Original audio

YouTube to Opus

Opus is the codec YouTube uses for its best audio stream, and it is more efficient than MP3 or AAC at the same bitrate. AudioFetcher can hand you that stream untouched, which is the most faithful copy of a YouTube video's audio you can get.

Open the converter Limits and help

Highest fidelityThe best audio stream YouTube serves.

No re-encodeCopied through, not decoded and encoded.

Smallest sizeOpus beats MP3 and AAC per kilobit.

How Opus download works

YouTube encodes audio in Opus inside a WebM container, usually at about 128 to 160 kbps depending on the upload. AudioFetcher extracts that stream and delivers it as an Opus file without changing it.

1
Paste the video link
Any single public video.
2
Choose Opus as the format
The quality hint shows Original with No re-encoding.
3
Optional preparation
Embed chapters and SponsorBlock work with Opus. Tag editing and cover art embedding are MP3 features.
4
Fetch and save
The file downloads as .opus. Save it before the displayed expiry.

Opus plays in VLC, foobar2000, Android, Windows 10 and later, Firefox, Chrome and most modern players. Apple's Music app and older iPhones do not play Opus files natively, so choose M4A for Apple devices. If you need MP3 for a car stereo, convert from Opus afterwards or pick MP3 directly. Free conversions cover single videos up to 60 minutes. Use only videos you own or have permission to download.

Opus, M4A or MP3: which YouTube format should you pick?

Opus (.opus) is YouTube's best audio stream for almost every video, about 130 to 160 kbps at 48 kHz. AudioFetcher copies it untouched, and it is the smallest file. Plays on Android, Windows, Chrome, Firefox, VLC and foobar2000, but not in Apple Music.
M4A (AAC, about 128 kbps) is YouTube's other original stream, also copied untouched. Pick it for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Music. YouTube to M4A.
MP3 is made by re-encoding one of those streams, so it is slightly further from the source, but it plays on everything, including old car stereos and MP3 players. Convert to MP3.

How to play Opus files

Windows: VLC and foobar2000 always work; the built-in Media Player opens .opus on up-to-date Windows 10 and 11.
Android: most music players and VLC.
iPhone and Mac: VLC plays Opus, but Apple Music will not import it. Choose M4A instead if you use Apple's apps.
Car stereos and older MP3 players: usually no Opus support. Choose MP3.

Is this really the highest quality YouTube audio?

For almost every video, yes. YouTube's highest-quality public audio stream is Opus (format 251); many videos also offer AAC at about 128 kbps (format 140). The 256 kbps AAC stream that YouTube Music Premium subscribers hear is only available to signed-in subscribers, so no public converter can get it.

That is also why a "320 kbps MP3" from YouTube is not better than the Opus file: it is a re-encode of the same source, just bigger. To check a file you already have, use the audio bitrate checker.

Questions

Is Opus really higher quality than 320 kbps MP3 from YouTube?

A 320 kbps MP3 made from YouTube is an encode of the same Opus or AAC source, so it cannot exceed it. Keeping the Opus stream avoids that second encode entirely.

Why is the file so small?

Opus is a newer codec designed for efficiency. A 128 kbps Opus file sounds comparable to a much larger MP3.

Which players do not support Opus?

Apple Music on iOS and macOS, many car head units and older MP3 players. Use M4A or MP3 for those.

Can I convert Opus to MP3 later?

Yes, with the local Audio to MP3 tools in your browser, or choose MP3 up front to skip the extra step.