How to Add Your Own Music to Instagram Music Library

So you’ve created an amazing track and want to make it the soundtrack for your next Instagram Story or Reel, but when you search for it in the music library, it’s nowhere to be found. Frustrating, right? Getting your own music into Instagram’s official library isn’t as simple as uploading an MP3, but it’s absolutely doable for any artist or brand. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step by step, so you can see your song title pop up in that search bar.

Why You Can't Just Upload Music Directly to Instagram

The Instagram music library - that sticker you tap in Stories and the audio browser in Reels - is powered by official licensing agreements. Instagram doesn’t host music files themselves, instead, they tap into a massive database of commercially released music provided by record labels and digital music distributors. Think of it like Spotify or Apple Music, for a song to be available for streaming (or for use in a Reel), it has to be delivered through the proper channels.

There are two primary reasons for this system:

• Copyright and Royalties: Every time a song is used, even in a 15-second Story, the rights holders (which includes you, the artist!) are owed a small royalty. This system ensures composers, songwriters, and artists are compensated for their work. A simple upload button would create a legal nightmare of tracking and payment.
• Quality Control and Data Management: Distributors make sure all the necessary information, known as metadata (artist name, song title, album art, genre), is formatted correctly. This keeps the library organized and searchable for millions of users. It also helps prevent low-quality audio or incorrectly labeled files from cluttering the platform.

In short, to get your music onto the platform, you have to play by the rules of the music industry. But don’t worry, those rules are now more accessible to independent artists than ever before.

The Official Path: Using a Digital Music Distributor

The solution is to use a digital music distribution service. These companies act as the middleman between you and major digital storefronts and social platforms. You upload your music to one of these services, and they handle the technical work of sending it to dozens of platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, and - most importantly - Instagram and Facebook.

These distributors have existing agreements with Meta (Instagram's parent company) that allow them to deliver music directly into the system that feeds the music sticker and Reels audio library.

Choosing a Music Distributor

There are many distributors to choose from, each with a slightly different pricing model and feature set. There's no single "best" one, it's about what works for your budget and goals. Here are a few of the most popular options for independent artists:

• DistroKid: Known for its speed and simplicity. You pay a single annual fee (starting around $23/year) to upload unlimited songs and albums. You keep 100% of your royalties. DistroKid is often one of the fastest services for getting your music into storefronts and social media libraries. Best for: Artists releasing music frequently who want an affordable, no-frills service.
• TuneCore: One of the original players in the indie distribution space. TuneCore's model has shifted to also offer annual plans for unlimited releases, making it competitive with DistroKid. It also provides more advanced publishing administration services for tracking down songwriting royalties. Best for: Artists who also want to dive deeper into music publishing and royalty collection.
• CD Baby: This service works on a one-time fee per release (album or single) rather than a subscription. This means you pay once and your music stays in stores forever without recurring fees. They take a small commission (9%) on your digital distribution royalties. Best for: Artists who only release a single or an album once in a while and don't want to worry about an annual subscription.

All three of these services (and many others) have a specific option to send your music to Instagram and Facebook. Be sure to select that during the upload process.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Get Your Music on Instagram

Once you’ve selected a distributor, the process is fairly similar across all platforms. Let's walk through the steps needed to get your track from your computer into the Instagram music library.

Step 1: Get Your Files Ready

Before you even sign up, make sure you have two things finalized:

• Your mastered audio file: Your song should be mixed and professionally mastered. The distributor will require a high-quality file, usually a 16-bit, 44.1 kHz WAV format. Don't upload an MP3, as this can affect the audio quality.
• Your cover art: You need high-resolution artwork for your single or album. The standard requirement is a perfect square, at least 3000 x 3000 pixels, in JPG or PNG format. Your artwork can't include social media handles, website URLs, or logos of stores like Spotify or Apple Music.

Step 2: Choose Your Distributor and Sign Up

Go to the website for the service you've chosen (DistroKid, TuneCore, etc.) and create an account. Select the plan that fits your release schedule and budget.

Step 3: Upload Your Music and Fill Out the Metadata

This is the most critical part of the process. You'll be prompted to start a new release, where you will need to provide all the information about your song. This "metadata" is what allows your song to be identified correctly.

You'll need to enter:

• Artist Name(s): This needs to be consistent across all your releases.
• Song Title: Exactly as you want it to appear.
• Cover Art: Upload your finalized 3000x3000 pixel image.
• Audio File: Upload your high-quality WAV file.
• Track Details: This includes genre, language, and whether the track has explicit lyrics.
• Songwriting Credits: Enter the names of everyone who contributed to writing the music and lyrics.

Step 4: Explicitly Opt-In for Instagram & Facebook Delivery

During the release setup, you will see a list of "stores" or platforms where your music can be sent. It might look like a large list of checkboxes for Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc.

This is the most important step for getting your music on Instagram.

MAKE SURE you find and check the box for "Instagram & Facebook." Some distributors have this selected by default, while others might group it under "Social Media" or have it as a separate option. Don't skip this, or your music will never make it to the library.

Step 5: Add Lyrics for Your Stories (Optional but Recommended)

Want your lyrics to pop up in sync with the music when someone uses your song in a Story? You'll need to submit them. Most distributors integrate with a service called Musixmatch. After your song is submitted, you can sign up for Musixmatch as a verified artist and sync your lyrics to the track. TuneCore and DistroKid have features that make this process easier directly within their dashboards.

Step 6: Submit Your Release and Wait

After you double-check all your information, submit your release. Now, a little patience is required. Your distributor will review your submission to ensure it meets all technical requirements (this usually takes a few days). Once approved, they will start delivering it to all the platforms you selected.

It can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks for your song to appear in Instagram's music library. Speed often depends on the distributor and how backed up Meta's ingestion process is. DistroKid is generally one of the faster options, sometimes showing up within 2-3 days.

How to Find and Use Your Music After It’s Live

Once you think enough time has passed, it’s time to check! Here’s how:

1. Open the Instagram app and start creating a Story or a Reel.
2. Tap the sticker icon (the smiley face in a square) in the top-right corner.
3. Select the "Music" sticker.
4. In the search bar at the top, type either your artist name or the title of your song.
5. Your track should appear in the search results! Tap on it to add it to your content. You can scrub through the song to select the exact 15-second snippet (or up to 90 seconds for Reels) you want to use.

If it's there, congratulations! You have successfully added your own music to the Instagram music library.

A Note for Brands and Business Accounts

If you're running a business account on Instagram, you may have noticed that your music library is different - it's filled with royalty-free, generic-sounding tracks instead of popular hits. This is because business accounts are legally restricted from using most commercial music for promotional purposes without a separate (and very expensive) commercial license.

However, this is where adding your own music is a huge advantage. If your brand has created original music - like a catchy jingle, a brand anthem, or a podcast theme - you can use the same distribution process described above to get it into the Instagram library. Because you are the rights holder, you are fully licensed to use it in your marketing content. Your custom track will be available to you and your followers, allowing them to use your brand's sound in their own Reels and Stories, creating fantastic user-generated content for your business.

Final Thoughts

Getting your music into the Instagram library is an essential step for an artist or brand in building a presence on social media. The key is understanding that you need to go through the proper, official channels by using a digital music distributor to deliver your songs to Meta. It might seem like a few extra steps, but it democratizes the process, putting the power of music distribution right in your hands.

After you’ve done the creative work of producing great music and the technical work of getting it distributed, the last thing you want is for managing your social presence to feel like a chore. At Postbase, we built our platform to simplify the chaos. Once your amazing new Reel with your own custom soundtrack is ready, you can use our visual calendar to plan when it goes live alongside all your other content. We designed Postbase from the ground up for modern social media - especially short-form video on Reels and TikTok - so scheduling your content feels intuitive and reliable, not like a constant battle against a clunky, outdated tool.