  4. Download the conversion software. Clicking “download” on the software website will start the installation process. Each program will have a different installation process, so just follow the installation wizard.
    • During the download process you may be prompted to download other software or toolbars that are not part of the conversion software. You likely don’t want these on your computer. Usually you can avoid downloading them by simply unchecking the checkboxes during installation.
    • You may need to restart your computer once you’ve finished installing the conversion software, so ensure that you’ve saved everything you want to save before beginning the installation.
  5. Go to YouTube and find the video that you want to convert to MP3.
  6. Copy the video URL. To copy the video’s URL, go to the address bar (at the top center of your browser window), highlight the url, and right click your mouse and choose “copy”, or hit ctrl+c (on a PC) or command+c (on a Mac).
  7. Paste the URL into the conversion software. Open your new conversion program and paste the URL into the appropriate box (it will likely say “paste URL” or something similar). To paste, right click your mouse and select “paste”, or hit ctrl+v (on a PC) or command+v (on a Mac).
  8. Choose your download quality. The conversion software will likely offer you a few options for your download. The higher the quality, the larger the file, meaning it will take up more space on your computer’s hard drive — on the other hand, it will also likely sound better.
    • You can always go back and download a higher-quality version of the file by simply repeating the download process and selecting a higher quality. Don’t be afraid to experiment with file sizes to find what works best for you.
  9. Ensure that the file is named appropriately. Some conversion programs will automatically fill in song details such as artist, song title, album, and release date. Check to ensure that these are correct before you click the “download” or “convert” button on your conversion program.
  10. Choose a download folder. MP3 files will generally be downloaded by default into your “Music” folder. Double-check that the MP3 file will go where you want it to go by viewing the conversion program’s “preferences” or “tools > options” folder, and ensuring that the “output” is saved to a folder of your choosing.
  11. Download the file. Once you’ve chosen your file, quality settings, and download folder you're ready to download the video. The conversion program will download the video from YouTube and then convert it to an MP3 file. The whole process shouldn’t take more than a few minutes, unless you’re downloading something much longer than a single song — for example, an hour-long presentation.
  12. Play your file. Once it’s been downloaded, you’ll be able to find your MP3 file in your previously specified folder. You can then play the file using a media player (for example, Windows Media Player or iTunes) and/or add it to your music library.

Tips

  • Some videos — for example, music videos for popular, copyrighted songs — will block conversion and download programs. If you have difficulty downloading a song from a video, try another search to see if you can find other versions of the same song that allow downloads.
  • When copying the video link, ensure that you’re on the correct video page and that the video is open/playing; this way, the correct link for the video will be in the address bar when you copy it.
  • If, after installing a browser extension or a conversion program, you find that something unwanted has been added to your computer, follow these instructions to get rid of it.

Warnings

  • Please make sure to not download content that is under control of Intellectual Property Holders that actively seek reparations on punitive damages for its content. That means, some companies are more active than others and will pursue you for downloading their content. They have every right to ask YouTube for IP Addresses of all downloaders. In turn, YouTube has every obligation to present those IP Addresses. Never download anything that you don't have the explicit approval of from the owner before the commencement of the download.
  • YouTube-to-MP3 audio files are not known for being high quality. If you really want the highest-quality audio files, consider purchasing them either from an online retailer (for example, Amazon or iTunes) or directly from the artist’s website.
  • Unlike torrenting, downloading and converting YouTube videos to MP3s is not currently something that you can be legally fined for doing; however, by downloading copyrighted songs from a video you are in somewhat of a grey area.[6] That said, at this time it is a safer alternative to torrenting (as far as illegal downloading goes).

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-check-if-a-web-site-is-safe/
  2. ↑ http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-check-if-a-web-site-is-safe/
  3. ↑ https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2765944?hl=en-GB
  4. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/guides/which_browser.shtml
  5. ↑ https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2765944?hl=en-GB
  6. ↑ http://www.ibtimes.com/downloading-music-youtube-legal-best-youtube-mp3-converter-sites-are-often-shut-down-799693
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