How to Edit Music on Facebook Reels

You’ve found the perfect song for your Facebook Reel, but the part playing over your video clip is not it. The intro is too slow, the best part of the chorus is missing, or the music is drowning out your original audio. Getting the sound right is one of the most important parts of creating a Reel that people actually want to watch, and thankfully, Facebook’s built-in tools give you more control than you might think. This guide will walk you through exactly how to edit the music on your Facebook Reels, from trimming songs to the perfect section to balancing your audio levels like a pro.

Finding and Adding Music to Your Reel

Before we start editing, let's quickly cover the basics of adding audio. If you’ve already got this part down, feel free to skip ahead. If not, here’s how to add a music track to your video.

1. Start Your Reel: Open the Facebook app, tap "Create Reel," and either record a new video or upload one from your camera roll.
2. Open the Audio Library: On the right-hand editing menu, tap the Audio icon (it looks like a musical note).
3. Choose Your Song: You can browse through recommended tracks, check out curated playlists, or use the search bar at the top to find a specific song or artist. You can also tap the "Saved" tab to use a sound you've previously saved.
4. Preview and Select: Tap on a song to hear a preview. When you find one you like, tap on it to add it to your Reel.

Once you select a song, it will be added to your video, and Facebook will automatically play a specific snippet - usually the most popular part of the song. Now, it's time to customize it.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Editing Music on Facebook Reels

Once you've selected your audio track, the editing process begins. Facebook's editor allows you to perform two primary actions on the music itself: trimming the track to select your preferred section and adjusting its volume level against your video's original sound.

1. How to Trim the Music to Select the Perfect Clip

You don't have to stick with the default section of the song Facebook chooses. If you want the beat to drop at a specific moment or prefer a certain lyric to sync with your video, the trimming tool is your best friend.

• After adding a song, stay in the Audio screen. At the bottom, you'll see a pink audio waveform slider. This represents the part of the song that is currently selected to play on your Reel.
• Drag the slider left or right. Simply place your finger on the waveform and drag it sideways. As you move it, you’ll be scrubbing through the entire song. This allows you to find the exact 15, 30, 60, or 90-second snippet you want to use.
• Listen and refine. Pay attention to the audio as you drag. Find the chorus, an instrumental break, or a specific lyrical line that matches the vibe of your video. For example, if your Reel is a big reveal, you might want to time it perfectly with a beat drop.
• Tap "Done." Once you've landed on the perfect clip of the song, tap the "Done" button at the top right corner to save your selection.

2. How to Adjust Volume and Mix Audio Levels

Sometimes, the background music is the star of the show. Other times, it’s just that - background. And often, you have original audio from your video (like someone speaking, a voice-over, or environmental sounds) that needs to be heard clearly.

This is where the audio mixer comes in.

• From the main editing screen, tap the "Audio" icon again. If you already have music added, this will now bring you to the mixing tools instead of the music library. You should see a "Mix" option.
• Access the Volume Sliders: Tap "Mix" in the top left. You will see two volume sliders: one for "Original audio" (the sound captured with your video) and one for "Music" (the track you added).
• Adjust the Balance: Drag each slider to control how loud each audio source is. Here are a few common scenarios:
  
  • For a talking-head video or tutorial: You likely want your voice to be the main focus. Keep your "Original audio" slider at 100 and lower the "Music" slider to around 10-25. This creates a subtle, professional background track that doesn’t compete with your dialogue.
  • For a cinematic travel montage or workout clip: The music is setting the entire mood. In this case, you might lower the "Original audio" slider all the way down to 0 and keep the "Music" slider at 100.
  • For capturing ambiance with music: Say you have a clip from a bustling market or a calming beach with crashing waves. You could set both the "Original audio" and "Music" sliders to around 50-70 to create a rich audio experience where both elements are present.
• Tap "Done" to apply the changes.

3. How to Layer a Voiceover with Music

In addition to your original sound and a music track, Facebook Reels also let you add a voiceover. This is perfect for storytelling, explaining a process, or adding personal commentary. Learning to mix all three audio sources gives you incredible creative control.

• Record your Voiceover: From the editing menu on the right, tap "Voiceover." Drag the slider at the bottom to the point in your video where you want to start talking. Press and hold the red record button to speak.
• Return to the Mixer: After recording, tap the "Audio" icon and then "Mix." You will now see three sliders: "Original audio," "Music," and "Voiceover."
• Balance all three sounds: Now you can fine-tune everything. A common setup is to lower your original audio slightly (to get rid of distracting background noise), reduce your music to 10-20, and keep your voiceover at 100. This makes your spoken words crisp and clear while the music beds itself nicely in the background.

Creative Tips for Editing Music in Your Reels

Knowing how the tools work is half the battle. The other half is using them to create content that captivates your audience. Here are a few strategies to make your audio edits more effective.

Match Your Video Edits to the Beat

One of the most powerful ways to create a dynamic Reel is to sync your video cuts to the rhythm of the music. When you’re trimming your song, find a section with a clear, punchy beat. Then, use the "Edit" tool on your video clips to shorten or lengthen them so that each scene transition happens exactly on a beat drop. This technique instantly makes your content feel more polished and professional.

Use Lyrics for Storytelling

Don't just pick a song for its vibe, listen to its words. Find a lyrical phrase that perfectly encapsulates the message or emotion of your Reel. For a small business owner, a clip showing you packing an order set to the lyrics "workin' day and night" is so much more powerful than a generic instrumental track. Trim the song to start precisely on that lyric to drive your point home.

Leverage Trending Audio... The Right Way

Using trending sounds is a fantastic way to boost your visibility. But instead of just using the default snippet that everyone else is using, find a different part of the song. Scrubbing through the audio might reveal an instrumental part or a different chorus that still gives you the benefit of the trend but lets you stand out with a unique take.

Final Thoughts

Mastering the audio on your Facebook Reels is less about technical gimmicks and more about thoughtful storytelling. By using the built-in trimming and mixing tools, you can ensure your music not only fits your video but enhances its emotional impact, turning a simple clip into engaging content.

Perfecting the audio on a single Reel is a great start, but creating standout video content consistently across multiple platforms is the real challenge. At Postbase, we designed our platform specifically for the modern world of short-form video. Our visual calendar lets us plan our content strategy for Reels, TikToks, and Shorts at a glance, and when it’s time to schedule, we have peace of mind knowing our videos will publish reliably, every single time, without the headaches of disconnecting accounts or posts that mysteriously fail.