Uploading videos on YouTube is easy, but when you try to upload audio files, it ends up with the following error.
The file you uploaded contains only audio and no video. Learn how to easily convert your audio track to a video file type.
Apparently, YouTube doesn’t support MP3 files and you will have to convert it into a video file. But interestingly, the link Google shares in the error, tells you nothing about how to convert audio to video file. Fret not, that’s what we are here for.
While you can go ahead and edit them in a video editing software like Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, etc, they often overkill for most users. The easiest way is to do it with the help of an “Audio to Video Converter” app. In all, there are 4 ways to do this and let’s discuss them in details.
Upload Audio to YouTube
1. iOS App
In iOS, uploading MP3 files to YouTube is tricky as iOS doesn’t allow you to download music on phone. But, there is a neat workaround with the help of 2 third-party apps. Firstly, you will need to download and install iMovie and the second app is WhatsApp which you might already have. Next, send the music file to yourself or someone else on WhatsApp. Now, long press the music file and tap on “Forward” from the pop-up.
Read: Video Editing Apps for iPad Pro
After you tap on the Forward option, you get a list of apps which help you to transfer the file. Swipe right and tap on More and navigate to the bottom of the list. You will find an option called “Copy to iMovie”, tap on it. Select a project accordingly or create a new one. iOS will automatically download and import the file in iMovie.
After the music file is imported, we need to add an Image for the overlay of the music file. Tap on the “+” icon at the left corner of the timeline. Select an ideal image from your gallery and import it in iMovie. The Image will be auto-adjusted and cropped accordingly. If not, just tap on the Image layer and edit it out suitably.
Once you are done with the edit, tap on the “Done” button at the top-left corner. On the next screen, tap on the Share Button and then tap on YouTube. iMovie will ask you the export settings which should be 1080p or 720p according to your preference. The resolution doesn’t really matter as we are bothered more about the audio. Further, you will be asked to log in with your associated Google account and iMovie will directly share the video on YouTube.
Pros:
- Better Customization with iMovie editing tools
- Option to apply GIF and multiple Images
Cons:
- Importing audio doesn’t work with third-party video editors.
2. Web Service
This is the easiest way and it requires a limited understanding of codecs and compression ratios. All you have to do is visit the site like TovVid or EZ-Convertor. The first one lets you directly connect to YouTube, but that also means, it’ll require access to your YT account to post on your behalf. So, for this instance, we are going with the second one.
EZ-Convertor allows you to upload 2 files. One is an image which will act as the overlay for the video file and the other one will be your actual audio file.
Read: 6 Places to Find Background Music for YouTube Videos For Free
Once you have your image and video file uploaded, click on the Create Video button. It will take a while to upload the files on the server depending on the size of the mp3 file. Once done, the entries are reset and you will have a download link just on top of the Image upload textbox. Click on it to download the video.
Pros:
- Simple and 1-step process
- Faster conversion
- Works on both mobile and Desktop
Cons:
- No customizability
- Cannot upload multiple pictures
- No cut or trim tools.
3. Online Video Converter
In case you want more customizations with the music track, it’s better to use an online editor. A web editor is more efficient for the machine rather than downloading one. And the best you can get is ClipChamp Online Video Editor. The only caveat is that you will have to register on the site. If video is something with which you deal on a regular basis, registering on the site makes sense. After you have registered, create a New Project and select dimensions as “Widescreen”.
Once you are in the editor, drag and drop your music file and an overlay image on to the media window. You need to stretch the image to fit the entire video. You can use the +- icons to zoom in & zoom out of the timeline.
Now, with the video ready, click on the “Export video” button at the top-right corner of the window. ClipChamp lets you export only in 480p for a free account. This wouldn’t matter much as we are only bothered about the audio and audio quality is not affected by the resolution.
Pros:Â
- More controls over music volume, trim and other edit tools
- Multiple Image or GIF imposition
Cons:
- Unintuitive if you are new to it
- Difficult to use it on mobile
- Requires you to register.
4. Android App
If you are uploading the music through your phone and don’t have access to a laptop, Avee Player is the best Android App you can resort to. Well, the name can be confusing but Avee Player can also convert mp3 files to videos. Install the app and switch to the Library tab to select your MP3 file.
Once you have the file open move to the Visualizer tab. The player puts up a default image and visualizer for your song. Now, you can change the background and image in case you don’t like the default one. Just, tap on the Edit button at the top right and follow the instructions accordingly. Now, to convert the MP3 to a video, tap on the “Download” icon at the top right corner. Further, you will have the choice to select Bitrate such as “1080p 256 Kbps” and video codec profiles like H.264. If you want to set custom bitrates, you might have to shell out a whopping $8 *not recommended*.
Wrapping Up
The easiest and quickest way to do this is via the Online Audio to Video Converter. If you want more control over bitrates and visualizer then Avee Player is the ideal option. For any queries or issues, do let me know in the comments below and I will get back to you.
Also Read: How to Make a Poll on YouTube Channel
