Anchor Podcast Creation App Can Now Turn Videos Into Audio

Podcast creation app Anchor has been updated with a new feature that's arguably critical for audio show creators. In an update on Tuesday, Anchor said that it now supports transforming videos from major platforms like Skype into podcast audio files, which can then be edited like any other audio files. The feature simplifies things for podcast creators who want to focus on the content, not the technical aspects.

Many interviews no longer take place in person. Video chatting applications like Zoom and Google Meet are an easy way for two or more people to connect with each other at a distance — the only way interviews are currently taking place due to social distancing mandates. These videos can be recorded and saved, but extracting the audio for use in a podcast requires a bit more technical skill than some casual podcasters have.

To help with that is Anchor's new feature; it supports Google Meet, Zoom, Instagram Live, and other video chatting applications. To do this, users must record the video chat using their preferred tool, then import it as an MP4 or MOV video file into their Anchor account (via the Web platform).

The company says that Anchor will automatically convert the video file into audio, no additional steps necessary. Once converted, the user can edit the audio the same way they would any track, including trimming it, splitting it up, and similar tweaks. The user can also use the same platform to add sound effects, background music, and all of those elements.

Everything else about Anchor remains the same, including potentially hosting the content with Anchor and distributing the podcast episode through platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular destinations. To help users, Anchor has linked to video recording and exporting features found in several major tools like Twitch and FaceTime.