How to Edit Music on an Instagram Post

Adding the perfect song to your Instagram post can transform a simple photo or video into something that truly connects with your audience. But what happens when you get the timing wrong, pick a track that doesn’t quite fit, or wish you could change it after you’ve already hit “Share”? This guide walks you through everything you need to know about editing music on your Instagram posts, both before you publish and what you can do after it’s live.

Adding and Editing Music Before You Post

Your best (and easiest) opportunity to get your audio just right is within the Instagram editor before your post goes live. Instagram’s built-in tools are surprisingly powerful for trimming clips, adjusting volume, and more. Here’s how to do it for different post types.

For Instagram Feed Posts (Single Image, Carousel, or Video)

Whether you're posting a photo, a collection of pictures in a carousel, or a video clip to your feed, you can add and edit music seamlessly.

1. Create Your Post: Tap the + icon at the bottom of the screen and select “Post.” Choose the photo(s) or video you want to share and tap “Next.”
2. Add Music: On the editing screen (where you add filters), tap the music note icon at the top. This opens Instagram’s music library.
3. Find Your Song: You can search for a specific track, browse by genre, or see what’s currently trending in the “For You” section.
4. Select Your Clip: Once you tap a song, a timeline slider will appear at the bottom. This is where the editing happens. You can select a clip from 5 to 90 seconds long. Drag the slider left and right to find the exact part of the song you want to feature – like the chorus or an instrumental riff.
5. Finalize and Share: After selecting your snippet, tap “Done.” You’ll be taken back to the caption screen where you can finish writing your post, tagging people, and adding a location. The chosen song will be attributed at the top of your post once it's live.

For Instagram Reels

Reels are all about audio, so the editing options are a bit more advanced. Getting the sound right is a huge part of making a Reel successful.

Step 1: Adding Your Audio

You can add audio to a Reel in two ways:

• Before Recording: Tap the audio icon on the left-side menu to choose a song before you start filming. This lets you record your video clips in time with the music.
• After Recording: Once you’ve recorded or uploaded your video clips, tap the music note icon in the menu to add a song from the library.

Step 2: Editing the Music Clip

After adding your audio, tap "Edit" in the bottom left or the music note again to access the editor. Here’s what you can do:

• Trim the Song: Just like with a feed post, a slider appears. Drag it to select the perfect segment of the song that fits your video’s energy.
• Adjust Volume Levels: This is a game-changer. Tap on the “Controls” icon (it often looks like mixing sliders). You'll see two volume sliders: Camera audio and Music.
  • If you want the song to be the main focus, turn the Camera audio down or off.
  • If you have a voiceover or important background sounds, turn the Music slider down so it acts as background music. This is perfect for tutorials, vlogs, and comedic skits.

For Instagram Stories

Stories offer unique, interactive ways to display music and are perfect for in-the-moment sharing.

1. Create a Story: Open the Story camera, and take a photo or record a video.
2. Add Music: Tap the sticker icon at the top of the editing screen and select the “Music” sticker.
3. Edit Your Selection: Once you choose your song, you'll see several options:
   • Clip Selection: Use the timeline slider at the bottom to scrub through the song and find the right 5-15 second clip.
   • Lyrics Display: For many popular songs, you can choose to display the lyrics on-screen. Tap the icons above the timeline to cycle through different font styles and animations. You can even tap the color wheel at the top to change the lyric colors.
   • Album Art Sticker: If you prefer not to have lyrics, you can choose a simple sticker that shows the album art and song title, available in a few different styles.
4. Finalize Placement: Once you've customized your sticker, you can pinch to resize it and drag it anywhere on your Story. Then just share it as you normally would.

Can You Change the Music After Posting? The Hard Truth

You’ve posted your masterpiece, but hours later, you realize you used the wrong song. You rush to the post, tap the three dots icon… and quickly discover there’s no “Edit Music” button. Why not?

Simply put: You cannot edit, change, or remove the music on an existing Instagram post (Feed, Reel, or Story) after it has been published.

Once you upload a post with audio, the video and audio tracks are merged into a single file. Altering it would require re-processing the entire post, which isn't a feature Instagram currently offers. It’s also tied to music licensing agreements, which are set the moment you post.

The Best (and Only) Workaround: Delete and Repost

While you can’t edit the live post, you don't have to live with your mistake forever. The only solution is to delete the original post and re-upload it with the correct audio. It may feel a bit dramatic, but if the audio is really bothering you, it's worth the effort. Follow these steps to make it as painless as possible:

1. Save Your Media (If Needed): Before deleting, make sure you have the original photo or video saved to your phone. If you don't, figure out how to save it from your post before proceeding.
2. Copy Your Original Caption: Open your post, tap the three dots (...), and select "Edit." From here, you can select all the text in your caption and copy it. Don't forget to grab your hashtags and any tagged accounts. Paste this into a notes app on your phone so you don’t lose it.
3. Note Any Engagement: Quick tip: if the post has been up for a while, take a quick screenshot of the likes and comments. You’ll lose this data when you delete the post, so it might be helpful for your own records.
4. Delete the Original Post: With your media and caption safely stored, go back to the post, tap the three dots, and select “Delete.” Confirm your decision.
5. Re-upload with the Correct Music: Now, start fresh. Create a new post using your saved photo or video. Follow the steps from the first half of this article to add and carefully edit your new and improved music choice.
6. Paste Your Caption and Share: On the final screen, paste your saved caption, re-tag any accounts, add your location, and hit “Share.” Your post is now back on your feed, this time with the perfect soundtrack.

Pro Tips for Choosing the Right Music

Getting your music right the first time saves you from the delete-and-repost dance. Here are a few tips to level up your audio game.

Match the Vibe to Your Content

Think about the mood you want to create. Is your video an energetic workout clip or a peaceful Caturday scene? A fast-paced pop song brings a completely different energy than a soft, instrumental track. Let the content guide your song choice.

Leverage Trending Audio for Reels

If you're creating a Reel, using trending audio can significantly boost your visibility. To find trending sounds, just scroll through your Reels feed and look for the little arrow icon next to the song name. When you find one you like, you can tap it to see other Reels using the sound or save it for later.

Navigating Music for Business Accounts

Have you noticed that your business account has a much smaller music library filled with unfamiliar songs? This isn't a glitch. Instagram business accounts are restricted from using most commercial music due to licensing laws - you can’t use a famous pop song to promote your products for free.

Instead, business accounts have access to Meta’s Sound Collection, which is a library of royalty-free music and sounds that are cleared for commercial use. While it might take some digging, you can find quality tracks that won't get you into any legal trouble.

Don't Be Afraid of Original Audio

Sometimes, the best sound is one you create yourself! A unique voiceover, a sound byte from a movie, or a personal audio clip can become a trending sound in its own right if it's creative and relatable. Don't underestimate the power of your own voice.

Final Thoughts

Getting your Instagram audio just right is entirely possible, as long as you make your edits before you hit publish. Whether you're trimming a clip for a photo, mixing audio for a Reel, or adding animated lyrics to a Story, the built-in editor has all the tools you need. And if you make a mistake on a live post, now you have a clear strategy to fix it.

Taking a moment to plan your content can save you from having to delete and repost just to fix an audio mistake. At Postbase, we help creators and brands streamline their workflow with a visual content calendar. It allows you to organize your photos, videos, captions, and even your audio ideas in one place, so you can see your entire content strategy at a glance and feel confident that everything is perfect before it goes live.