How to Add Music to a Facebook Video

Adding music to a Facebook video can transform a simple clip into something compelling, but figuring out how to do it can feel a little confusing. This guide breaks down exactly how to add audio to your Facebook Stories, Reels, and standard feed videos, while also clarifying the platform’s rules on music so your content stays safe.

First, a Quick-But-Important Note on Copyright

Before you start adding your favorite chart-topping song to your video, it’s a good idea to understand why Facebook has specific rules about music. The short version: professional artists and record labels own the rights to their music. To use their songs without permission (or a proper license) would be copyright infringement, which can get your video muted or even taken down.

To navigate this, Facebook has licensing agreements with many labels that allow you to use a wide range of popular songs in personal content like Reels and Stories. However, these licenses often come with restrictions, especially for business accounts or paid ads.

So, What Music Can You Safely Use?

You generally have three safe paths for adding music to your Facebook videos:

• Facebook's In-App Music Library: For formats like Reels and Stories, Facebook provides a licensed music library directly within the app. This is the easiest and safest option for personal content. Business accounts may see a more limited selection of royalty-free music here.
• Your Own Original Audio: If you've created your own music or sound effects, you're free to use them however you like because you own the copyright.
• Royalty-Free Music Libraries &, Licensed Tracks: This is a popular option for professional creators and brands. Services like Epidemic Sound, Artlist, or even Meta's own Sound Collection provide thousands of high-quality tracks you can use without worrying about copyright strikes. You typically pay a subscription or a one-time fee for a license.

Bottom line? Stick to these approved sources, and you won't have to worry about your sound getting stripped from your video right after you post it.

How to Add Music to a Facebook Reel or Story (The Easy Way)

Facebook makes adding music to its short-form, ephemeral content like Reels and Stories incredibly simple. Both formats use essentially the same interface, drawing from a vast library of popular, licensed music.

Step-by-Step Guide for Reels &, Stories

1. Start Creating: Open the Facebook app and tap "Create Reel" or "Create Story" at the top of your news feed. You can either record a new video right there or upload a clip from your phone's camera roll.
2. Access the Music Library: Once your video clip is on the screen, look for an icon that says “Audio” or looks like a musical note. It’s usually located in the editing tools menu on the right side of the screen. Tap it.
3. Choose Your Song: You'll now see the music library. You can browse through categories like "Popular," check out recommended tracks, or use the search bar at the top to find a specific artist or song title. You can also tap the "Saved" tab to find any audios you’ve saved from other people’s Reels.
4. Preview and Select: Tap on a song to hear a preview. Once you find one you like, tap it again to add it to your video.
5. Trim the Audio: Your video will start playing with the new music overlaid. At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see the song's waveform. You can drag this timeline left or right to select the exact part of the song you want to use. Reels and Stories often only feature a 15- to 60-second snippet, so picking the most impactful part is important.
6. Adjust Audio Levels (Optional but Recommended): Look for an "Audio Controls" or mixer icon. This allows you to balance the volume of the original audio from your video (like someone speaking) with the added music. For instance, you could lower the music volume so it serves as a subtle background track rather than overpowering your dialogue.
7. Finish and Share: Once your music is perfectly synced, add any other effects, text, or stickers you want, then proceed to the sharing screen. Add your caption and hashtags, and post your creation.

This native process is designed to be fast and intuitive, making it the go-to method for adding audio to Reels and Stories.

How to Add Music to a Standard Facebook Feed Video

This is where things get a bit different. When you upload a standard video directly to your News Feed (not as a Reel or Story), you'll notice there isn't a convenient "Audio" button with a library of Top 40 hits. The flexibility and licensing seen in Reels and Stories don’t apply here in the same way.

For regular videos, you have to add the music before you upload the video to Facebook. There are two primary ways to do this correctly.

Method 1: Use Meta's Sound Collection for Business/Creator Pages

If you're managing a professional Facebook Page, Meta provides its own database of royalty-free songs and sound effects called the Meta Sound Collection. This resource is designed specifically for creators and businesses to use across Meta platforms (Facebook and Instagram) without any copyright concerns.

How to Use the Sound Collection:

1. Access Creator Studio or Meta Business Suite: Log in to your Facebook account and navigate to Meta Business Suite. This is the command center for managing your page.
2. Find the Sound Collection: In the menu on the left, look for "All Tools" and then find the "Sound Collection" under the "File Management" or a similar section.
3. Browse and Download: You can filter thousands of tracks by genre, mood, tempo, and vocals. Listen to tracks to find the perfect fit for your video, then simply download the audio file directly to your computer.
4. Add the Music in a Video Editor: Now you have an audio file and a video file. You'll need to use a video editing program (more on those below) to combine them. Import both your video clip and the downloaded music track into the editor, layer the music over your video, and export the final combined file.
5. Upload to Facebook: You can now upload this final video file to your Facebook page as usual. Since the music came from Meta's approved collection, you won’t run into any copyright issues.

Method 2: Use a Third-Party Video Editing App (Most Flexible Option)

For the most creative control, editing your video in a separate application before uploading is the best route. This method works for both personal profiles and business pages and allows you to add any licensed or royalty-free music you have.

Popular Video Editing Apps:

• Mobile Editors: Apps like CapCut, InShot, and Splice are incredibly user-friendly and packed with features. Many even have their own libraries of royalty-free music you can use directly.
• Desktop Editors: For more heavy-duty editing, tools like iMovie (for Mac), DaVinci Resolve (a powerful free option), or Adobe Premiere Pro offer professional-grade capabilities.

General Steps for Using a Third-Party Editor:

1. Import Your Files: Open your video editor and create a new project. Import the video clips you want to use. Next, import your audio track. This can be a song from your app's built-in library, a track downloaded from the Meta Sound Collection, or music from a subscription service like Epidemic Sound.
2. Layer Your Audio: Drag your video clip(s) to the main timeline. Then, drag your audio file to the audio track on the timeline, usually situated below the video track.
3. Edit and Sync: Trim the audio track to start and end where you want it in your video timeline. Next, you can adjust the audio volume to ensure it doesn’t overpower any speaking in your video. Most of all, it's important to match the cuts and key moments in your video to the rhythm of the music.
4. Export and Upload: Once your video looks and sounds great, export it as a high-quality video file (in a standard file format like MP4, for example). Once it's ready, upload the file from your phone or computer directly to Facebook as a new post.

Best Practices for Music in Facebook Videos

Just adding music isn't enough, using it effectively is what captures attention and boosts engagement. Here are a few strategic tips:

Match the Vibe

The music should complement the mood of your video, not fight against it. An upbeat, energetic track can make a workout tutorial more exciting, while a calm, gentle song can give a scenic video a more emotional feel. Ask yourself: What feeling do I want my viewer to have?

Jump on Trending Audio (for Reels)

The algorithm for Reels heavily favors trending sounds. When you hear a particular song or audio clip repeatedly on your feed, using it in your own Reel can give it a visibility boost. Tap the audio on another Reel to see its name and save it for future use.

Watch Your Volume Levels

If your video includes someone talking, make sure the background music is quiet enough that you can still hear them clearly. There is nothing more frustrating for a viewer than straining to hear dialogue over a loud soundtrack. Use a tool's audio mixer feature for finding the perfect balance.

Let Music Tell The Story

Good music selection can do a lot of narrative heavy lifting. A sudden change in music can signal a plot twist, a build-up in tempo can create suspense, and a fade-out can provide a soft, thoughtful ending. Think of your soundtrack as another character in your video.

Final Thoughts

Adding music to your Facebook videos is a straightforward process once you know which tool to use for each format. For Reels and Stories, Facebook’s built-in music library is your best friend, while for regular feed videos, you'll want to layer your soundtrack in a third-party editor using royalty-free music or Meta’s Sound Collection.

Once you’ve crafted the perfect video with awesome sound, the next challenge is planning to publish your engaging video content across all your social channels. We here at Postbase built our tool specifically to address these issues and make the publishing process a whole lot easier. Our social media marketing tool, Postbase, is designed from the ground up with a “Video-First Approach” and gives you a visual calendar to plan and schedule all your Reels, Shorts, and other video content across every one of your social platforms from one central location. This means you can spend more of your time creating amazing content and less time worrying about how and when it'll be published.