How to Edit Music on Instagram Reels After Posting

Posted an Instagram Reel and realized you picked the wrong song? It’s a sinking feeling we all know. Your video is live, the views are starting to tick up, but the audio is off. Whether it’s a track that doesn’t match the vibe or a missed opportunity to use a trending sound, you need a fix, fast. This guide will walk you through exactly what your options are for editing music on an Instagram Reel after it's already been published.

The Bad News First: You Can't Directly Edit a Reel's Audio After Posting

Let's get this out of the way immediately: Instagram does not allow you to directly edit any component of a Reel once it has been published. That includes the video clips, the cover photo, the caption (you can edit the text, but not the cover selection it's tied to), and, most importantly, the audio track. Once you hit that “Share” button, the video and its accompanying music are locked in place.

This isn’t just an oversight, it's a structural part of the platform. There are a few reasons for this limitation:

• Technical Complexity: Altering an audio track on a video that is already live, processed, and distributed across Instagram’s servers is incredibly complicated. It would require re-rendering the video for every user, which would be a huge technical lift.
• Music Licensing: Instagram has complex and specific licensing agreements with music labels. These agreements are tied to the piece of content at the moment it's created. Swapping audio post-publication could violate these intricate deals.
• User Experience and Integrity: A post's engagement (likes, comments, shares) is tied to the original combination of visuals and sound. Allowing users to change the audio later could alter the context of that engagement, which could be misleading. Imagine liking a Reel for its inspiring soundtrack, only to have it switched to a joke audio later.

So, if you can’t press an "edit audio" button, what can you do? Don't worry, you're not stuck. While there isn't a direct edit function, there is a clear and effective workaround that most creators use.

Your Go-To Solution: The "Save, Delete, and Repost" Method

The most reliable way to change the music on a Reel is to delete the original and re-upload it with the correct audio. This might sound intimidating, especially if it has already gained some traction, but doing it quickly and methodically will minimize any loss of momentum. Follow these steps carefully to make the process as seamless as possible.

Step 1: Save Your Work and Data

Before you delete anything, you need to preserve the assets and information from your original Reel.

• Download the Video: Open the Reel you want to fix. Tap the three dots (...) on the right side of the screen, then select "Save to your device." This will save the video file - including the incorrect audio - to your phone's camera roll. We will mute this old track in a later step.
• Copy the Caption and Hashtags: You spent time crafting that perfect caption, so don't lose it. Tap the three dots (...) and select "Edit." From there, you can copy the entire text of your caption. Paste it somewhere safe, like your phone's notes app.
• Note the Engagement (Optional): If the Reel has been live for a bit, quickly jot down the number of likes, comments, and views. This isn't essential, but it gives you a benchmark to compare the new post against. You can also screenshot any valuable comments you'd like to remember.

Step 2: Delete the Original Reel

This is the moment of truth. Once you have your video file and caption safely stored, it’s time to remove the original post. It might feel a little scary, but it prevents having duplicate content on your profile and ensures your audience only sees the final, corrected version.

To delete the Reel:

1. Go to the Reel on your profile.
2. Tap the three dots (...) in the bottom-right corner.
3. Select Delete from the menu. Instagram will ask you to confirm. Tap Delete again.

Take a breath. The old version is gone, and now you have a clean slate to work with.

Step 3: Create a New Reel and Add the Correct Music

Now, we recreate the post, but with the right soundtrack. Open the Instagram app and start a new Reel as you normally would.

1. Upload Your Video: In the Reel editor, swipe up or tap the bottom-left icon to open your camera roll. Select the video you downloaded in Step 1.
2. Add the New Audio: Tap the music note icon (Audio) at the top of the editing screen. Search for the song or trending audio you want to use and select it. Find the specific clip of the song you want to feature and tap "Done."
3. Mute the Original Audio: This is a very important step. Your downloaded video still has the old music attached to it. Tap the music note icon again to bring up the full audio controls. You'll see two volume sliders: "Camera audio" and the name of the song you just added. Drag the "Camera audio" slider all the way down to 0. This mutes the incorrect music track from your original video file, leaving only the new one you selected.
4. Finalize Your Edits: Add any text, stickers, or filters you had on the original post, then tap "Next."

Step 4: Repost with Your Saved Caption

You’re on the home stretch. On the final share screen, paste the caption you saved earlier from your notes app. Make sure your hashtags are all there. Select your preferred cover photo, tag any relevant accounts, add your location, and hit the "Share" button. Your corrected Reel is now live!

Damage Control: What If My Reel Has Already Gone Viral?

What happens if you only notice the audio mistake after your Reel has exploded with views? If your video has hundreds of thousands or even millions of views, deleting it feels like a painful, counterintuitive move. In this scenario, you have to weigh the pros and cons.

Is the audio so wrong that it fundamentally damages your brand message? Is it a potential copyright issue? If so, you might still consider the "delete and repost" method. However, if the music is just slightly off-vibe but not actively harmful, you have other options.

Option 1: Leave It As Is and Learn From It

Sometimes, the smartest move is to do nothing at all. The engagement you've already received is incredibly valuable. Deleting a viral post means sacrificing all that social proof, reach, and potential for new followers. In this case, accept the small mistake and focus that energy on making your next Reel even better. A less-than-perfect audio choice on a viral video is a better problem to have than no viral video at all.

Option 2: Own It in the Comments

Authenticity is a huge part of building a community on social media. Instead of pretending the mistake didn't happen, you can lean into it. Add a comment on your own Reel and pin it to the top. A little self-aware humor can be very effective.

Try something like:

• "Totally meant to use the other trending audio for this, but I guess we're rolling with this one now! 😂"
• "Pinning this to admit I used the wrong sound. Let's pretend it was an artistic choice!"

This approach shows you're human, engages your audience in a new way, and maintains the integrity of all the engagement you've worked hard to earn.

Prevention is the Best Medicine: A Pre-Publishing Checklist

The best way to handle this issue is to avoid it in the first place. Getting into the habit of a quick pre-flight check before you publish can save you a lot of stress down the line. Add these habits to your content workflow:

• Watch the Full Preview: Don't just publish from the edit screen. Always watch the final preview on the "Share" screen one last time from beginning to end.
• Use Headphones: Your phone's speakers can sometimes be misleading. Pop in some headphones to get a clear sense of how the audio really sounds and whether the mix between your original audio and the music is right.
• Save a Draft First: Before you publish, hit "Save Draft." This stores the Reel within the Instagram app. You can then close the app, come back to it with fresh eyes a few minutes later, and watch it one more time from the "Drafts" folder on your profile to catch any last-minute errors.
• Save a Clean Copy: Before you even start editing in Instagram, make sure you have a "clean" version of your video footage - without text, stickers, or effects - saved securely on your phone or computer. This makes re-editing for any platform much easier.

Final Thoughts

While you can't edit the music on an Instagram Reel that's already live, the "delete and repost" strategy is a clean and effective way to fix the problem. By saving your video and caption first, you can quickly course-correct with minimal disruption and get the right version in front of your audience.

We know how much detail goes into every piece of content, and small mistakes that can't be fixed easily are incredibly frustrating - especially when you’re managing multiple social platforms. At Postbase, we believe your tools should reduce this friction, not add to it. Our entire platform was designed around creating a calmer and more reliable content planning process. With a visual calendar that shows everything in one place, you can confidently review, schedule, and publish your short-form videos to Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, knowing that what you see is exactly what will go live, every single time.