--- title: "Audio Metadata Extractor" description: "Read the sample rate, channel count, duration, estimated bitrate and MIME type of an audio file. The file is decoded in your browser and is never uploaded." url: https://findutils.com/media/audio-metadata-extractor/ category: media --- # Audio Metadata Extractor Read the sample rate, channel count, duration, estimated bitrate and MIME type of an audio file. The file is decoded in your browser and is never uploaded. **Use this tool:** [Audio Metadata Extractor](https://findutils.com/media/audio-metadata-extractor/) ## Programmatic access - Browser-only: this tool works on a file, the DOM, or a browser API and has no REST or MCP id. ## Why use our Audio Metadata Extractor? Our audio metadata extractor reads the technical properties of an audio file so you can check them before a delivery or a conversion. It decodes the file with the Web Audio API and reports the file name, file size, MIME type, duration, sample rate and channel count, plus a bitrate figure calculated from the file size divided by the duration rather than read from the stream, so treat it as an estimate on a variable-bitrate file. Bit depth is not read, and neither are ID3 tags. Files up to 100 MB are accepted, and the file itself stays on your device. ## Tips for Working with Audio Metadata - Always check sample rate and bitrate before converting formats to avoid unnecessary quality loss. - Stereo files (2 channels) are standard for music, while mono (1 channel) is often preferred for spoken-word podcasts to reduce file size. - A bitrate of 128 kbps is generally acceptable for speech; 256-320 kbps is recommended for music in lossy formats like MP3. - Lossless formats such as WAV and FLAC preserve full audio quality but produce significantly larger files than MP3 or AAC. - If your file shows unexpected metadata values, it may have been re-encoded multiple times, which degrades quality with each pass. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What information can I extract? The report covers file name, file size, MIME type, duration, sample rate and channel count (mono or stereo), plus a bitrate figure. That bitrate is calculated from the file size divided by the duration rather than read from the stream, so it is an estimate and it will be off on a variable-bitrate file. Bit depth is not read. ### Why would I need audio metadata? Metadata helps verify audio specifications, troubleshoot playback issues, ensure compatibility, and understand quality settings. ### Are my files uploaded to a server? No, not the file. The extractor decodes your audio in the browser and the tool code sends no part of it to a server. The page itself loads analytics and ad scripts, as most websites do, so a network monitor shows requests from those. They are separate from the tool code. ### Can I export the metadata? Yes, use the 'Copy All' button to copy all metadata to your clipboard in a formatted text format. ### What audio formats are supported? MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC, AAC and M4A. Decoding uses the browser's own audio decoders, so FLAC and OGG support depends on the browser you are in; a file the browser cannot decode reports an error rather than partial data. ### What is sample rate and why does it matter? Sample rate is the number of audio samples captured per second, measured in Hertz (Hz). A rate of 44,100 Hz (44.1 kHz) is CD quality, while 48 kHz is the standard for video production. Higher sample rates capture more detail but produce larger files. ### What is the difference between bitrate and sample rate? Sample rate determines how many snapshots of the audio waveform are taken per second, while bitrate measures how much data is used per second of audio. A higher bitrate generally means better quality in compressed formats like MP3, whereas sample rate affects the frequency range that can be reproduced. The sample rate here is read from the decoded stream; the bitrate is derived from file size and duration, so it averages a variable-bitrate file rather than describing any one moment of it. ### Can I check metadata for multiple files at once? No. The tool analyzes one file at a time. Drop a new file or click Reset to inspect another. For batch analysis of many files, a desktop tool like MediaInfo is more efficient. ### Does this tool show ID3 tags like artist and album? No. This tool reports technical metadata such as sample rate, channels, duration and an estimated bitrate. ID3 tags are not read at all. For artist, album and artwork, use a dedicated tag editor. ### Is there a file size limit? Yes. The tool accepts files up to 100 MB and refuses anything larger before decoding starts. Within that cap, a long lossless file takes longer than a short MP3, because the whole stream is decoded in your browser to measure the duration. ## Related Tools - [Video Metadata Extractor](https://findutils.com/media/video-metadata-extractor/) - [Media Info Viewer](https://findutils.com/media/media-info-viewer/) - [Audio Format Converter](https://findutils.com/media/audio-format-converter/) - [Audio Resampler](https://findutils.com/media/audio-resampler/) - [Extract Audio from Video](https://findutils.com/media/video-to-audio/) - [Audio Trimmer](https://findutils.com/media/audio-trimmer/) - [File Hash Calculator](https://findutils.com/security/file-hash-calculator/) - [EXIF Remover](https://findutils.com/security/exif-remover/)