How do I download audio files from Web pages?

This may seem like a weird question, but how do I download audio files when they appear as links on Web pages? If I click on the link, a mini-audio player starts up in my Web browser, but I want to copy the info onto my iPod, not listen on the computer. What's the trick?

Dave's Answer:

I just today got a mailing from The Teaching Company and saw the self-same issue arise, actually, so let me step through how I saved the audio file and you'll see how you can solve it too.

The link in the email took me to a page about The History of the Olympic Games, a page that features download links for two lecutres on the Greek originsl of the games by Professor Jeremy McInerney, Associate Professor in the Department of Classical Studies and Chair of the Graduate Group in Ancient History at the University of Pennsylvania.

The actual download links on that page look like this:

The Teaching Company's free lectures on the history of the olympic games

Nice, but if I click on one of 'em, I see this:

Playing an audio file (history of olympic games) in a Web browser

Not what I want. What I want to see is a 'save' dialog box so I can actually save the file to my computer.

The secret is to right click (or, if you're on a Mac like me, control-click) and then you'll see a pop-up contextual menu with options like this:

Saving an audio file (history of olympic games) in a Web browser

As you can see, choose "Save Link As..." and you'll get the save dialog box you were hoping to have seen earlier:

Saving an audio file (history of olympic games) in a Web browser: file name?

Now, finally, you know how to save audio files that otherwise end up being played in your browser when you really want to drop 'em onto your iPod or cell phone.

Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics (Article 8416, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: downloading audio, ipod, olympic games
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Comments

In Windows XP, the right-click menu item you want is "Save Target As...".

Posted by: PaulM at August 1, 2008 11:49 AM

Hi Dave, I stumbled across your website while doing a google search. I have to say it's pretty interesting. I am working on a website for a charity organization (I am not a professional designer or anything, it's just something I do in my spare time, thus I am not very advanced) and they need me to put some audio files on the site. I have put them up as buttons on the home page and they work fine as links, but I cannot figure out how to make the 'save' dialog box appear. The organization has requested that I change the files to make them "downloadable so as to give the listener an opportunity to save it to their computer, phone, etc." I've tried the advice you have given about right-clicking the file and hit the 'save as' but the 'save as' does not appear when I right-click. Like I said I am not advanced in the world of web design so some advice would be greatly appreciated. Oh by the way, I am doing all of this in Dreamweaver. Ok, Thanks Dave!

Posted by: Stephanie Brasher at April 29, 2009 3:50 AM

Stephanie, it doesn't work because you are using Adobe Flash for the buttons. You need to use links like those you have at the top of the page for "Home", "Calendar", "Contact Us", etc.

Another thing you could do instead of using Flash is simply use pictures for the buttons that you can click on (in the same way a picture is used at the top of this page, for example) although you won't get the animation effects you have now.

Posted by: Bob at October 12, 2009 1:33 AM

TYVM, very helpful.

Posted by: Anonymous at December 13, 2010 6:52 PM

Awesum advice! so easy but SOO useful!
thanks so much Dave

Posted by: katie at January 20, 2011 11:18 PM

how do i download the audio from the following page..??
http://www.france-pub.com/french/alphabet.html

Posted by: Zainil at April 13, 2011 11:34 AM

Thanks a lot. Vry easy but very useful. Greetings from Dakar, Senegal. Blllleeeessss!!!

Posted by: berto at April 19, 2011 10:47 AM

Zainil, as far as I can tell, they have a custom widget on their site so you can't just figure out the audio file and download it separately. What you could do is use something like Wiretap (for the Mac) or a PC equivalent to actually *play* the audio and record it simultaneously, perhaps while you're sleeping, then you'd have a copy. Good luck!

Posted by: Dave Taylor at April 22, 2011 9:30 AM

Hi and thx for the tips, two questions for you;

Do I need to use wiretap for downloading these guys 2:

http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_details_new.php?seriesid=2010-D-67271&semesterid=2010-D

And if yes where I can get the software, and also I wonder if there is any way to download these guys 2:

http://academicearth.org/lectures/sequential-games-1

thank you again

Posted by: Eric at April 23, 2011 11:08 PM

Hi Dave,
Help Please! I would like to convert some files from
http://store.debbieford.com/pages.php?pID=59
and cannot seem to be able to get it to work. My computer is a Mac. When I control-click, as you suggested, on the file I don't get the "save link as" ... any advice would be most appreciated.

Posted by: Victoria Kulovic at September 27, 2011 8:49 PM

Victoria, those files are all audio files embedded in the Flash audio player. I don't think there is any easy way to save them short of using an audio recording app like Wiretap. (Google it)

Posted by: Dave Taylor at September 27, 2011 9:49 PM

Dave, first, thanks for answering my question (from Victoria K. asking about files from http://store.debbieford.com/pages.php?pID=59). You suggested that I check out Wiretap, but I am a complete moron when it comes to this stuff so I need to know your advice. What would you do if you were me and you really wanted to be able to upload this to your ipod? Would it be possible or am I just plain out of luck? And, if it is possible, I kind of want it to be "easy."

Also, wanted you to know, I just bought you a cup of Chai. Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for the help. Oh, and I have a daughter who graduated from Purdue. So, "Go Boilermakers"

Vicky

Posted by: Vickykul at September 28, 2011 8:39 AM

Vicky, Ambrosia Software has some very good tutorial videos online: http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/wiretap/videos/ Go watch a few, see if it instills you with confidence. :-)

Posted by: Dave Taylor at September 28, 2011 9:45 AM

I have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!