Recording video on an iPhone is easy, but sometimes the sound is what really matters: a podcast-style conversation, a lecture, or a piece of music you want to reuse. Instead of keeping a full video file just for its sound, you can pull out the audio and save it as a separate file — all without paying for any extra apps.
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to extract audio from video on iPhone using only free tools from Apple. Every method works offline, keeps your files under your control, and can be repeated whenever you need it.
What “Extracting Audio” Means on iPhone
When you remove the sound from a video, the iPhone creates an audio-only file (usually M4A or similar). That new file can be:
- Sent in Messages or WhatsApp
- Used as a voice track inside a video editor
- Saved in the Files app for later projects
- Imported into audio or podcast apps
If you’ve ever wondered how to get audio from video on iPhone without subscriptions or watermarks, the answer is: use Apple’s built-in Shortcuts and GarageBand apps. Together, they give you a free, reliable workflow with precise control.
Method 1: Shortcuts – Fast, Automatic, and 100% Free
The Shortcuts app lets you chain actions together. With a simple custom shortcut, your phone becomes a personal iPhone video to audio converter that runs in a couple of taps.
Step 1 – Build the Shortcut Once
- Open the Shortcuts app and tap the “+” icon to create a new shortcut.
- Tap “Add Action.” Search for and add “Select Photos” or “Get File” (depending on whether your clip is in Photos or Files).
- Tap “Add Action” again, search for “Encode Media” (or similar), and set the option to export audio only.
- Add one more action: “Save File” or “Share.” This lets you choose exactly where the audio should go.
- Name the shortcut something clear, such as “Video → Audio”, and tap Done.
From now on, this shortcut is your personal tool to convert video to audio iPhone users can run instantly.
Step 2 – Use the Shortcut on Any Video Clip
- Open Shortcuts and tap your “Video → Audio” shortcut.
- Choose the video you want to convert when Shortcuts asks for it.
- Wait a moment while the phone processes the clip.
- Select a folder in the Files app or a location in iCloud when the save dialog appears.
In a few seconds, the audio track appears as a standalone file. This is an easy, repeatable way to extract sound from video iPhone owners already have, with no extra software and no limitations.
If you like, you can think of this shortcut as a tiny extract audio from video iPhone utility you’ve built for yourself.
Also Read: How to Loop a Video on iPhone: A Simple Guide
Method 2: GarageBand – Extract and Edit the Audio
Shortcuts is perfect when you just need the sound. But sometimes you also want to trim silence, remove unwanted parts, or adjust levels before exporting. That’s where GarageBand, Apple’s free digital audio workstation, becomes useful.
Step 1 – Import the Video into GarageBand
- Install GarageBand from the App Store if it’s not already on your device.
- Open the app and create a new Audio Recorder project.
- Go to the track view and tap the import icon.
- Choose your video from the Files app or from a location where you’ve stored it.
GarageBand automatically pulls out the sound and places it on an audio track. In practice, this is how to separate audio from video on iPhone while also giving you room to refine it.
Step 2 – Edit and Export the Audio File
Now you can:
- Slide the clip handles to trim the beginning or the end
- Split the clip to remove unwanted sections
- Adjust the overall volume or apply gentle effects if needed
When you’re finished:
- Tap the share/export option.
- Choose to export as an audio file.
- Save it to Files or send it directly to another app.
For people who want a polished track for use in other projects, this method is more flexible than a simple one-step video to mp3 iPhone conversion.
How to Store and Manage the Extracted Audio
Knowing how to save audio from video on iPhone is just as important as extracting it. Poor organization makes files hard to find later.
Use this simple routine:
- Open the Files app and create a dedicated folder, such as
Audio From Videos. - Whenever you run your shortcut or export from GarageBand, save the file there.
- Give each file a clear name, for example:
Meeting_2025-12-05_Audio.m4a.
This way, you never wonder where an exported track went, and you can quickly attach, edit, or share it again later.
Practical Tips for Better, Cleaner Audio
Even free tools can produce professional-sounding results if you start with good recordings. Keep these points in mind:
- Record in a quiet space so the microphone picks up your subject clearly.
- Hold the iPhone steady or place it on a surface to avoid handling noise.
- If the video is long, trim it down in the Photos app before running Shortcuts; this reduces processing time and file size.
- Test your workflow with a short clip first. Once you’re happy, use the same steps for all future recordings.
With these habits, your phone becomes a consistent free audio extractor iPhone users can rely on for podcasts, study notes, content creation, and more.
Conclusion
You don’t need paid apps, subscriptions, or complicated software to work with sound from your videos. Between Shortcuts and GarageBand, you already have everything required on your device:
- Shortcuts gives you a fast, repeatable way to run how to extract audio from video on iPhone in just a few taps.
- GarageBand lets you refine and structure the sound before exporting.
Once you’ve built your shortcut and tried both methods, how to extract audio from a video clip on iPhone for free stops being a question and becomes part of your everyday toolkit. Whether you think of it as an iPhone video to audio converter, a simple way to convert video to audio iPhone style, or just a smarter way to store your recordings, the entire process stays free, private, and under your control.
