How to Add Music to a TikTok Story

Adding the right soundtrack can instantly transform a mediocre TikTok Story into a viral moment. This guide gives you the exact, step-by-step process for adding music to your TikTok Stories, from the basic functions to the pro tips that will help your content stand out.

Why Bother with TikTok Stories (and Music)?

Before getting into the how-to, it’s worth understanding why TikTok Stories are such a valuable tool for creators and brands. Like their counterparts on Instagram and Snapchat, TikTok Stories are short-lived video or photo clips that disappear after 24 hours. They don't live permanently on your profile grid, which gives you the freedom to be more casual, experimental, and personal.

Think of them as your creative playground. You can use Stories for:

• Behind-the-scenes content: Show your audience the process behind your polished feed videos.
• Q&As and polls: Engage directly with your community in a low-stakes format.
• Quick updates and announcements: Share timely information without creating a full-blown TikTok video.
• Testing new ideas: Unsure if a concept will land? Try it as a Story first.

In all these scenarios, music is the glue that holds everything together. On TikTok, sound is more than just background noise, it's a language in itself. The right track sets the mood, adds humor, taps into a larger cultural conversation, and tells the algorithm exactly who to show your content to. A silent Story on TikTok feels incredibly out of place, so learning to master sound is essential for success.

How to Add Music to a TikTok Story: The Simple Step-by-Step

TikTok makes the process of adding music quite intuitive. Follow these steps, and you’ll be adding trending tracks to your Stories in no time.

Step 1: Open TikTok and Access the Story Creation Mode

First things first, open the TikTok app. At the bottom of your screen, you'll see a black navigation bar. Tap the centered plus icon (‘+’) to open the camera and content creation screen. You’ll see different format options at the bottom, like "15s," "60s," and "Photo." Look for and swipe to the "Story" option. This specifically sets up your content to be published as a 24-hour Story.

Step 2: Record a New Video or Upload from Your Camera Roll

You have two choices here:

• Record on the spot: Point your camera and press and hold the red record button to capture a new video clip.
• Upload existing content: To the right of the record button, you’ll see an "Upload" button. Tap this to access your phone’s camera roll and select a pre-recorded video or a photo you’d like to use for your Story.

Once you’ve recorded or selected your content, you’ll be taken to the main editing screen. This is where the magic happens.

Step 3: Accessing TikTok's Extensive Music Library

At the top of the editing screen, look for the "Add sound" button, which often appears with a musical note icon next to it. Tap this to open TikTok's massive audio library.

Inside, you'll find sounds organized into several categories:

• For You: A curated list of sounds the algorithm thinks you'll like based on your viewing habits.
• Trending: A list of the hottest, most viral sounds on the platform right now. This is a goldmine for increasing your reach.
• Playlists: Thematic collections like "Hip Hop," "Indie," or "Summer Vibes."
• Search Bar: Use this if you have a specific song title, artist, or sound in mind.

Step 4: Choosing and Selecting the Perfect Track

Tap on any song to hear a preview. When you find one you like, simply tap the red checkmark button next to it to add it to your Story. The sound library will close, and you'll be brought back to the editing screen with the music now overlaid on your video.

Don't worry about getting it perfect on the first try. The next step is all about customizing the sound to fit your video.

Step 5: Trim and Adjust the Music

Once you’ve selected a sound, its title and artist will appear at the top of the editing screen. If you tap on the song title, a menu will pop up. From there, tap the scissors icon labeled "Trim."

This opens up TikTok's audio editing tool. You’ll see a visual representation of the song's waveform. You can drag this waveform left or right to choose the exact snippet of the song that you want to play during your story. This is incredibly important for:

• Matching a beat drop to a visual action in your video.
• Selecting specific lyrics that add humor or context to your Story.
• Starting the music at the most engaging part of the track.

Play around with this until the audio perfectly complements your visual content, then tap "Done."

Step 6: Balance Your Audio Levels

What if you recorded a video where you’re speaking, but you also want music in the background? You need to adjust the volume levels. On the right-hand side of the main editing screen, tap the arrow or downward-facing chevron to reveal more editing options. Find and tap the "Volume" button.

Here, you'll see two sliders:

• Original sound: The audio that was captured when you recorded your video.
• Added sound: The music you just selected from the library.

Slide them up or down to find the right balance. For a music-driven Story, you’d turn the "Original sound" all the way down. For a vlog-style Story where you’re talking over a beat, you might set "Original sound" to 100% and "Added sound" to around 10-20% for a subtle ambiance.

Step 7: Finalize and Post Your Story

With your music perfectly trimmed and balanced, you can now add other creative elements like text, stickers, GIFs, or filters. Once you’re happy with how everything looks and sounds, tap the "Your Story" button at the bottom right. Your Story will be published and available for your followers to see for the next 24 hours.

Beyond the Basics: Tips for Choosing the Right Music

Adding a song is easy. Adding the right song is an art. Here are a few strategies to help your Stories connect with a wider audience.

1. Jump on Trending Sounds (But Do It Smartly)

Using trending sounds is one of the most effective ways to boost your visibility. The TikTok algorithm favors content that uses currently popular audio. Find these sounds by scrolling through your "For You" page or by checking the "Trending" tab in the sound library. The key is to adapt the trend to your niche. Don't just copy what others are doing, find a way to make the sound work authentically for your brand or personality.

2. Match the Vibe, Not Just the Trend

Sometimes, the best sound isn’t the one that’s going viral - it’s the one that perfectly captures the mood of your content. A quiet, behind-the-scenes moment might call for a chill lo-fi beat, not a high-energy dance track. A triumphant announcement can be elevated with an epic, cinematic score. Always ask yourself: does this sound enhance the story I’m trying to tell?

3. Tell a Story with Sound Selection

Take it a step further by using lyrical content to provide another layer of humor or meaning. For instance, you could post a chaotic video of setting up for an event with a sound clip that repeatedly says, "I'm so stressed out." Juxtaposing the audio with the visuals in a clever way creates hyper-relatable content that audiences love.

4. Understand Commercial Sound Licensing

If you have a TikTok Business Account, you'll notice your music options are different. You will have access to the Commercial Music Library, which contains over a million pre-cleared, royalty-free songs and sounds for you to use in your promotional content without legal worries. While this library is more restrictive than the one available to creator accounts, it protects you and your brand from potential copyright infringement issues. It's important to use only these pre-cleared sounds for any branded or sponsored content.

Troubleshooting: What to Do When Adding Music Goes Wrong

Even a simple process can have hitches. Here are some common problems and their solutions.

"I can't find a specific song I want."

This usually happens for one of two reasons. Firstly, you might have a Business Account and the song isn't in the Commercial Music Library. Secondly, the song may not be licensed for use on TikTok in your region. The best solution is to either find a similar-sounding track or switch your creative direction and pick a different song that still fits the vibe.

"The sound is greyed out or unavailable."

If you see a sound you’ve saved but can’t use it, it likely means the sound has been removed from TikTok due to a copyright issue or because the original creator of the sound has deleted their video or set their account to private. Unfortunately, there’s no way around this - you'll have to choose a different sound.

"My original video audio is too loud over the music."

This is a quick fix! As detailed in Step 6, just go back into the main editing screen, tap the side arrow to reveal more tools, open the "Volume" settings, and slide the "Original sound" down until the music takes prominence.

Final Thoughts

Adding the right music to your TikTok Story is a simple process that can dramatically boost your engagement and make your content feel native to the platform. By following these steps and creatively choosing songs that align with trends and your content's mood, you can create captivating Stories that truly connect with your audience.

Consistently planning out your TikTok Stories, Reels, and Shorts is by far the biggest driver of audience growth. As we developed Postbase, we focused on making short-form video scheduling feel totally effortless. Our visual calendar gives you a clear, bird's-eye view of your entire content strategy across every platform, so you can stop juggling apps and spend more of your time making awesome stuff your audience will love.