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CalebStone's avatar
CalebStone
Silver Contributor
Jan 06, 2026

How do you guys convert videos to MP3 from YouTube on Windows 11?

Hello everyone, I'm looking for a reliable and safe method to convert videos to MP3 from youtube on my Windows 11 PC. I've seen various websites and software online, but I'm unsure which ones are trustworthy and won't contain malware. I’d prefer a free solution that's straightforward for someone who hasn't done this before.

Could you please recommend your preferred tools or step-by-step methods? I'm especially interested in knowing if there are any official or widely trusted applications I should use, and if there are any specific settings for ensuring good audio quality. 

Any tips on avoiding spammy sites or potential legal grey areas would also be greatly appreciated.

8 Replies

  • QuentinNash's avatar
    QuentinNash
    Iron Contributor

    AutoHotkey (AHK) is a powerful scripting language that can automate keyboard and mouse inputs, but it's not a media converter or downloader. However, you can use AHK to automate actions involving other free tools to achieve your goal of converting videos to MP3 from YouTube. Here's a step-by-step guide:

    Step-by-Step Guide to Convert Videos to MP3 from YouTube Using AutoHotkey

    1. Set up your environment:  
    First, install AutoHotkey on your PC.
    Download the free tools like yt---d1p and FFmppeeg

    Set up your environment:  
    First, install AutoHotkey on your PC.
    Download the free tools like yt---d1p and FFmppeeg.

    2. Create a script:  
    Write an AutoHotkey script that automates opening these tools, pasting in the URL, and executing commands.
    For example, you can make a hotkey (like pressing F9) that, when triggered, prompts you to enter the the link, then runs yt--d1p to download the video, and afterward runs FFmppeeg to extract the audio.

    3. Automate the workflow:  
    When you press the hotkey, the script automatically:
    Opens a prompt into input the URL.
    Uses FFmppeeg to convert video as an MP3 file.
    Saves the file to your desired folder.

    4. Enjoy the process:
    Now, whenever you want to convert video to MP3 from YouTube, just press your hotkey, enter the link, and let the script do the rest automatically.

     

  • MaverickNova's avatar
    MaverickNova
    Iron Contributor

    For me, you-get is a pretty nice app for doing this. you-get is a free, open-source command-line video downloader written in Python that supports downloading videos and audio from many websites, including YouTube. Instead of being a GUI tool, it runs in the terminal and is popular among users who want a lightweight and scriptable solution.

    What Can you-get Do?

    • Download YouTube videos in different qualities
    • Extract audio streams from videos
    • Save files locally without ads or watermarks
    • Work on Windows, macOS, and Linux

     

    Step 1: Make sure Python 3 is installed on your system and added to PATH.

    Step 2: Run this command in Terminal or Command Prompt:

    pip install you-get

    Step 3: It is now the time for converting the videos to mp3 from youtube.

    you-get VIDEO_URL

    Step 4: This downloads the best available audio stream (usually MP3 or WAV).

    you-get is a powerful command-line downloader for users who are comfortable with terminals and want a clean, open-source solution. And it remains a solid choice for developers and advanced users who value control and simplicity.

  • DeclanGray's avatar
    DeclanGray
    Iron Contributor

    Foobar2000 is a popular free media player for Windows, but it doesn't natively support converting videos as MP3. However, you can use it in combination with other free tools to achieve your goal of converting videos to MP3 from YouTube. Here's how you can do it:

    1. Download the Video as an MP4 or MP3
       Since Foobar2000 cannot download videos, you'll need a free downloader to first grab the video or extract its audio.

    2. Import the MP3 into Foobar2000
      Once you have the MP3 file:
      Open Foobar2000.
      Drag and drop the MP3 file into your Foobar2000 playlist.
      You can now listen to it, organize it, or convert it further if needed.

    3. Convert or Edit MP3s in Foobar2000
      Foobar2000 supports various conversions with its built-in components:
      You can install the Converter component to convert files into different formats (like MP3, AAC, etc.).
      To do this, install the Converter component from the Foobar2000 components page.

    How to convert videos to MP3 from YouTube:
      Right-click on your MP3 in Foobar2000.
      Select Convert > Quick convert or Convert.
      Choose your desired output format and settings.
      Click Convert, and Foobar2000 will create a new file in your chosen format.

  • AsherBlaze's avatar
    AsherBlaze
    Iron Contributor

    You can download the videos with youtube premium and convert the videos. VLLC Media Player is a free, open-source media player that also includes a built-in media conversion feature, making it useful when you already have YouTube videos saved locally and only need to extract the audio.

    This is one of the best I have found for converting videos to MP3 from youtube site.

    1. Go to the official website and install the media player on your Windows PC or Mac.

    2. Open the app from your computer.

    3. In the File tab, click Add and choose the downloaded video file from your computer.

    4. Click Save at the bottom of the window to proceed.

    5. Under Profile, select Audio – MP3 as the output format.

    6. Click Browse to choose the destination folder and name your output MP3 file.

    7. Click Start and wait for VLLC to extract the audio and convert it to MP3.

    8. Open the destination folder to verify that the MP3 file has been created successfully.

    Limitations to Keep in Mind

    Audio quality depends on the original downloaded video.

    Metadata (artist, album art) is not added automatically.

    Batch conversion is slower compared to dedicated tools.

  • MaddoxHayes's avatar
    MaddoxHayes
    Iron Contributor

    Here's a clear explanation of how you can use Python along with the pytube and moviepy libraries to download a video and convert video to MP3 from YouTube on your PC, all for free:

    1. Install the Necessary Libraries
    First, you'll need to install two Python libraries: 
    pytube for downloading videos from YouTube. 
    moviepy for processing videos and extracting audio. 
    You can install them using the command prompt or terminal by typing:

    pip install pytube moviepy

    2. Write a Python Script
    Next, you'll create a Python script that:
    Asks you for the video URL.
    Downloads the video or its audio stream from YouTube.
    Converts the downloaded video as an MP3 audio file.
    Cleans up any temporary files if needed.

    Here's what the script does step-by-step:

    • It prompts you to enter the link of the video you want.
    • It uses pytube to fetch and download the video.
    • It uses moviepy to open the downloaded video and extract just the audio.
    • It saves the audio as an MP3 file.
    • Optionally, it deletes the temporary video file to keep things tidy

     

    3. Run the Script
    Once you've written or saved this script, run it in your Python environment:

    python your_script_name.py

    When prompted, paste the video URL, and the script will handle the rest:
    Downloading the video.
    Extracting the audio.
    Saving the MP3 on your PC

    4. Notes and Tips
    Make sure you have ffmmppeg installed, as moviepy relies on it to process audio/video. You can download it from FFmmppeg's
    website and add it to your system's PATH.
    The entire process is free and open-source.
    Be aware of copyright restrictions when converting videos to MP3 from YouTube.

  • My suggestion is yt-dlg, a lightweight graphical interface option. It is designed for users who prefer not to work with command lines.
    1. Download and install yt-dlg from its official GitHub release page and launch the application.

    2. Click the Settings / Options button to open the configuration panel.

    3. Enable the audio and select an output audio format.

    4. Choose your preferred audio quality, such as 192 kbps or 320 kbps.

    5. Set the output folder where the converted MP3 files will be saved.

    6. Copy the video URL from YouTube and paste it into the URL field in yt-dlg.

    7. Click Add to queue the video for processing.

    8. Press Start to download the video and automatically convert the videos to MP3 from youtube.

    9. Open the selected output folder to find your finished MP3 file.

    If you want a simple, free, GUI-based way to convert videos to MP3 from the youtube, yt-dlg is a solid choice. . Once the download is enabled, the entire process becomes paste → click → done—perfect for users who want reliable MP3 downloads without touching terminal commands.

  • I wrote my own utility in C# for this due to exactly same reason. It works well for not all but most of the online video urls.