In an ever-mobile world where there is an array of portable entertainment devices and tools, music is excellent for any task we undertake or even performing compositions to please ourselves. No matter what activity you are engaged in, be it commuting to work, hitting the gym or simply enjoying a book, letting your ears timeline the melodies of your favorite songs can only make the scenario better. Even though there are countless ways to enjoy your favorite music with various possibly implantable mobile apps such as Spotify or Apple Music, perhaps the best and most free resource available is YouTube. However, what if you did not want to continuously run the YouTube application or constantly waste your data just to enjoy the audio track only? It is at this point that YouTube to MP3 converters play a huge part.
What is a YouTube to MP3 Converter?
A Youtube to MP3 converter is a tool that facilitates converting of Youtube video content to MP3 audio format. In other words, you can listen to your favorite songs, podcasts, lectures, and other kinds of content without an Internet connection. MP3 is supported in many gadgets starting from pocket tablets, smart-phones, computer and even in MP3 players.
Why Convert YouTube Videos to MP3?
There are many reasons why people may feel the need to take this step of converting Youtube videos to MP3 format:
Listening with No Internet: Not everyone’s fortunate enough to stay connected to the Wi-Fi or the network all the time. Converting videos into MP3 provides the opportunity to listen to audiobooks even without an internet connection.
Watch less video: The internet can be expensive, and streaming videos can take up a lot of bandwidth. By only downloading the audio, usage is cut dramatically which is more economical especially when you are on limited internet bundles.
Multiple Songs: MP3s are much less than the videos and thus many songs or lectures can be stored in one device without running out of storage.
Attention on the Sound Information: It is true that some videos such as these interviews, podcasts, and tutorial how-to videos do not need the person watching the screen all the time. With audio instead of a video, you can hear whatever they have to say without having to focus your eyes on the screen.
Convenience: After you make MP3 conversions of Youtube videos, you can move the MP3 to any other device, make or change MP3 playlists or even put songs into a CD.
How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3: Step-by-Step Guide
There is a large number of tools available to do that, however, converting a YouTube video into an MP3 file, in most cases, is a rather simple process. Here is what you generally do:
1. Choose a Reliable YouTube to MP3 Converter
Many online sites and software allow the users to extract MP3 files out of YouTube videos. Some of the most recommended are:
Online Converters: These are online services that do not require registration. Just enter the video link and wait for the service to do its job. For example, YTMP3, Convert2MP3, FLVto to name but a few.
Software Applications: Desktop programs such as 4k video downloader or aTube Catcher offer more options and much faster conversion. These are ideal for mass downloads.
2. Copy the YouTube Video URL
Go to the YouTube video that you would like to convert and copy the address located on the address bar.
3. Paste the URL into the Converter
Moving on to the chosen converter tool, you will commonly find a text box wherein you could paste the copied arbitrary URL. After pasting the URL, you either hit the ‘convert’” or “download” button
4. Choose the MP3 Format and Quality
Most of the converters will allow you to specify the audio quality (i.e. for example; 128 kbps, 192 kbps or 320 kbps). More bitrates mean larger file size of course because the quality of the audio supplied will be better. For those who desire quality sound, 320 kbps will suffice.
5. Download the MP3 File
The same URL which you pasted for conversion, will also show a link to download your converted file once it is ready. Click on the said link and the MP3 will automatically be stored in your device.
6. Organize Your Music
After slaving downloading the MP3 format file, you can create playlists for the downloaded content, add it to your music players and transfer it to cut it to other places.
Legal Considerations
While YouTube to MP3 converters are very helpful & handy, it still does suffice that attention is given to the line of the copyright laws protecting works. No one is free to download or convert any of the YouTube videos. Most of the videos which include music videos are protected and hence downloading then without compliance with terms of services or even laws of copyright is an infringement.
To steer clear of legal problems:
Accept only videos in the public domain or with a Creative Commons agreement for conversion.
Investigate the content creator’s policy on whether videos can be downloaded. Certain artists or YouTube users may have links for download selectively that are legal.
You can use YouTube Premium that enables subscribers to watch videos or listen to audio offline and still remain legal without leaving the YouTube app.
Best YouTube to MP3 Converters
Here are some of the best tools available for converting YouTube videos to MP3:
YTMP3: An easy and fast functioning online converting tool with a simple graphical interface that is quite popular with anyone looking to convert YouTube videos to mp3.
4K Video Downloader: This desktop software lets you download entire YouTube playlists, channels, subtitle along with the audio in mp3 using 4K Video Downloader.
FLVto: Prominent online converter with an MP3 converter along with other formats. A mere video conversion of various formats is not satisfactory for many.
Any Video Converter: This is an all-in-one desktop application for all desktops and tablets. There are many video formats available, and many audio formats. It has excellent features for extracting youtube audio.
ClipGrab: Use a lightweight desktop application for conversions of video from You Tube to the format of MP3. It’s very easy, quick and light programs with no large system requirements, which converts and downloads mp3 clips.
Alternatives to MP3 Conversion
If you are not willing to perform a YouTube video to audio conversion because of fear of being in breach of copyright, there are lawful options for listening to them offline:
YouTube Music: A music exclusively focused streaming service. If you have a Youtube Music Premium subscription, you are able to save songs for offline playback from the app.
Spotify, Apple Music: These music services also adduce some free listening but restrict the users from going over their respective limits on number of offline contents to 5 devices.
Soundcloud: SDigital Soundcloud allows some of the musicians to let people download things for free.
Conclusion
While there are many ways to enjoy audio content, converting YouTube videos to MP3 has become more common practice since it enables one to carry sound files around without the need for an interconnected network I.e. everywhere. It is simple, quick and very straight forward. However, it is crucial to pay attention to the legal issues in order don’t become a copyright violator.Employing the above methodology and selecting an appropriate converter would let anyone retrieve any audio material at any place and time.
The next time you find a breath-taking clip but with an even more perfect soundtrack on YouTube, you can always convert the video to mp3 and walk away with the content anywhere.
FAQs
1. Is it legal to convert YouTube videos to MP3?
The act of ripping YouTube videos to MP3 is permissible in some situations like the video is in public domain, it is under creative commons license or it is downloadable by the content owner. However, the act of ripping off copyrighted materials like music videos, which are very common, is penetrating deep into the terms of service of Youtube and breaches copyright law.
2. Can I convert an entire YouTube playlist to MP3?
Yes, most of the converters like 4K Video Downloader and Any Video Converter give the option of downloading and converting a whole custom or pre-set playlist into Mp3. It helps especially when you want to get several tracks at once, so you will not waste time on each separate
3. Will converting YouTube videos to MP3 reduce the audio quality?
The quality of an MP3 file is primarily determined by the audio in the video file and the selected bit rate used in the converting process. When using higher bit rates like 320 kbps, use a higher audio quality but heavier file size. But changing the format of already poor audio will not enhance the sound.
4. Can I convert YouTube to MP3 on my mobile device?
Yes, there are such applications and online tools, available for Android and iOS as well, that allows a person to convert a Youtube video into MP3. Popular Apps are snap tube, tube mate, etc. or YTMP3 online converter can be used in mobile web browsers.
5. Are there risks of viruses or malware when using YouTube to MP3 converters?
Though many of the sites that convert YouTube videos into MP3 are safe, there are nude surfacing of some undesirable sites on the internet that contain advertisements, pop ups and sometimes Viruses. To overcome troubles, simply stick to tools that are mainstream and well-known, do not click any sketchy ads and be in the habit of updating your antivirus.
