Youtube to MP3 – Made Simple

In this article, we are summarizing the best methods to download music from Youtube to MP3. Anyway you slice it, whether it’s converting the files or downloading them, the process can be complicated because there are plenty of websites that simply do not function. We wanted to keep this as simple as possible, so we are only recommending two options: 1 for downloading individual MP3 files and the other for downloading multiple MP3 files at the same time.

Both of our options presented here are free and neither of them require any form of registration.

Youtube to Mp3 – Download One File at a Time:

If you are looking to download one file from Youtube to MP3 at a time, then we recommend using OnlyMP3.Net, which you can access by clicking HERE.

It’s a very simple interface that we highly recommend for individual downloads.

It’s especially useful because if you quickly look around search results, and look at different websites, you will find all sorts of problems. Many sites simply do not function, while others re-direct you to some undesirable pages. It’s not a good use of time, so spare yourself the headache and check out the site above. It gets the official ProClockers seal of approval.

Youtube to Mp3 – Download Many Files at the Same Time

If you are looking for something more serious, then we recommend using the software JDownloader 2. Once again, this is the only software we would recommend.

The benefit of this software is that it is completely open-source and free, and so there isn’t any annoying adware or attempts to convert you into a customer. It can be a little complex at first, but the benefit is that you can download entire channels or playlists as MP3s from YouTube without having to paste individual links.

If you prefer, the direct download links are here:

32/64 Bit Windows

x86 Linux

x64 Linux

MacOS X Version 10.7 or Higher

MacOS Version 10.6 or lower

The only footnote with this option is that it will not download immediately as MP3 from Youtube, but instead, as an .OGG or .M4A file which are substantially better quality than MP3s. Afterwards, you would need to convert the files to MP3 which we will also go over. This sounds like a lot, but it’s simple. Once the program is setup, you’ll be able to download hundreds if not thousands of files in a matter of seconds. It’s fantastic.

As a side note, consider if you even need your file as an MP3 to begin with as these file types are compatible with most media players, media devices and video editing software.

Instructions on how to Download MP3 files from Youtube using JDownloader

1. Ensure JDownloader is open and you are on the Linkgrabber tab.

2. Find a playlist on Youtube, and copy the URL of the playlist.

3. You shouldn’t even need to paste the URL of the playlist. JDownloader will gradually start populating available downloads. If it doesn’t work, paste the URL in this area.

4. Ensure you have “Audio File” selected.

5. Select all the files, right click, and hit “Start Downloads”. The Downloads tab will then start loading your files.

6. Still with us? We’re almost done! Go to CloudConvert.com, upload your files and convert them from OGG or M4A to MP3! You can do many at the same time.

Troubleshooting

In some cases, if there is any reason that the MP3 file won’t work, consider clicking on Settings at the top, then Settings again, and then going to Account Manager. Here, you can login with your Youtube account. This generally only occurs if the file, for whatever reason, requires you to login to view it.

Conclusion and Important Notes

So some of our readers will likely look at this article and ask, “Why are we covering Youtube and MP3 downloads? You guys normally write about games and hardware reviews! And why is this under the Reviews section anyway?”. Well, I will tell you why. Recently, we were editing a video for one of our reviews and we wanted to add some free music. We found some music we could use from Youtube which was free to use without any copyright encumbrances, as noted by the musicians. We wanted to quickly download it, and it quickly became a much bigger headache than I had expected. Popups, redirections, broken sites, and more. So, we prepared this article so that hopefully our readers here will not have to deal with the same annoying problem when and if they choose to go through this process. As far as the reviews, we consider this a review of the services!

We would also like to point out that downloading MP3s from Youtube may not be legal due to copyright regulations, and in many cases this goes against Youtube’s policies so proceed with our instructions responsibly. It is definitely an appropriate solution if the musician music has placed it for download or if you are using it on some other personal basis. If you want mainstream music, you can always try Spotify!

By the way, while you’re here, we know you love sound and music. Be sure to check out our reviews on Audio Hardware. We have a little bit of everything, from headphones, to wireless microphones, to ear buds and even analog to digital audio converters!