Video conversion
Convert MP4 to WAV
Updated Jul 2026
MP4 is a video file, and WAV is an uncompressed audio file with no video at all. To convert MP4 to WAV, pull the audio track out of the video and save it as WAV. Doing this on your own computer means the video, whatever it shows or says, never has to leave your machine.
- Extension
- .mp4
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- The universal video format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Extension
- .wav
- Type
- Audio
- Typically
- Uncompressed audio, recording
Convert MP4 to WAV on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert MP4 to WAV
- Open Morphjet and drag in the MP4 file, or a whole folder of them, that you want the audio from.
- Choose WAV as the output format. Morphjet pulls the audio track out and drops the video.
- Convert. The WAV is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
MP4 vs WAV: what actually changes
| MP4 | WAV | |
|---|---|---|
| Contains video | Yes | No, audio only |
| File size | Smaller, compressed video and audio together | Much larger, uncompressed audio alone |
| Audio quality | Lossy, the audio track is compressed | Uncompressed once extracted, but can't recover detail already lost in the MP4 |
| Good for editing audio | No, awkward to edit in most audio tools | Yes, the standard format for mixing and waveform editing |
| Playback support | Universal for video playback | Universal for audio, but too large for casual sharing |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert MP4 to WAV when you need just the sound from a video, for editing in audio software, cleaning up a recording, or transcribing speech, and you want it in an uncompressed format that plays back exactly as extracted.
Keep the MP4 if you still need the picture, or if you just want a smaller audio file to share or listen to, since a lossy audio format would do that with far less disk space.
Why not just use an online converter?
MP4 files often hold things people would rather keep private, an interview, a lecture, a video call recording, a voice memo someone filmed. An online converter has to upload that video to a stranger's server to pull the audio out. Converting on your own computer means the recording and whatever is said in it never travels anywhere.
Questions
Does converting MP4 to WAV make the audio sound better?
No. WAV is uncompressed, but it can only preserve what's already in the MP4's audio track. If that track was compressed and lossy, the WAV will faithfully carry the same quality, just without further compression on top.
What happens to the video when I convert to WAV?
It's dropped. WAV is an audio-only format, so the picture is discarded and you're left with just the sound.
Why is the WAV file so much bigger than the MP4?
MP4 compresses both video and audio to keep the file small. WAV stores audio uncompressed, sample by sample, so even a few minutes of audio can end up far larger than the original video file.
Will the WAV keep both audio channels from the video?
Yes, stereo or mono audio in the MP4 carries over the same way into the WAV. Nothing about the channel layout changes during extraction.
Can I pull audio out of MP4 without uploading the video anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet extracts and converts the audio right on your computer, so the video file never has to go over the internet.
Morphjet converts MP4, WAV, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.