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How to Remove Audio From a Video Without Re-Encoding

Remove audio from a video without re-encoding by selecting its video stream and copying it with FFmpeg. See the commands, caveats, and MKVToolNix alternative.
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Use FFmpeg’s streamcopy option to keep the video stream while leaving audio out of the new file:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -map 0:v -c copy output.mp4

This selects the video stream or streams from the input and copies their packets without decoding or encoding. It writes a new file, so keep the original until you have checked the result. The command is a template: replace the filenames with your own.

Remove audio with FFmpeg

FFmpeg is a command-line tool for working with media files. In the command above, -i input.mp4 names the input, -map 0:v selects its video stream or streams, and -c copy requests streamcopy rather than encoding. The output filename comes last. FFmpeg documents streamcopy as fast and without quality loss because it does not decode or encode the copied streams; it also notes that copying can fail when the target container cannot support the stream or its requirements (FFmpeg documentation).

Keep just the first video stream

If the source has multiple video streams and you want only the first, use -map 0:v:0 instead of -map 0:v:

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ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -map 0:v:0 -c copy output.mp4

Manual mapping controls which input streams enter the output. The 0 refers to the first input, and v:0 specifies its first video stream (FFmpeg stream selection).

A shorter command to omit audio

For a straightforward source where FFmpeg’s automatic stream selection is suitable, you can disable audio output with -an:

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ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c copy -an output.mp4

-an disables audio selection for the output. Explicit -map 0:v is clearer when the input has several video streams or you want to control exactly which video is kept. FFmpeg applies most options to the output that follows them, so keep these output options before the output filename (FFmpeg stream selection).

Choose an output container the video can use

Keeping the source extension, such as .mp4, is a sensible first attempt, but the extension alone does not establish compatibility. If you change containers, check that the target supports the retained video codec and any other streams you chose to include. Streamcopy does not convert a codec to make it fit; FFmpeg warns that copying may not work when the target container lacks necessary support or information (FFmpeg documentation).

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Use MKVToolNix for a Matroska workflow

If you want a Matroska output, MKVToolNix’s mkvmerge provides a direct option to omit every audio track: --no-audio. Its documentation describes this as not copying any audio track from the file (mkvmerge documentation). This is a Matroska-focused alternative to the FFmpeg commands above.

For workflows that select particular audio tracks rather than removing them all, mkvmerge also supports --audio-tracks. Identify the track IDs with --identify; those IDs may not match the informal track numbers shown by a media player (mkvmerge documentation).

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Check the output before deleting the original

  1. Open the new file. Confirm that it plays and that the picture appears as expected.
  2. Check the audio. Make sure the output has no audio track or sound.
  3. Check the video selection. If the source had multiple video streams, confirm that the intended one was retained.

These checks catch an incorrect stream selection or an output that does not play in your intended app. The commands create a separate output file rather than modifying the source.

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When streamcopy is not the right fit

Streamcopy is appropriate when the goal is only to omit audio and retain the video as-is. It cannot apply video filters, because filtering requires decoding and processing the video. It is also not guaranteed to work for every combination of source stream and output container. If copying fails, use a compatible container or a workflow that re-encodes the video; re-encoding is a different operation and can affect quality.

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FFmpeg’s online manual describes a continuously developing project. If an option behaves differently in a particular installation, consult the documentation matching that installed version (FFmpeg documentation).

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