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Record Audio from YouTube Mac - Unexpected Solutions


YouTube is home to a large variety of genres and formats. Some of them are better suited to offline listening; this includes music, podcasts, talk shows, etc. The site does not provide a simple way to download audio from YouTube Mac users can benefit from. There is an option to download videos, but it’s a subscription-based premium. Besides, there are reasons why you might specifically want sound without the video, like size and compatibility. The aforementioned reasons have created a rich market for software that can record audio from YouTube. To help you choose among dozens upon dozens of apps, we’ve searched, tested, and compiled a list of some outstanding programs in this category.

Airy, the Recommended YouTube Audio Recorder for Mac

Airy logo
1. Airy
Requirements: OS X 10.10+. 25.32MB free space. Version 3.29.2.400. (25 Apr, 2024). 4.9 Rank based on 812+ users, Reviews(889)
Category: Utilities
If you’re on a desktop, the most compelling solution to record audio from YouTube Mac is Airy. The sleek, smart interface sets you up for a comfortable experience. It reflects strong resemblance to native Apple stock apps thanks to its similar aesthetic and overall design. It was created with modern design sensibilities in mind.
Record audio from YouTube Mac

It can do much more than just download YouTube audio Mac. Unlike a VCR, Airy YouTube MP3 converter can save multiple hour-long audio tracks within minutes. This app will quickly and easily pad out your music collection, and it will surely give you something to listen to on a long drive.

How To Record Audio From YouTube Using Airy.

Here's 5 easy steps on how to convert YouTube video to MP3:

1.

Download and install Airy. The process may be different between Mac and PC.

2.

Go to the video page that you’d like to record.

Go to the video page that you’d like to record.
3.

Copy the video’s URL.

Copy the video’s URL
4.

Paste into Airy, choose "MP3" format from the drop-down menu.

5.

Download and enjoy.

Mediahuman, a solution to download YouTube audio

Mediahuman is an alternative Mac record audio from YouTube solution with a strong focus on music. For that, the program offers a set of conveniences. Playlists and channels can be tracked to download new songs as soon as they appear; tags, such as album names and song titles, can be set automatically.

Despite seeing such advanced features, our team couldn’t find a pause button, which would be immensely useful for large downloads. Also, having a program constantly run in the background, tracking your clipboard and YouTube activity, seems relatively intrusive.

a Solution to Record YouTube Audio

How to Record Audio From YouTube With Mediahuman

  1. Copy the desired video URL.
  2. Go to the MediaHuman main window.
  3. Click "Paste Link".
  4. Press the "Download" button to begin.

Web-Based YouTube Audio Recorder

Like most browser-based solutions, ytmp3.cc has a serious disadvantage over desktop apps when it comes to how to record audio from YouTube on Mac. To be specific, it’s because the files have to go through an external server before they can get to you. When you record YouTube audio, this might slow the process down significantly.

Of course, it can also be used without installation. And, in contrast to many other websites we’ve encountered, it won’t pester you with ads or pop-ups.

Record YouTube audio

Using ytmp3.cc to Record YouTube Audio

  1. Copy a YouTube video address.
  2. Go to the website and paste it into the text field.
  3. Select MP3 format and click "Download".

Learning Command Line With youtube-dl

Youtube-dl is the grandfather of YouTube downloaders, and it’s still got it. This powerful tool can do an incredible variety of things. Recode, rename, add metadata, save subtitles, control every aspect of your downloads.

The thing is, none of this is presented as convenient buttons or menus. Some learning is required to use the interface. Don’t worry: once you’re familiar with it, the app isn’t cumbersome at all and you’ll know how to download YouTube audio on Mac in no time.

YouTube-dl

How to Record Audio From YouTube Through youtube-dl

  1. Download youtube-dl (youtube-dl.org) for your system. For Windows, there should be an .exe file; for Linux and Mac, the file is just called "youtube-dl". It’s a Python script.
  2. Open the command line and go to your Downloads folder. Use "cd directory_name" and "dir" (on Win)/ "ls" (on Mac) to navigate.
  3. In a browser, copy the video URL of your choice.
  4. On Windows, enter the command: youtube-dl -f140 your_youtube_URL Or, alternatively, on Mac: python youtube-dl -f140 your_youtube_URL

The audio download should begin. For more information, consult the manual.

Filmora Movie Clipper & Screen Capturer

Wondershare Filmora is, in essence, a video editor. YouTube videos on your screen can be recorded and then encoded, as you would do with any edited footage. Exporting audio is one of the options.

Yet again, it’s much more useful for livestreams. Downloading YouTube music via Filmora is a bit tedious, and it sports a steep price if you’re just looking how to record audio from YouTube Mac. It’s good as a package deal: if you’re looking to edit videos, you can get YouTube conversion capability to boot. The program is also reasonably safe.

Downloading YouTube music via Filmora

Capturing Live Streams With Filmora

  1. Open the "Record" menu. It’s on top of the imported media list.
  2. Choose "Record PC Screen".
  3. Select the recording settings. For YouTube, it’s best to disable your microphone (if one is connected) and select "target window".
  4. Once you’re done, press F9 to bring up the recording menu again. The footage will be added to your media list, but you still have to save it.

Audacity, a Music Editor That Can Record Audio From YouTube

Audacity may seem like an odd addition to this list because its main purpose is to edit, not to record audio from YouTube. However, it does have a built-in function to record your system audio, with the added advantage of editing it in the same program.

Since recordings take as much time as the video itself, using this app to record audio from YouTube Mac is a poor option for casual everyday downloads. Instead, it shines when recording fragments of livestreams and radio shows. Keep in mind, if you’re on Mac, you’ll need Soundflower to record YouTube audio.

Record audio from YouTube Mac

Using Audacity as a YouTube Audio Recorder

  1. Create a new stereo track.
  2. In the top left corner, there’s a drop-down menu for audio recording devices. Select "Windows WASAPI".
  3. To the right, there is a device selection menu. Choose your headphones or speakers.
  4. Press "Record" to begin recording. Once you’re done, click the "Stop" button.
The Verdict

Unlike many other alternatives, Airy works with all of the operating systems such as Windows and Mac, and even supports the most popular browsers such as Safari. Nothing has been cut back on these options and the experience stays the same on every platform you might use.

FAQ

Consider the options presented in this article. Depending on what you want to do, perhaps you’d like to download videos, not record them. In case you want to convert YouTube to MP3 on Mac, Airy is a perfect choice for you.
You’ll need a screen recording app. Sadly, these are outside the scope of this article. Be cautious, and stay away from unverified applications.

Using an app like Airy to record audio from YouTube Mac and downloading the video as an audio file is fairly straightforward and intuitive.

  1. Download the Airy app from their website.
  2. Go to the video you’d like to record and download as an audio.
  3. Copy the video URL and paste it into Airy.
  4. From the options presented, choose “MP3” as the output format.
  5. Begin downloading, wait for the download to finish, and enjoy!
Airy
Requirements: OS X 10.10+ , 25.32MB size
Version 3.29.2.400 (25 Apr, 2024) Release notes
Category: Utilities
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Best YouTube Audio Recorder - Airy