How to Remove a Song from an Instagram Story After Posting
Unfortunately, once an Instagram Story is live, you cannot directly edit it to remove the music without deleting and reposting. However, there are a couple of workarounds that can help you achieve a similar result. This involves either covering the audio track using alternative sounds or deleting the entire story and re-uploading it. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how to navigate this seemingly simple, yet often frustrating, situation.
Understanding Instagram Story Limitations
Instagram, while constantly evolving, doesn’t currently offer a built-in “edit” function for Stories once they’re live. Think of it like sending a postcard; once it’s in the mail, there’s no taking it back. The platform prioritizes spontaneity and real-time content, which explains this limitation. Understanding this is the first step to finding suitable solutions.
Workaround 1: Muting the Audio
This method doesn’t technically remove the music, but it effectively silences it, replacing it with either silence or another sound effect.
Step-by-Step Guide to Muting
Assess the Situation: Is the music playing throughout the entire Story, or just in a specific section? This will determine how effective this method is.
Use the Volume Control: Instagram has a volume slider built into its Story editor. When viewing your story, look for three dots on the bottom right side of your screen, and tap on that to see if the volume control is available. Slide it all the way down to mute the entire story.
Add Another Audio Layer (Optional): You can add a different audio effect or voiceover to mask the unwanted music. Use the sticker tray to find the “Music” sticker again and add a new, quieter track or a sound effect. You can even record your voice over the existing audio (if the music wasn’t too loud initially).
Limitations of Muting
This method is best suited for situations where the offending music is only present for a short duration or where you can effectively mask it with another sound. If the music is dominant throughout the entire Story, this workaround may not be ideal.
Workaround 2: Deleting and Reposting
This is the “nuclear option,” but it guarantees the removal of the unwanted music. It’s also the cleanest approach if the music is absolutely unsuitable for the Story.
Step-by-Step Guide to Deleting and Reposting
Delete the Story: Tap the three dots at the bottom right corner of the Story and select “Delete.” Confirm your decision.
Recreate the Story: Recreate your Story using the original media (photos or videos). Pay close attention to the music selection this time around!
Double-Check Before Posting: Before hitting “Post,” preview the Story carefully to ensure the correct music is selected or that no music is included if that’s your preference.
Considerations for Deleting and Reposting
- Loss of Views and Engagement: Deleting the Story will reset all views, likes, and comments.
- Timing Matters: If the Story was time-sensitive (e.g., promoting an event happening that day), deleting and reposting might render it irrelevant.
- Consider Alternatives First: Before resorting to this method, exhaust all other options, especially if the Story has already garnered significant engagement.
Preventing Music Mishaps in the First Place
The best solution is always prevention! Before posting, meticulously preview your Stories. Pay close attention to the selected music and ensure it aligns with the overall tone and message of your content. Utilize headphones during the creation process to catch any audio errors that might be missed when using your phone’s speakers.
FAQs: Your Instagram Story Music Questions Answered
Here are 12 frequently asked questions to give you a more in-depth understanding of managing music in your Instagram Stories.
1. Can I edit an Instagram Story after 24 hours?
No. Once an Instagram Story has expired after 24 hours, it disappears from public view and cannot be edited. However, you can access it in your archive, but you won’t be able to re-post it with edits to the original story.
2. How do I adjust the volume of music in my Instagram Story before posting?
When adding music to your story, a volume slider appears that lets you adjust how loud the music is compared to any original audio in your video clip. Use this slider to balance the audio levels to your liking before publishing.
3. Can I change the part of the song that plays in my Instagram Story?
Yes, you can. After selecting a song, you can slide the timeline to choose which 15-second snippet will be played in your Story. This allows you to pick the most impactful or relevant section of the song.
4. What happens if I use copyrighted music in my Instagram Story?
Instagram has agreements with music publishers and attempts to prevent copyright infringement. If your usage is detected as violating copyright, your Story might be muted, or in some cases, removed entirely. Using shorter clips, or songs from Instagram’s library, reduces this risk.
5. Is there a way to preview my Instagram Story before posting?
Absolutely! Before posting, Instagram allows you to preview your Story. Pay close attention to the visual and audio elements, including the music, to ensure everything is perfect before it goes live.
6. Can I add music to a pre-recorded video for my Instagram Story?
Yes! When creating your Story, upload the pre-recorded video and then use the Music sticker to add a song. You can adjust the timing and volume as needed.
7. How do I add lyrics to my Instagram Story music?
When you add a song to your Story using the Music sticker, Instagram will often automatically display the lyrics. You can customize the appearance of the lyrics by tapping on the different lyric styles displayed on the screen.
8. Why can’t I find the song I want to use in Instagram’s music library?
Instagram’s music library is licensed and constantly changing. Not all songs are available. If a particular song is missing, it might be due to licensing restrictions or the song simply hasn’t been added to the library yet.
9. Can I add music to a Story highlight?
Yes, Stories that you add to your highlights will retain their music as long as the music remains available within Instagram’s library. However, you cannot add music directly to a highlight – you must add music to the original story before adding it to the highlight.
10. I accidentally muted all sound on my phone, and now I can’t hear the music on Instagram stories. How do I fix that?
Ensure that your device’s volume is turned up and that your phone is not on silent mode or Do Not Disturb. Also, check within the Instagram app settings to ensure the app itself is not muted.
11. Can other people hear the music I add to my Instagram Story?
Yes, provided they have sound enabled on their device and within the Instagram app. If a user has their sound turned off, they will not hear the music.
12. Are there any third-party apps that can help me edit my Instagram Story after posting?
While there are numerous third-party video editing apps, none can directly edit an Instagram Story that is already live. These apps can, however, be helpful for editing content before uploading it to your Story, allowing for more precise control over audio and visual elements. Remember to always be cautious when granting app permissions.
Mastering Instagram Stories involves a delicate balance of creativity, strategy, and technical understanding. While removing music after posting isn’t directly possible, these workarounds and FAQs should equip you with the knowledge to navigate most situations effectively. Remember, a little planning and previewing can save you from potential audio faux pas!
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