Turn YouTube into audio you can keep
Plenty of YouTube videos are really about the sound: a live set, a podcast that happens to be filmed, a language lesson or a long interview you would like to finish on the bus. With the Y2mate YouTube to MP3 tool you skip the picture and save only the audio track, so the file ends up several times smaller than the same video in HD.
Many people search for this as YTMP3. It works just like the rest of Y2mate: paste a link, look at the options, download. On this page the Audio tab opens first, so the MP3 choices are the first thing you see. No account, no app and no cost.
How to download YouTube to MP3
Three steps from video to audio file.
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Find the video
Open it on YouTube and copy the link from the Share menu or from your browser’s address bar.
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Paste it here
Drop the link into the box above. The Audio tab lists every MP3 option with its bitrate and file size.
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Download the track
Press Download. Your browser saves the audio, or plays it in a new tab where you can choose Download from the menu.
MP3 or MP4: how big is the file?
Approximate sizes for a 10-minute YouTube video, so you can compare audio and video at a glance.
| Option | Good for | Size for 10 minutes |
|---|---|---|
| MP3 · 48 kbps | Speech, audiobooks, saving data | About 3.5 MB |
| MP3 · 128 kbps | Music, podcasts, everyday listening | About 9.5 MB |
| MP4 · 360p | Watching on a small screen | 10 to 25 MB |
| MP4 · 720p HD | Watching on a laptop or tablet | 20 to 60 MB |
| MP4 · 1080p FHD | Watching on a big screen | 40 to 100 MB |
Y2mate only lists the audio bitrates YouTube actually provides for a video. Many videos offer a single 128 kbps track, and that is what you will see.
Tips for saving audio
Get cleaner files and a tidier music library.
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Choose 128 kbps for music
It keeps vocals and cymbals clear while staying close to 1 MB per minute of audio.
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Lower bitrates suit speech
If a 48 kbps option appears, it is plenty for talks and audiobooks and uses a third of the space.
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Rename after download
Give each file a clear name such as Artist – Title so your music player sorts it neatly.
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Find files on your phone
On Android, most music players pick up new files in Downloads automatically. On iPhone, open Files and play or share the track from there.
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Respect the artist
Download music you own or that the creator allows you to save, and keep it for personal listening.
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Changed your mind?
The Video tab on the same result lists every MP4 quality, so you can save the full video without pasting the link again.
YouTube to MP3 FAQ
What does YTMP3 mean?
It is shorthand for YouTube to MP3: saving the audio of a YouTube video as a music file. This Y2mate page is built for exactly that.
Which bitrates can I choose?
The ones YouTube makes available for that video, most often 128 kbps. Y2mate never adds bitrates that are not really there, so the label you see is the quality you get.
Can I get a higher bitrate than the video offers?
No. Re-encoding a 128 kbps track at a higher bitrate would make the file bigger without making it sound better, so Y2mate gives you the original audio quality as YouTube stores it.
How long does an MP3 download take?
The lookup usually finishes in a few seconds. After that it depends on your connection: a four-minute song at 128 kbps is under 4 MB, so on most networks it arrives almost instantly.
Can I download audio on my iPhone?
Yes. In Safari, bring up Y2mate, drop in your link and press Download on the Audio tab. The track lands in the Files app under Downloads, ready to play or to send to another app.
Can I get the audio from a YouTube Short?
Yes. Paste the Shorts link and the Audio tab lists the available MP3 track. It is a handy way to keep a short piece of music or a voice clip you are allowed to save.
Is there a length limit?
Y2mate sets no limit. A one-hour podcast at 128 kbps is roughly 55 MB, so just make sure your device has enough free space.
Is downloading music from YouTube allowed?
Only when you have the right to do so, for example for your own recordings, royalty-free tracks or content the creator lets you download. Please respect copyright and YouTube’s terms.