Removing audio tracks from mkv

[MaRa-23]

How do I remove an audio track from an mkv file? I don't want to save the track anywhere, I just want it deleted from the mkv stream to save space.

Any input appreciated. :P

[Baldrick]

Have you played around with mkvtoolnix? You might have to extract the video and audio and make new mkv.

[Ai Haibara]

If I remember correctly, you can try playing with mkvmerge under the mkvtoolnix setups (as Baldrick indicated) and MKVExtractGUI (which I think has a GUI for mkvmerge). (Sorry, it's been a while since I worked with it; I really need to install them on the system I'm using at the moment, too. )
If you install MKVExtractGUI, be sure to install the proper build of mkvtoolnix to the same directory as well.

If your MKV doesn't have H.264/VFR video, you can try loading it in VirtualDubMod and deleting the audio track from the Streams>Stream List menu options, then save (make sure the Video is set to 'Direct Stream Copy.') (I'm not sure if that'll still work if your video IS H.264/VFR; VDubMod will definitely throw an error. (Its MKV support is rather outdated, now, and it should tell you that at least once.))

[MaRa-23]

I used MKVExtractGUI to remove the unwanted audio track. What an amazing application! So easy to use... The whole operation was smooth as butter.

Thanks for your help!

[TSX1]

I used MKVExtractGUI to remove the unwanted audio track. What an amazing application! So easy to use... The whole operation was smooth as butter.

Thanks for your help!

'MaRa-23' , Can you explain how you did that?
I have a MKV file with a H264 video stream and 2 audio streams and I want to remove one of the audio streams.
Thanks in advance

[blizno]

I used MKVExtractGUI to remove the unwanted audio track. What an amazing application! So easy to use... The whole operation was smooth as butter. :)

Thanks for your help!

'MaRa-23' , Can you explain how you did that?
I have a MKV file with a H264 video stream and 2 audio streams and I want to remove one of the audio streams.
Thanks in advance

I'm doing it even as I write. I opened mkvmergeGUI and loaded the mkv under "Input files".
In the "Tracks" window I found the video track, both audio tracks and a subtitle track. I deselected the subtitle track and the audio track I don't want and clicked "Start muxing".
It's about 2/3 done.

[MysticE]

AVI-Mux GUI also works.

[llaadd]

the first 2 didn't work (found errors or something and was unable to process), tried AVI-Mux GUI and seemed to work but it didn't! any idea's how i can fix this video file?

[hifia22]

Hey, guys. I want to remove an audio track from an mkv too, it's just...I don't have a clue I'll try the things you said, but if I remove the audio track I want, is there any chance that the mkv gets f*cked up? As I said, I'm a total newbie :P

[llaadd]

Hey, guys. I want to remove an audio track from an mkv too, it's just...I don't have a clue I'll try the things you said, but if I remove the audio track I want, is there any chance that the mkv gets f*cked up? As I said, I'm a total newbie :P

As long as you save the modified file as a separate file, then you can always go back to the original, if anything is wrong with the one you created

[Shadotaku]

PLEASE HELP. When I use mkvmergeGUI the output file appears to be fine and even plays on vlc media player, but no matter how many times I redo it it wont let me skip to further along in the video. The player just crashes, can anyone give me some advice?

[poisondeathray]

PLEASE HELP. When I use mkvmergeGUI the output file appears to be fine and even plays on vlc media player, but no matter how many times I redo it it wont let me skip to further along in the video. The player just crashes, can anyone give me some advice?

maybe the raw video stream is damaged?

try another player? eg. mpchc or kmplayer

[Shadotaku]

I'll give the players a try, but I've tried using the original mkv, I've tried extracting the files I want first, reinstalling and doing all this with different mkvs. Had a small break-through by extracting the timecode txt documents but still doesn't always jump any point in the video.

[Shadotaku]

Not sure what the problem was but thanks so much for the video player reccomendations, I think KMPlayer is much better than VLC and there's no problem with my newly muxed and space saving mkv files.

[kcmccombs]

okay i used mkvextractgui on a mkv that has 3 audio files and subtitles when exacted the audio files and went back and ran mediainfo and all files are still there. so dose mkvextractgui just takes a copy if so how do i completely remove the files.

[Baldrick]

okay i used mkvextractgui on a mkv that has 3 audio files and subtitles when exacted the audio files and went back and ran mediainfo and all files are still there. so dose mkvextractgui just takes a copy if so how do i completely remove the files.

Use mkvtoolnix (mkvmergegui) to remove tracks and save as a new mkv. The mkvextract doesn't change the original mkv.

[kcmccombs]

thanks seems to work good.

[cal_tony]

Best way to do it is to demux all the streams than remux only those streams you want back into a new MKV.

Tony

[kcmccombs]

don't know how to do this or what to use

[cal_tony]

You can use the Extract from gui for MKV toolnix or you can use MKVcleaver to extract all the streams you want. I usually use MKVcleaver. I insert the streams I want into the MMG gui for MKVtoolnix. Usually I select the video, audio and subtitles.To re-insert chapters you have to go to the global screen and select chapters. If the chapters are in the same folder as the other items they will pop up in the select prompt screen.

MKVtoolnix will allow you to use the MMG function to just de-select the items you no longer want from the original MKV but this procedure has never worked properly. A MKV re-muxed just using the de-select method will take much longer to load in a software player but they will usually play. In a Media player a MKV done using this procedure will usually lock the player requiring the power plug be removed and re-inserted. My WD player will take as long as 20 seconds to load a MKV that has been done using de-selection method but they will play. My Seagate players just lock up.

Tony

[SamyK]

I apologize for digging out this old thread, but it perfectly fits my current problem.

Situation:
I have about 80 MKV files with Dual Audio of which I want to remove one.
-> mkvmerge GUI does the job perfectly well and also very fast

Problem:
When I add all 80 files and disable in very of these files the concerning audio type and then start the conversion, the tool creates a 15 GB file containing all the 80 videos...
Is there a function to tell the tool to create an individual file for each video?

Kindest regards,
Samy

[Baldrick]

Nope, it can't split like that. Only by size or time.

You must probably use the mkvmerge command line in a batch file. See https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/324596-BATCH-remove-audio-track-from-mkv?p=2012560&...=1#post2012560

[infini]

2 questions:
1) How much space is gained by removing one audio track?
2) Do i loose in video and audio quality by this procedure?
Thanks!

[novw]

Than what? I mean, I end up with a file bla.h264, a file bla.aac and one bla.srt.

The soundfile plays, the subtitles can be read. WHAT is a .h264 file and what do I do with it? Better yet, how do I re-join them?

[namsilat]

I tried AVI-Mux GUI to remove audio tracks from a MKV file, but I am not sure if I did it correctly. After loading the MKV file, I unchecked the audio tracks that I don't want, and clicked "start", thinking that would re-create the MKV file without those audio tracks. Unfortunately it didn't work, the output file is basically identical to the original file. Any idea?

[hello_hello]

I tried AVI-Mux GUI to remove audio tracks from a MKV file, but I am not sure if I did it correctly. After loading the MKV file, I unchecked the audio tracks that I don't want, and clicked "start", thinking that would re-create the MKV file without those audio tracks. Unfortunately it didn't work, the output file is basically identical to the original file. Any idea?

Use MKVMergeGUI instead.

[mlmiller707]

DO I extract the files I do or don't want. If I extract the ones I want how do I join them back together? And for the opposite? Thanks

[mlmiller707]

I reread the post and extracted the files I do want. However when clicking on mkvmerge, it opens a cmd window and shows a bunch of data then closes. Maybe it's b/c mkvextract was currently running?

[sneaker]

mkvmerge.exe is a command-line tool. You cannot just double-click it, it has no graphical interface.
For a graphical interface you use mkvtoolnix-gui.exe. I recommend to not demux first, it is a waste of time. Just drag&drop your source file into mkvtoolnix gui, then uncheck the tracks you want to get rid of and then click "start muxing".

[mlmiller707]

mkvmerge.exe is a command-line tool. You cannot just double-click it, it has no graphical interface.
For a graphical interface you use mkvtoolnix-gui.exe. I recommend to not demux first, it is a waste of time. Just drag&drop your source file into mkvtoolnix gui, then uncheck the tracks you want to get rid of and then click "start muxing".

Ok well I used mkvtoolnix before I read your post. It seemed to work, muxing only 2 tracks, (did not understand what it meant with the chapters, not something I use anyway), however when going to play the new file, it would not open. the old file with the additional audio tracks, and subs, opened but not very smoothly. I am taking the new file onto my other machine. this one is not that fast. Do you think the new file is ok? It opened in MPC, but did not play, when ff it did not make audio nor video. It did both with original file, but not at all watchable. Just installed new codec pack.