How to extract wav audio from mov — free browser tool
- Step 1Drop the .mov file — Drag your QuickTime
.movonto the dropzone — iPhone export, Mac screen recording, or ProRes camera file. It is read locally; nothing uploads. - Step 2Check the source rate and channels — The file card shows the detected sample rate (Apple footage is usually
48,000 Hz) and channels. Use it to decide whether to keep or change the rate. - Step 3Select the WAV sample rate — Choose
48 kHz · videoto match most Apple sources (no resample),44.1 kHz · CDfor music,96 kHz · studiofor archival, or16 kHz · speechfor transcription. - Step 4Select stereo or mono — Keep
Stereofor true two-channel audio. ChooseMonofor an iPhone single-mic clip where both channels are identical — it halves the WAV. - Step 5Run the extraction — Press the action button. FFmpeg runs
-c:a pcm_s16lewith-ar/-acfrom your choices, decoding the MOV's audio stream to PCM and writing a WAV. - Step 6Download the WAV — Save the
.wav. It opens in Logic, GarageBand, Audition, Reaper, Final Cut's audio workflow, or any transcription tool — no conversion needed.
What is inside common MOV sources
The audio codec inside a MOV varies by device. The tool decodes any of these to 16-bit PCM WAV.
| MOV source | Typical audio codec | Typical rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone / iPad video | AAC | 48 kHz stereo | Often a single mic duplicated to both channels — mono is fine |
| Mac / QuickTime screen recording | AAC | 48 kHz | System + mic audio mixed; mono usually adequate |
| ProRes camera footage | PCM or AAC | 48 kHz | May be higher bit depth at source — output here is 16-bit |
| GarageBand / Logic video export | AAC | 44.1 / 48 kHz | Match the project rate to avoid resampling |
Controls and FFmpeg flags
Two controls only. Output codec is fixed at 16-bit PCM regardless of the MOV's source depth.
| Control | Options | Default | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sample rate | 44.1 / 48 / 96 / 16 kHz | 44.1 kHz | -ar <hz> |
| Channels | Stereo / Mono | Stereo | -ac 2 / -ac 1 |
| Bit depth | fixed 16-bit | 16-bit | -c:a pcm_s16le |
| Track selection | first audio track only | — | no track picker |
Tier limits for MOV extraction
ProRes MOVs are large; the size cap is the one to watch. Real values from the tier config.
| Tier | Max file size | Max duration / file | Files / job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 50 MB | 30 minutes | 1 |
| Pro | 200 MB | 120 minutes | 10 |
| Pro-media | 100 GB | Unlimited | 100 |
| Developer | 100 GB | Unlimited | — |
Cookbook
MOV-specific extraction recipes with the controls set and the FFmpeg command run locally.
iPhone MOV to a mono 48 kHz WAV
iPhone clips record AAC at 48 kHz, usually one mic duplicated to both channels. Extract mono at 48 kHz to keep the native rate and halve the file.
Source: IMG_2210.mov (AAC 48 kHz, single mic)
Controls: Sample rate = 48 kHz · video, Channels = Mono
ffmpeg -i IMG_2210.mov -c:a pcm_s16le -ar 48000 -ac 1 \
-map_metadata 0 IMG_2210.wavMac screen recording (MOV) to WAV for editing
QuickTime screen recordings carry mixed system + mic audio as AAC. Extract a stereo 48 kHz WAV to edit the narration in a DAW.
Source: Screen Recording 2026-06-10.mov (AAC 48 kHz)
Controls: Sample rate = 48 kHz · video, Channels = Stereo
ffmpeg -i "Screen Recording 2026-06-10.mov" -c:a pcm_s16le \
-ar 48000 -ac 2 -map_metadata 0 screen.wavProRes MOV to a 48 kHz WAV stem for the mix
ProRes dailies often carry PCM audio. Extract a faithful 48 kHz WAV stem to hand to the audio post team — note the output is 16-bit even if the source is deeper.
Source: A001_C012.mov (PCM 48 kHz stereo, ProRes video)
Controls: Sample rate = 48 kHz · video, Channels = Stereo
ffmpeg -i A001_C012.mov -c:a pcm_s16le -ar 48000 -ac 2 \
-map_metadata 0 A001_C012.wav
Note: output is 16-bit PCM (this tool has no 24-bit option).MOV interview to a 16 kHz mono WAV for transcription
An iPhone-recorded interview destined for Whisper: extract mono at 16 kHz for the smallest correct transcription input.
Source: interview.mov (AAC 48 kHz)
Controls: Sample rate = 16 kHz · speech, Channels = Mono
ffmpeg -i interview.mov -c:a pcm_s16le -ar 16000 -ac 1 \
-map_metadata 0 interview.wav
See /audio-tools/solutions/video-to-wav-for-transcription.Big ProRes MOV that exceeds the Free cap
ProRes files are huge. A 4-minute ProRes MOV easily exceeds 50 MB, so the Free tier rejects it. The audio is what you need, but the cap is on the whole file.
Problem: A001_C012.mov is 1.8 GB -> Free tier rejects (>50 MB)
Options:
- Upgrade to Pro (200 MB) or Pro-media (100 GB) for big MOVs
- Or export a smaller proxy MOV from your NLE first, then
extract the WAV from the proxy (audio is identical).Edge cases and what actually happens
ProRes MOV over 50 MB on Free tier
Rejected (tier limit)ProRes files are very large — even a short clip exceeds the Free 50 MB cap. The limit applies to the whole MOV, not just its audio. Upgrade to Pro/Pro-media, or extract from a smaller proxy export.
MOV with 24-bit PCM audio (pro gear)
By design (downconverted to 16-bit)Some professional MOVs carry 24-bit PCM. This tool always outputs 16-bit (pcm_s16le), so a 24-bit source is reduced to 16-bit. For most editing this is fine; for high-headroom mastering, use a desktop tool that preserves 24-bit.
iPhone MOV with no audio (silent capture)
Fails (no audio)A muted iPhone recording has no audio stream to extract and the job errors. Confirm the clip plays with sound first.
MOV with timecode / multiple audio tracks
First track onlyPro MOVs can carry multiple audio tracks (e.g. boom + lav). Only the first is mapped — no track picker. Demux the specific track in desktop FFmpeg if you need a particular mic.
HEVC/H.265 MOV from a newer iPhone
SupportedThe video codec (HEVC) does not affect audio extraction — FFmpeg demuxes the container and decodes the audio regardless of the video codec. The WAV comes out normally.
Spaces in the MOV filename
SupportedQuickTime files often have spaces (Screen Recording 2026-06-10.mov). The tool handles them fine; the FFmpeg command quotes the path internally.
WAV larger than expected from a short clip
ExpectedUncompressed PCM is ~11 MB/min at 48 kHz stereo. A short clip can still produce a sizeable WAV — that is normal for an editing master. Use mono to halve it where appropriate.
ALAC (Apple Lossless) audio inside the MOV
SupportedIf the MOV carries ALAC, FFmpeg decodes it losslessly to PCM, so the WAV is bit-faithful to the ALAC source (capped at 16-bit output). No quality is added or lost beyond the bit-depth floor.
Corrupted / partial MOV download
Fails (demux error)A truncated MOV (interrupted AirDrop or download) may lack the metadata atom FFmpeg needs, causing a demux error. Re-transfer the file or repair the container before extracting.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need QuickTime to extract WAV from a MOV?
No. FFmpeg 8.1 (WASM) reads the MOV container directly in your browser — no QuickTime Pro, no install. It decodes AAC, ALAC, or PCM audio and writes a standard WAV.
What audio is inside a typical iPhone MOV?
AAC at 48 kHz, usually a single mic duplicated to both channels. Extract mono at 48 kHz for a clean, half-size WAV that matches the native rate.
Does it preserve 24-bit audio from ProRes MOVs?
No. Output is always 16-bit PCM (pcm_s16le). A 24-bit source MOV is downconverted to 16-bit. For 24-bit-critical mastering use a desktop FFmpeg; for editing and transcription 16-bit is fine.
Which sample rate should I pick for a MOV?
Most Apple footage is 48 kHz, so pick 48 kHz to avoid resampling. Use 44.1 kHz for music delivery and 16 kHz for transcription. The default is 44.1 kHz, so check the source rate on the file card.
Is my MOV uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything runs locally in your browser on FFmpeg WASM. Confidential dailies and personal iPhone footage never leave your device.
Can I extract a specific mic from a multi-track MOV?
No — only the first audio track is mapped; there is no track picker. Demux the boom or lav track in a desktop FFmpeg first if you need a particular one.
Does the video codec (H.264 vs HEVC) matter?
No. The tool extracts only the audio stream; the video codec is irrelevant to extraction. HEVC/H.265 MOVs from newer iPhones work the same as H.264.
Why does the Free tier reject my ProRes MOV?
ProRes files are large and the Free tier caps each file at 50 MB. The limit is on the whole MOV, not just its audio. Upgrade to Pro (200 MB) / Pro-media (100 GB), or extract from a smaller proxy export.
Will the WAV open in Logic and GarageBand?
Yes — 16-bit PCM WAV is fully supported by Logic, GarageBand, Final Cut's audio workflow, and every other Mac DAW, as well as Windows/Linux editors.
How large will the WAV be?
About 11 MB per minute at 48 kHz stereo, half that for mono. WAV is uncompressed, so the audio file can be a notable size even though it is much smaller than a ProRes MOV.
Can I clean the audio after extracting?
Yes. Chain ai-noise-reducer for noise, loudness-normalizer for levels, or silence-stripper for dead air — all run locally on the extracted WAV.
I want an MP3 from the MOV instead — which tool?
Use the sibling video-to-mp3 tool for a small lossy delivery file with a selectable bitrate, rather than a large WAV editing master.
Privacy first
Every JAD Audio tool runs entirely in your browser via FFmpeg (WebAssembly) and RNNoise. Your audio files never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.