If you’ve recorded a video on your iPhone, you might want to reuse its audio for a podcast, a YouTube edit, or simply listen to a lecture while you’re on the move.
Fortunately, you can extract audio for free without installing bulky software. In this guide, we’ll walk through three reliable methods: FlexClip online, the native Shortcuts app, and CapCut.
Method 1: FlexClip Online Video Maker
FlexClip is a web‑based editor that lets you upload your iPhone footage, detach the audio, and remix it with a vast library of royalty‑free tracks and sound effects.
- Upload your video: Open FlexClip, click the Media tab, choose From Phone, then scan the QR code shown on your iPhone to transfer the footage.
- Add to timeline: Drag the video into the editing timeline.
- Detach audio: Right‑click the clip, select Detach Audio. The audio track appears separately and is saved as a WAV file in your media library.
- Edit the audio: Trim, split, or adjust volume directly on the timeline. Apply fade‑in/out effects for smooth transitions.
- Enhance your project: Import additional video or image clips, add music from FlexClip’s 74,000+ royalty‑free tracks, or use the free text‑to‑speech generator for realistic voices.
- Export: Download the finished video as a 1080p MP4 or export the extracted audio as a WAV or MP3 file. FlexClip also offers a free audio converter for quick format changes.
FlexClip’s intuitive drag‑and‑drop interface, thousands of customizable templates, and powerful audio tools make it the most versatile choice for most creators.
Method 2: iPhone Shortcuts App
For a native solution that keeps everything on your device, the Shortcuts app can pull audio from any video in your Photos library.
- Create a shortcut: Open Shortcuts, tap +, name it “Extract Audio”, enable Show in Share Sheet, and set it to receive any media.
- Add actions: Search for “Encode Media”, select Audio Only and format M4A. Then add a Save File action with Ask Where to Save enabled.
- Use the shortcut: In Photos, select a video, tap the Share icon, choose the “Extract Audio” shortcut, and save the resulting M4A file to your desired location.
Limitations: the shortcut only outputs M4A or AIFF, doesn’t allow trimming, and may not work on iOS versions earlier than 15/16.
Method 3: CapCut Video Editor
CapCut is a free, lightweight editor popular among short‑form creators. It also supports audio extraction.
- Start a project: Open CapCut, tap New Project, and import your video.
- Extract audio: Go to the Audio tab, select Extracted, choose your video, and tap Import Sound Only.
- Edit the clip: Trim, split, or adjust volume as needed.
- Export: Save the final video as an MP4 to your Photos. (Note: CapCut caps video length at 15 minutes.)
While CapCut is great for quick edits, it doesn’t offer a direct way to export the audio as a separate MP3 or WAV file.
Which method suits you best? If you need full audio control and a large stock library, FlexClip is the clear winner. For a fully native, no‑internet option, try Shortcuts. And for quick, short‑form edits, CapCut is a solid choice.
Feel free to experiment and share your results on social media. Happy editing!
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