4 Easy Ways to Convert MKV to MP3

Suppose you've ever had an MKV file with audio content you wanted to extract. In that case, you know how frustrating it can be to keep the audio track separated from the video, especially when you're looking to enjoy a podcast from a video or store your favorite concert as an audio file. However, there are always solutions. Changing MKV to MP3 is a great fix. In this post, we gathered 4 methods to convert MKV to MP3. Read and check which works best for your needs.

GUIDE LIST

1. ArkThinker Video Converter Ultimate

2. FFmpeg

3. HandBrake

4. ArkThinker Free Video Converter Online

1. ArkThinker Video Converter Ultimate

ArkThinker Video Converter Ultimate is a powerful tool that supports various formats, such as converting MKV to MP3. This software is perfect for anyone seeking a fast and straightforward method to convert large MKV files into MP3. With its intuitive interface, beginners will find it easy to use, while advanced users can take advantage of features like video editing for greater customization.

Open the MKV to MP3 conversion tool and click the Add Files button to bring in your MKV file. You can also add multiple WebM files or an entire folder if you want to process them all at once.

If you want to tweak the settings, click on the Custom Profile next to the MP3 option. Here, you can adjust things like resolution, codec, channels, sampling rate, and bitrate. Once you're done with your adjustments, click OK to save them.

After that, just click Convert All to begin converting your MKV files to MP3.

This converter also offers features for editing MP3 files, including audio trim, merge, fade in/out, denoise, and more.

ArkThinker Video Converter Ultimate is incredibly easy to use, especially for large MKV files. The batch conversion feature is a huge time-saver when you have multiple files to convert. However, it’s a paid tool, so if you're only converting once, it might not be worth the investment.

2. FFmpeg

FFmpeg is a powerful command-line tool that supports almost every multimedia format including MKV to MP3. While it offers immense flexibility, FFmpeg is not the most beginner-friendly option since it requires some knowledge of command-line operations. However, for advanced users, it’s a fantastic tool for batch processing and high-quality conversions.

Here, we will take Windows 11 as an example to show the steps.

• Right-click This PC > Properties > Advanced system settings > Environment Variables.

• Under System Variables, find the Path variable, click Edit, then New, and enter the path where you extracted FFmpeg (e.g., C:\ffmpeg\bin).

• Click OK to save.

You can check if the installation was successful by launching a Command Prompt and entering the following command:

ffmpeg -version

Go to the folder where your MKV file is located by using the cd command:

cd path/to/your/mkvfile

Enter the following command to convert the MKV file to MP3:

ffmpeg -i inputfile.mkv -q:a 0 -map a outputfile.mp3

• inputfile.mkv: Replace this with the name of your MKV file.

• -q:a 0: This flag ensures the best audio quality for the MP3 file.

• -map a: This tells FFmpeg to only extract the audio stream from the MKV file.

• outputfile.mp3: Replace this with the desired name of your output MP3 file.

Once finished, your MP3 file will be saved in the specified output location.

Example Command:

If you have an MKV file named video.mkv, and you want to extract the audio to audio.mp3, the command will look like this:

ffmpeg -i video.mkv -q:a 0 -map a audio.mp3

Additional Tips:

• You can specify a different audio bitrate using the -b:a option. For example, to set the bitrate to 192 kbps:

ffmpeg -i inputfile.mkv -b:a 192k -map a outputfile.mp3

If you want to trim the audio (e.g., only extract a specific part), you can use the -ss and -t options:

ffmpeg -i inputfile.mkv -ss 00:01:00 -t 00:02:00 -q:a 0 outputfile.mp3

FFmpeg is a bit intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s incredibly efficient. I love its ability to handle batch conversions and the fact that it’s completely free. The downside is that it’s not for everyone—if you’re not comfortable with command-line interfaces, this may feel overwhelming.

3. HandBrake

HandBrake is another free tool, well-known for its video conversion capabilities. While it’s mainly designed for video formats, it can also convert MKV to MP3. HandBrake offers plenty of customization options for those who want to tweak the output settings, though it may be a bit too complex for users who just want a simple conversion.

Here, you can adjust the Bitrate to control the quality of the MP3 audio by 128 kbps, 192 kbps, and 320 kbps.

After confirming all the settings, click the Start Encode button at the top to begin the conversion.

HandBrake is great if you want more control over the conversion process. I liked how customizable the output settings were, especially for adjusting audio quality. The main downside is that the interface can be confusing if you’re new to video/audio conversion, and it doesn’t support batch conversion for audio files.

4. ArkThinker Free Video Converter Online

ArkThinker Free Video Converter Online is a web-based tool that enables you to convert MKV files to MP3 format without the need to download any software. It’s perfect for users who don’t want to deal with installations. The process is simple: upload the MKV file, select MP3, and download the converted file. The only downside is the 50MB max file size limit for free users.

Just hit the Start Converting Video button, and a pop-up will show up for you to choose the MKV file from your computer.

ArkThinker Free Video Converter Online is very convenient for small files and quick conversions. It’s straightforward and doesn’t require any technical knowledge. However, for larger MKV files, the size restriction can be frustrating unless your internet connection is super-fast.

Conclusion