Convert MP4 to M4A
Ethical Tube's free MP4 to M4A converter saves the soundtrack of MP4 videos as M4A, the AAC audio format Apple uses. It runs entirely in your browser, so your videos are never uploaded, and it's free with no sign-up or watermark.
Files are converted on your device and never uploaded.
- Price
- Free
- Uploads
- None, it runs on your device
- Sign-up
- Not needed
- Batch
- Unlimited files
- Output
- M4A, bitrate you choose
- Install
- Nothing to install
How it works
How to convert MP4 to M4A
Add your MP4 files
Drop MP4 files onto the converter, click to choose them, or paste from the clipboard. Add as many as you like.
Check the settings
M4A is already selected. Pick a bitrate, or keep the default.
Download your M4A audio files
Each file gets its own download button as soon as it's ready. Download all saves everything in one ZIP file.
The formats
MP4 and M4A at a glance
What is an MP4 file?
MP4 is the most widely supported video format. It usually holds H.264 video with AAC audio, a combination that plays on practically every phone, computer, TV, and website. It balances quality and file size well, which is why most cameras, phones, and editors export to it. It opens in everything: Windows Media Player and Films & TV, QuickTime and Photos on Mac, iPhone, Android, smart TVs, VLC, and every major website and video editor.
What is an M4A file?
M4A is audio in an MP4 container, usually encoded as AAC. It's the format of iTunes purchases, Apple Music downloads, and iPhone Voice Memos, and it sounds a little better than MP3 at the same size. It opens in iPhone, Mac (Music and QuickTime), Windows 10 and 11, Android, VLC, and most modern players and editors.
Good to know
What changes when you convert MP4 to M4A
- Only the soundtrack is saved; the picture is dropped.
- The audio is saved as AAC at 192 kbps (you can pick 128 to 320 kbps).
- If the video's audio is already AAC, it's copied without re-encoding, so there's no quality loss. Picking a bitrate re-encodes it at that bitrate instead.
- Copy-protected (DRM) files can't be converted.
- Very long videos can run out of memory, especially on phones.
FAQ
Questions, answered
Is this MP4 to M4A converter free?
Yes. It's completely free, with no sign-up, no watermark, and no limit on how many files you convert. It costs Ethical Tube nothing to run, because the conversion happens on your own device rather than on a server.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion runs inside your browser with Mediabunny and your browser's WebCodecs video encoders, so your files never leave your device. Once the page has loaded, it even works offline.
Does converting MP4 to M4A lose quality?
M4A is a lossy format, so the audio is compressed. At the default bitrate most people can't hear a difference. Choose 256 or 320 kbps for music you care about.
How long does it take?
When the video can be copied without re-encoding, a few seconds. Otherwise it depends on the video's length and resolution and on your device. With a hardware encoder, a 10-minute 1080p video usually takes a few minutes on a laptop.
Can I convert several MP4 files at once?
Yes. Add as many as you like. They're converted one after another, and you can download each M4A file as soon as it's ready or all of them in one ZIP file.
Does it work on iPhone, Android, Mac, and Windows?
Yes. It works in current versions of Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox. Phones handle short clips well, and long or 4K videos convert best on a computer.
What can open an M4A file?
iPhone, Mac (Music and QuickTime), Windows 10 and 11, Android, VLC, and most modern players and editors.
Is there a file size limit?
There's no upload limit because nothing is uploaded. The practical limit is your device's memory: everyday files are fine, and a computer can usually handle videos up to about 2 GB.
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