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Extract Audio from iPhone Video: Save It or Edit in iMovie

Use Shortcuts for a separate audio file, or use iMovie’s Audio Only and Detach actions to work with video sound inside a movie project.
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You can use iMovie to put a video’s sound into a movie project, or use a Shortcuts workflow described by a third-party tutorial to save audio separately. The distinction matters: iMovie’s Audio Only and Detach actions work in its project timeline; Apple’s instructions do not say they export a standalone audio file to Files.

Choose a method based on where you need the audio

Method What it produces Best for
Shortcuts: Encode Media and Save File A separate audio output saved as a file, according to a third-party tutorial; confirm the saved result in Files. Minivid Finding or sharing audio separately from a video
iMovie: Audio Only Audio from the video added to an iMovie project timeline. Apple Support Using a video’s sound in a movie you are editing
iMovie: Detach A separate, editable audio clip beneath the video in the iMovie project timeline. Apple Support Moving, trimming, or editing sound independently within a project

The iMovie options are not documented as standalone audio-file exports. If you need a file outside the project, start with the Shortcuts workflow and check the result rather than assuming an iMovie timeline action created a file.

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Method 1: Save audio separately with a Shortcuts workflow

A third-party tutorial describes using Apple’s Shortcuts app to encode a video with audio only, then save the output. It is not Apple documentation for this exact sequence, so action labels and behavior may differ by iOS version. The tutorial does not establish a guaranteed format, audio quality, or compatibility for every iPhone.

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  1. Open or create a shortcut that accepts a video as input. The tutorial describes starting from a video’s share sheet.
  2. Add the Encode Media action and set it to Audio Only.
  3. Add Save File to save the encoded result.
  4. Run the shortcut on the video, then open Files and check that the saved audio is present and plays as expected.

For the workflow description, see Minivid’s Shortcuts tutorial. Treat the result as dependent on your iOS version and shortcut setup; verify the actual saved file before deleting or changing the original video.

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Method 2: Add only a video’s sound to an iMovie project

Use this when the audio belongs in a movie you are making. Apple’s iMovie guide describes adding the selected video’s sound to the project, not exporting it as a separate file.

  1. Open a movie project in iMovie and move the playhead to where the audio should begin.
  2. Tap Add Media, then Video, and browse for the source clip.
  3. Select the clip. To use only part of it, adjust the yellow trim handles to select the desired segment.
  4. Tap More, then Audio Only. The sound is added to the project timeline.

If the video is in iCloud Photos and iMovie shows a Download button, download the clip before using it. Apple notes that iCloud Photos media might not be stored locally on the device. See Apple’s instructions for adding audio from a video clip.

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Method 3: Detach audio for independent editing in iMovie

Choose this when you already have a video clip in an iMovie timeline and want to edit its sound separately from the picture. Detaching creates an audio clip in the project; it does not, by itself, document a save to Files.

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  1. Open the iMovie movie project and tap the video clip in the timeline.
  2. Tap Actions, then Detach.
  3. Find the new blue audio clip beneath the video. Move, delete, or edit it independently within the project timeline.

Apple documents this as a project-editing operation. For the exact iMovie controls, see Apple’s guide to editing audio clips in iMovie on iPhone.

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Which method should you use?

  • You need a separate file: Try the Shortcuts workflow, then verify the saved output in Files. Its exact behavior and output format are not established for every iOS version.
  • You are building or editing a movie: Use Audio Only to add sound from a source video, or Detach to edit the sound of a clip already in the timeline.
  • You need only part of the source clip in an iMovie project: Trim the video selection with the yellow handles before choosing Audio Only.

GarageBand is not a confirmed video-extraction alternative here: Apple’s iPhone guide explains sharing a GarageBand song as an audio file, but does not establish a way to extract sound from a video.

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