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How to Add Music to Instagram Videos: A Definitive Guide

Adding music to your Instagram videos is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. Music elevates the mood, boosts engagement, and makes your content more shareable. The short answer to “How do you add music to Instagram videos?” is this: you can do it directly within the Instagram app during the creation process for Reels, Stories, and in-feed videos, utilizing the app’s music library. You can also add music before uploading by using a third-party video editing app.

Let’s dive deeper into each method and explore some insider tips to make your videos sound amazing.

Adding Music Within Instagram: The Native Approach

Instagram has made it incredibly easy to add music directly to your videos. This is often the quickest and simplest method, especially for casual content creators.

Adding Music to Instagram Reels

Reels are the kings and queens of Instagram engagement these days, and music plays a critical role in their success.

Open Instagram and Navigate to Reels: Tap the “+” icon at the bottom of the screen and select “Reel.”
Record or Upload Your Video: You can either record a new video within the Reels interface or upload one from your phone’s gallery.
Tap the Music Icon: Look for the music note icon at the top of the screen (it’s usually right in the middle). Tapping this opens the Instagram music library.
Browse or Search for Music: The music library offers curated playlists based on popularity, genre, and mood. You can also use the search bar to find a specific song or artist.
Select Your Song: Once you find the perfect track, tap on it to preview it.
Choose Your Clip: This is crucial! Instagram usually lets you select a specific portion of the song (often 15 seconds for Reels) that best fits your video. Use the slider at the bottom to pinpoint the perfect moment.
Adjust the Audio Levels: After selecting your song, you can adjust the volume of the music relative to the original audio of your video. This is especially important if you want your voice to be heard over the music.
Add Effects and Text (Optional): Enhance your Reel further with filters, text overlays, stickers, and other creative elements.
Post Your Reel: Once you’re happy with your creation, add a caption, hashtags, and share it with the world!

Adding Music to Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories offer a more ephemeral way to share content, but music can still make a huge impact.

Open Instagram and Navigate to Stories: Swipe right from the main feed or tap the “+” icon at the top and select “Story.”
Record or Upload Your Video: Just like with Reels, you can either record a new video or upload one from your camera roll.
Access the Sticker Tray: Tap the sticker icon (a square with a smiley face) at the top of the screen.
Select the “Music” Sticker: Scroll through the sticker options until you find the “Music” sticker.
Browse or Search for Music: The music library will appear, offering similar features to the Reels music library.
Choose Your Song and Clip: Select the perfect portion of the song for your Story. The allowed clip length is usually shorter than Reels, often just a few seconds.
Customize the Music Sticker: Instagram offers different ways to display the music information on your Story. You can choose to show the song title and artist, the album art, or even lyrics.
Place the Sticker: Drag the music sticker to your desired location on the screen. You can also resize and rotate it.
Post Your Story: Share your musically-enhanced Story with your followers.

Adding Music to Instagram In-Feed Videos

While less common, you can also add music to standard in-feed videos using Instagram’s built-in tools. This is usually best for shorter, more polished videos.

Upload Your Video: Tap the “+” icon at the bottom of the screen and select “Post.” Choose your video from your camera roll.
Apply Filters (Optional): Instagram allows you to apply filters to your videos before posting.
Tap “Next” to Edit: This takes you to the editing screen.
Tap the Music Icon: Look for the music note icon.
Select Your Song and Clip: The process is similar to adding music to Reels. Choose your song and select the perfect section.
Adjust Audio Levels: Balance the music and original video audio.
Write a Caption and Post: Add a compelling caption and relevant hashtags, then share your video.

Adding Music Before Uploading: The Third-Party Approach

For more control and creative flexibility, consider adding music to your Instagram videos before uploading them to the platform. This method typically involves using a third-party video editing app.

Why Use a Third-Party App?

Greater Control: Third-party apps offer more granular control over audio editing, including features like audio fades, multi-track mixing, and sound effects.
Wider Music Selection: You’re not limited to Instagram’s music library. You can use your own music files or subscribe to royalty-free music services.
Advanced Editing Features: Video editing apps typically offer a wider range of video editing tools than Instagram, allowing you to create more polished and professional-looking videos.

The Process

Choose Your App: Select a video editing app that meets your needs and budget.
Import Your Video: Import the video you want to edit into the app.
Add Your Music: Most apps allow you to import music from your device’s storage or from a cloud service.
Edit the Audio: Trim the music track, adjust the volume, add fades, and mix it with the original audio of your video.
Edit the Video (Optional): Take advantage of the app’s video editing features to further enhance your video.
Export Your Video: Export the finished video in a format compatible with Instagram (MP4 is recommended).
Upload to Instagram: Upload the video to Instagram as a Reel, Story, or in-feed video.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about adding music to Instagram videos:

1. Why can’t I find the music I want on Instagram?

Instagram’s music library is limited by licensing agreements. Some songs may not be available in certain regions or may be restricted based on the type of account you have (personal vs. business). Consider using a royalty-free music service or a third-party app.

2. Can I use copyrighted music on Instagram?

Technically, using copyrighted music without permission is a violation of copyright law. Instagram actively monitors content for copyright infringement and may remove videos that contain copyrighted music.

3. What is royalty-free music?

Royalty-free music is music that you can use without having to pay royalties to the copyright holder each time your video is played. You typically pay a one-time fee for a license to use the music.

4. How do I adjust the volume of the music in my Instagram video?

Within the Instagram app, you can adjust the volume of the music relative to the original audio of your video using the volume slider. In third-party apps, you have more granular control over audio levels.

5. How long can my music clip be on Instagram?

For Reels, the music clip can be up to 90 seconds, matching the maximum Reel length. Stories typically have shorter clip limits, often 15 seconds or less. In-feed videos can have longer music clips depending on the overall video length.

6. Can I add lyrics to my Instagram Stories?

Yes! When you select a song for your Story, Instagram may automatically display the lyrics on the screen. You can customize the font, color, and position of the lyrics.

7. How do I avoid copyright issues when using music on Instagram?

Use music from Instagram’s built-in library, use royalty-free music, or obtain permission from the copyright holder before using copyrighted music.

8. Can I add multiple songs to my Instagram video?

Within the Instagram app, you can only add one song per Reel, Story, or in-feed video. To add multiple songs, you’ll need to use a third-party video editing app.

9. Can I use my own voiceover with music on Instagram?

Yes! When you record a video within Instagram, your voice will be recorded along with the video. You can then add music and adjust the volume levels to create a balanced audio mix.

10. How do I make my Instagram video sound more professional?

Use high-quality audio, balance the music and original audio levels, add audio fades, and consider using sound effects. A good microphone can make a huge difference in the overall sound quality.

11. How do I add music to a pre-existing Instagram post?

Unfortunately, you can’t directly add music to an existing Instagram post. You would need to delete the post, add the music to the video using one of the methods described above, and then repost the video.

12. What are some good resources for finding royalty-free music?

Some popular royalty-free music services include:

Epidemic Sound
Artlist
Soundstripe
PremiumBeat
YouTube Audio Library

Adding music to your Instagram videos is a powerful way to enhance your content and connect with your audience. Whether you use Instagram’s built-in tools or a third-party video editing app, the key is to choose music that complements your video and creates the desired mood. Experiment with different techniques and find what works best for you.