Rip an Audio CD Using VLC Media Player

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Convert your favorite songs in a few seconds using VLC

Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: March 24, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Extracting Audio on Windows
|
• Extracting Audio on Mac
|
• Installing VLC
|
• Video
|
• Warnings

|Show more |Show less

This wikiHow teaches you how to save an audio CD as one music file on your computer by using VLC Media Player's audio extraction feature.

Quickly Extract Audio from a CD in VLC

With a CD in your disc drive, go to Media > Convert / Save > Disc > Audio CD > Convert / Save > Audio - MP3 > Start. Open the MP3 file in VLC to listen to the audio. If you want multiple MP3s, select which tracks you want each time and repeat this process for each track.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

Extracting Audio on Windows

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1. 
   1
   Click Media. This tab is in the top-left corner of the VLC window. Doing so invokes a drop-down menu.

   • Use this method to extract the audio from your CD in a single MP3 file. If you want multiple MP3 files, you need to repeat this process for every track on your CD.
   • Make sure you have an audio CD inserted in your computer or laptop. If there isn't a built-in CD/DVD drive, you can purchase an external one.
2. 
   2
   Click Convert / Save. It's toward the bottom of the drop-down menu. A pop-up window will appear after you click this option.
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3. 
   3
   Click the Disc tab. You'll find it at the top of the pop-up window.
4. 
   4
   Select the "Audio CD" circle. It's near the top of the window. This will ensure that the audio extraction process is tailored to a strictly audio CD format.

   • If you try this and get an empty file, change the "Starting Position - Track" from 0 to 1.
5. 
   5
   Click Convert / Save. This button is at the bottom of the pop-up window.
6. 
   6
   Click the drop-down menu next to "Profile". Doing so invokes a drop-down menu.
7. 
   7
   Scroll down and click Audio - MP3. This option will allow you to save the extracted audio from your CD as an MP3 file, which is a commonly used audio file.
8. 
   8
   Click Browse. It's near the bottom of the pop-up window. You'll be able to select a save location for your audio file from here.
9. 
   9
   Select a save destination. You can do so by clicking a folder in the left-hand pane.
10. 
    10
    Type in a file name, then click Save. This will confirm your audio file's save location.
11. 
    11
    Click Start. It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so will begin the extraction process, which should only take a few seconds. When the disc begins playing in VLC, the extraction is complete.

    • Once you see your audio file appear in the save location you specified earlier, it's ready to be played.
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Section 2 of 3:

Extracting Audio on Mac

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1. 
   1
   Insert the audio CD you want to rip. If your Mac doesn't have a built-in CD drive, you can connect an external one.
2. 
   2
   Open File in VLC and select Open Disc. Launch VLC, then open the File menu at the top of the screen. Click Open Disc.... You can also press Command+D.
3. 
   3
   Check the Stream output box. It's near the bottom of the window.
4. 
   4
   Click Settings.... A new window will open.
5. 
   5
   Choose a location for the saved files. Make sure the radio button next to File is selected. Click Browse and select a destination for the ripped audio files, such as your Music folder.
6. 
   6
   Enter a name with the suffix ".mp3". This will ensure that the files save in the correct format. When you're done, click Save.
7. 
   7
   Select the box next to "Audio" and select mp3. In the middle of the window, you'll see check boxes next to the options Video and Audio. Tick the box next to Audio, then choose mp3 from the dropdown menu.
8. 
   8
   Click OK. You may need to click OK twice to confirm. Wait for your CD to finish ripping.
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Section 3 of 3:

Installing VLC

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1. 
   1
   Go to VLC Media Player's download site. Do so by typing http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html into your browser's URL bar, or by clicking the provided link.
2. 
   2
   Click Download VLC. It's an orange button in the middle of the VLC download page. Doing so should prompt VLC to begin downloading to your computer, though you may first need to select a save location depending on your browser.

   • VLC's download site should automatically determine your operating system (e.g., Mac or Windows). If it doesn't, click ▼ right of the Download VLC button and select your operating system.
3. 
   3
   Double-click the VLC setup file. It's an orange-and-white, traffic cone-shaped icon in your computer's default "Downloads" folder (e.g., the desktop). On a Mac, you'll instead open the VLC download folder.

   • You can locate the VLC setup file by typing "vlc" into Start or Spotlight on Windows or Mac, respectively.
4. 
   4
   Install VLC Media Player. To do so:

   • Windows - Click Next in the bottom-right corner of the window until VLC begins installing, then click Finish when the setup completes.
   • Mac - Drag the VLC Media Player icon into your Applications folder.
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Warnings

• Ripping the audio from a CD and placing it on a blank one for the purposes of duplication constitutes piracy, which is illegal in most places.
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