Quick answer: use Apple’s Shortcuts app with the Encode Media action set to Audio Only, or use a converter app that does it in one tap. Either way you get an M4A audio file in the Files app.
Method 1: Free with Shortcuts
This takes a couple of minutes to set up once, then works from the share sheet.
- Open Shortcuts and tap + to make a new shortcut.
- Add the Encode Media action and turn on Audio Only.
- Add Save File after it so the audio lands in the Files app.
- In the shortcut’s settings, enable Show in Share Sheet and accept Media.
- In Photos, open a video, tap Share, and run your shortcut.
Exact labels move around a little between iOS versions, but the Encode Media action has offered an audio-only option for years.
Method 2: A converter app
If you do this regularly — pulling songs from performance videos, saving lectures as audio, grabbing voice memos — an app saves the shortcut-building. Pick the video, choose a format, and share the result straight to Files, AirDrop, or another app.
M4A vs MP3 vs WAV
| Format | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| M4A (AAC) | Listening and sharing | Smaller than MP3 at the same quality; plays on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac |
| MP3 | Old players and picky upload forms | iPhone can’t encode it natively |
| WAV | Editing in GarageBand or a DAW | Uncompressed and large — about 10 MB per minute in stereo |
For almost everyone, M4A is the right choice. Choose WAV only when you’ll edit the audio afterwards.
Tips for better results
- Trim the video first in Photos so you don’t extract silence or chatter at the ends.
- Screen recordings only include sound if the microphone or system audio was captured when you recorded.
- Live Photos have about three seconds of audio — convert them to video first if you need it.