How to Convert YouTube Videos into MP3

Introduction

You have ever been online watching YouTube videos and you just saw some content that you just have to get audio off? It could be a Dave Chapelle’s comedy skit, a motivational speech, a Ted Talk, a song or instrumental, DIY videos, or a religious sermon.

We’ve all been there and sadly, most people either end up screen recording or saving the video for offline viewing. So, it should come as good news to know that you can get the audio of your favorite YouTube video be it white sound or inspirational message with the use of video converters.

Read on as we find out what video converters are and how we can use them to convert YouTube videos to mp3 and other audio file types like mp4, wav, and flac.

What are Video Converters?

Video converters are software, computer programs that are designed to help you change the storage format of a digital video such as mp3juice.

It does this by either recompressing the video into another format with a process called transcoding or leaving the video format constant while changing the container format.

Different Ways to Convert YouTube Videos to Mp3

YouTube does not have a video converter feature which will help you to convert videos to mp3 file, this is why a third party software is required. There are two ways that you can obtain the mp3 from a YouTube video using this YouTube to mp3 converter; on your browser and through an app or software:

How to Convert YouTube Videos to mp3 Files Using Your Browser

Several sites are capable of doing the job, but for today’s purpose, ontiva will be used, solely because it has the added feature of allowing you to trim your video before conversion https://ontiva.com/en/youtube-to-mp3-converter

Step I: Copy the URL of your selected video

Step II: Open your browser (preferably Chrome) and enter the URL: https://ontiva.com/en

Step III: Paste your YouTube video URL on the blank space and click on “Start Now”

Step IV: Select your preferred format and also make use of the special ‘trim’ feature if you want

Step V: Click on the download button and boom! Your video will be converted and downloaded straight to your device storage

How to Convert YouTube Videos to Mp3 by Application

Just as the website, there is also a lot of mobile software that can perform this function. Tubemate is one the largest video conversion apps out there, it is simple to use and occupies a relatively small storage space. Below are the steps to use Tubemate to convert your YouTube videos to mp3;

Step I: Download the Tubemate app from the official website

Step II: Copy the link of the YouTube video you wish to convert to mp3

Step III: Open the Tubemate app, paste the YouTube video URL on the search bar, and select search

Step IV: Click on the ‘Red’ download sign at the bottom right side of your screen

Step VI: Select your preferred audio format and click on ‘Download’

As previously stated, the process is fairly straightforward, the only part of this procedure that is time-intensive is the conversion/compression. How long that takes depends on the software you’re using and the device’s capabilities.

Pros & Cons of Converting YouTube Videos to Mp3

YouTube although a leading video sharing platform is very popular with music lovers who prefer to enjoy their music in audio format. This is why the need for YouTube video converters arose. Below are the positives and negatives got from this development;

Pros

As previously stated, YouTube to mp3 conversion occurs via compression, and this could lead to the loss of over 90 percent of the data from the original recording. Despite this, there usually isn’t a significant drop in sound quality.
Even the highest of mp3 extensions are relatively smaller in size compared to video formats. This means having a device with a low storage capacity is not a barrier to having a lot of mp3 files, unlike videos that take a lot more space.
When a YouTube to mp3 compression is executed properly, it results in the discarding of unnecessary information that is recognizable by the human ear. This saves a lot more space.
The flexibility of this process means you have power over how much data is lost while compression. This will depend on your preferences; larger storage space or higher sound quality as increased compression means loss of quality.
It reduces data use because you get to save these files on your offline storage space. This means that you won’t have to stream online whenever you want to listen to it.

Cons

Because mp3 files do not use the lossless algorithm, compression usually leads to a lesser quality of audio. This is why using a YouTube video converter results in lower file size and relatively lower quality.
The quality of the audio after compression depends on the conversion software being used for the job.
There is an increased malware security risk, this is because mp3 extensions are much more susceptible to virus attacks which could cause damage to your computer or other devices.
This process puts a huge dent in the income flow of the content creator as they get paid by views. You choosing to listen to the ml3 rather than going back to the channel hampers their primary source of income.
YouTube video conversion to mp3 has led to an increase in music piracy as cheaper avenues come up to obtain the audio files.

Is it Legal to Convert YouTube Videos to Mp3?

YouTube is amongst the most popular websites on the internet, grossing over 5 billion watched videos every day and 300 hours of footage uploaded by the minute. This makes it a great place for artists to promote their music videos, this has led to a lot of music being ripped off and posted online for free.

Although YouTube has threatened several online video converters with lawsuits, nothing serious has ever been done about it. So although it is against their terms of service, it is not illegal to convert YouTube videos unless they under copyright law in which case you may be fined.

Conclusion

YouTube video converters have become so popular in this decade majorly due to the large influx of new music. They are quick, straightforward, and download YouTube videos straight to your storage space with little to no hassle. Converting YouTube videos mp4 to mp3 has never been easier and although we know it strays on the unethical line, we have no choice until some convenient alternatives pop up.

Janvi Panthri

Senior Writer, Editor