YouTube is home to millions of songs, podcasts, lectures, and audio recordings. Converting YouTube videos to MP3 lets you listen offline, build custom playlists, or archive audio content. Here's how to do it for free in minutes.
Is YouTube to MP3 Legal?
Downloading audio for personal, offline use is generally considered fair use. You should not distribute, sell, or publicly perform downloaded content. Be especially mindful of copyright — stick to content you have rights to, or content that's in the public domain/Creative Commons.
Method 1: FZ-Tools (Best for All Platforms)
FZ-Tools supports YouTube to MP3 conversion across all devices — iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac — without any app installation.
Step-by-Step:
- Copy the YouTube video URL
- Go to FZ-Tools YouTube to MP3
- Paste the URL and click Fetch
- Switch to the Audio tab in the results
- Select audio quality (typically 128kbps or 320kbps)
- Click Download Free
The MP3 file downloads directly to your device. On iPhone it saves to your Downloads folder.
What Audio Quality Should I Choose?
- 320kbps: Best quality, ~2.4 MB per minute. Choose this for music.
- 192kbps: Good quality, smaller file. Great for podcasts and spoken word.
- 128kbps: Smallest file. Fine for background listening, not ideal for music.
Note: The source quality is capped by the original YouTube upload. If the creator uploaded a low-quality audio, 320kbps won't improve it — it just means no additional compression is applied.
How to Move YouTube MP3 to iPhone Music Library
- Download the MP3 using FZ-Tools in Safari
- Tap the downloaded file in Safari's Downloads
- Tap Share → Copy to Music (if you use Apple Music)
- Or use the Files app to move it to any folder
How to Add YouTube MP3 to Spotify
Spotify allows local files on desktop. Download the MP3 to your computer, open Spotify desktop app, go to Settings → Local Files, add the folder. Your MP3 will appear in a "Local Files" playlist.
Can I Convert YouTube Playlists to MP3?
FZ-Tools currently converts one video at a time. For full playlist conversion, paste each video's URL individually or use a batch tool. If you need this feature, let us know — it's on our roadmap.
Alternatives to YouTube for Free Music
Before downloading, check if the content is available on free, legal platforms:
- Spotify Free — streaming with ads
- SoundCloud — many artists offer free downloads
- Free Music Archive — legal Creative Commons music
- Bandcamp — artists often allow pay-what-you-want