Audio Metadata Extractor

Drop your audio file here or click to browse

Supports MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC, AAC, and M4A up to 100MB

How to Extract Audio Metadata

Upload Your Audio File

Drag and drop your audio file onto the upload area, or click to browse your device. The tool accepts MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, AAC and M4A, and refuses files above 100 MB before decoding starts.
Let the File Decode

The tool decodes your file in the browser with the Web Audio API. A short track resolves in well under a second; a long lossless file takes longer, because the whole stream has to be decoded before the duration is known.
Review Technical Details

Read the report: duration, sample rate, channel count, MIME type and file size come from the decoded stream, and the bitrate is calculated from the file size and the duration. Bit depth and ID3 tags such as artist and album are not part of this report.
Copy or Reset

Click Copy All to copy every metadata field to your clipboard in a formatted text block. Use the Reset button to analyze another file.

Common Use Cases

Podcast Production

Verify that exported podcast episodes meet platform requirements for sample rate (44.1 kHz or 48 kHz), bitrate (128 kbps+), and channel configuration (mono or stereo) before uploading to hosting services.

Music Mastering QA

Confirm that final masters match the intended specifications. Check that a WAV master really is 96 kHz and stereo, or that an MP3 export lands near its 320 kbps target, before distributing to streaming platforms. Bit depth is not part of this report, so verify that in your editor.

Troubleshooting Playback Issues

Diagnose why an audio file will not play in a particular application. Mismatched sample rates, unsupported codecs, or unexpected channel counts are common culprits, and the report shows all three at a glance.

Archival and Cataloging

Build a detailed inventory of an audio library by extracting technical specs from each file. Useful for librarians, sound designers, and anyone managing large collections of recordings.

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.

The Audio Metadata Extractor is a browser-based tool that reads the technical properties of an audio file. Drop an MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, AAC or M4A file into the tool and see its sample rate, channel count, duration, MIME type and file size, together with a bitrate estimated from the file size and the duration. The decoding runs in your browser with the Web Audio API, so the file is never uploaded to a server.

Audio metadata matters more than most people realize. Podcast hosts enforce specific bitrate and sample-rate requirements. Streaming platforms reject files that do not meet their codec or channel specifications. Mastering engineers need to verify that exported files match the intended quality settings before delivery. Instead of opening a full DAW or installing desktop software, you can answer most of these questions in seconds with this tool. If you also need to inspect video files, try the Video Metadata Extractor, or use the Media Info Viewer for a combined overview of any media file.

After reviewing your metadata, you might decide the file needs adjustments. The Audio Format Converter can switch between formats, and the Audio Resampler writes a resampled copy as a lossless WAV. For verifying file integrity after transfers, the File Hash Calculator generates checksums you can compare against the original.

How it compares

Most audio metadata tools fall into two categories: heavyweight desktop applications like MediaInfo or FFprobe that require installation, and online services that upload your file to a remote server for analysis. The FindUtils Audio Metadata Extractor takes a third approach by running entirely in the browser. There is nothing to install, no account to create, and the file itself never leaves your device. For a quick check of sample rate, channels and duration, this client-side workflow is faster and more private than either alternative.

Desktop tools remain the better choice when you need a bitrate read from the stream rather than estimated, or bit depth, embedded ID3 tags, album art, deeply nested container metadata, or dozens of files in batch. But for the most common task, confirming the core technical specs of a single audio file, a browser-based extractor delivers the answer in seconds without any setup overhead.

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.