How to Find Viral Sounds on Instagram

Using the right sound at the right time can be the difference between a Reel that gets a few hundred views and one that lands on a million For You pages. Finding those viral sounds feels like a secret power, but it's a skill you can build. This article gives you a complete playbook on how to find trending audio on Instagram, from simple in-app tricks to advanced strategies that put you ahead of the curve.

Why Viral Sounds Matter for Your Growth

Before we get into the "how," let's talk about the "why." Using trending audio isn't just about joining in on a dance challenge, it's a strategic move to game the Instagram algorithm. When you use a sound that's gaining momentum, Instagram is more likely to show your Reel to people who have engaged with other Reels using that same sound. It’s a direct pipeline to a much larger audience that extends far beyond your current followers.

Think of sounds as hashtags with a beat. They categorize your content and put it in front of a relevant, pre-warmed audience. A popular sound often signals a broader trend, meme, or cultural moment, and piggybacking on that energy is one of the fastest ways to grow your reach organically.

The Easiest Ways to Spot Trending Audio on Instagram

You don't need a crystal ball to find what's hot. Instagram leaves clues all over the platform. You just need to know where to look. Here are the most direct methods you can start using today.

Method 1: The 'Trending Arrow' is Your New Best Friend

This is the most obvious and reliable indicator of a trending sound. Instagram literally puts a label on them. The trick is to train your eye to spot it while you're scrolling.

• Step 1: Scroll Your Reels Feed. Seriously, your first step is to spend 10-15 minutes just consuming content. Pay attention to the sounds you hear repeatedly.
• Step 2: Look at the Bottom-Left Corner. When you're watching a Reel, look at the bottom of the screen. You'll see the name of the sound or song scrolling.
• Step 3: Spot the Little Gray Arrow. Next to the audio's name, you'll sometimes see a small arrow pointing upward (↗,). That's the jackpot. This arrow means the sound is officially trending on Instagram.
• Step 4: Save the Audio. Tap on the sound name. This will take you to the audio page where you can see how many other Reels have used it. Tap the "Save Audio" button at the top to add it to your saved folder for later use. Sounds with the trending arrow often have anywhere from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of uses.

Method 2: Use Instagram's In-App Audio Suggestions

Instagram actively wants you to use popular audio, so it curates it for you right inside the Reel editor.

• Step 1: Start Creating a New Reel. Open up the Instagram story camera and swipe over to "Reel," or tap the "+" icon and select "Reel."
• Step 2: Tap the Music Note Icon. On the right-hand panel of editing tools, tap the music note icon to open the audio library.
• Step 3: Check the "For You" Section. The very first screen you'll see is a "For You" selection of audio Instagram thinks you'll like based on your activity. This is heavily weighted toward popular and trending sounds. Scroll through this feed and look for songs you recognize from your feed or those marked with the trending arrow.

Method 3: Pay Attention to the Reels Templates Tab

Instagram's Templates feature makes it easy to create complex-looking Reels by simply dropping your photos or video clips into a pre-made sequence. Because these templates are designed to be easily replicable, they are almost exclusively built around trending or viral audio.

• Step 1: Navigate to the Reel Editor. Start creating a new Reel.
• Step 2: Find the "Templates" Button. At the bottom of the camera screen, you should see tabs for "Camera," "Templates," and "Drafts." Tap on "Templates."
• Step 3: Browse Trending Templates. Scroll through the available templates. Pay attention not just to the visual style but also to the attached audio. This is a fantastic way to find out which sounds are paired with popular editing styles, giving you a complete trend package to work with. If you see a template you like, just tap "Use template" and the sound is automatically included.

Pro-Level Strategies: Finding Sounds *Before* They Blow Up

Spotting a trending sound is great. But hopping on a trend right before it hits its peak is even better. This requires looking outside of the standard Instagram features and paying attention to the broader cultural currents of social media.

Strategy 1: Monitor TikTok's Creative Center and 'For You' Page

It's the not-so-secret secret of social media: many of Instagram's biggest trends start on TikTok. Sounds often explode on TikTok a week or two before they become saturated on Instagram. Being an early adopter on Instagram can give you a massive advantage.

How to find trending sounds on TikTok:

• Use the "For You" Page as Research: Mute the TV, put on your headphones, and just scroll through your TikTok For You Page. When you hear the same audio snippet three or more times within a 10-minute scroll session, that's your sign. That sound is bubbling up.
• Check Out the TikTok Creative Center: This is a powerful, free tool from TikTok. Go to their Creative Center online, navigate to the "Trend Discovery" section, and filter by your country. You can see a real-time list of top songs, the creators using them, and example videos. It's like having a market report for viral trends.

Once you find a potential sound on TikTok, search for it on Instagram Reels. If you see only a handful of videos using it but they have high viewership, this is your signal to jump on it, fast.

Strategy 2: Follow Trend-Spotting Creator Accounts

You don't have to do all the work yourself. There are brilliant creators on both Instagram and TikTok whose entire niche is dedicated to identifying, explaining, and reporting on new trends. They break down the audio, show how to use it, and tell you what the trend is about.

Simply searching for terms like "trend alert," "Reels trends," or "social media marketing updates" will lead you to these accounts. Follow a few of your favorites. They are priceless-saving research assistants who drop new trend ideas straight into your feed every day.

Strategy 3: Watch What Large Creators in Your Niche are Using

Leaders in your field - whether it's baking, fashion, finance, or comedy - often have their finger on the pulse. They are early adopters of sounds that resonate specifically with your target audience.

Don’t just copy what they do. Instead, analyze how they use audio.

• Is there a specific dialogue snippet that allows for a clever B-roll shot?
• Are they using an instrumental-only sound that works well with a voiceover?
• Are they taking a mainstream sound and applying it to a niche-specific joke?

Watching the leaders helps you not only find new sounds but also get inspiration for how to make those sounds work for *your brand* and *your audience* without simply hopping on a dance trend that doesn't fit your style.

Best Practices: A Few Do's and Don'ts For Using Viral Audio

Finding the sound is only half the battle. How you use it matters just as much. Keep these simple rules in mind.

The Do's

• Make it Make Sense: The audio should complement your video, not fight against it. The best Reels adapt the trend to their niche. If a sound is about a frustrating experience, show a frustrating moment for a customer in your industry. Connect the dots for the viewer.
• Act Quickly: A trend's lifespan can be brutally short - sometimes just a week or two. If you spot a sound that's a perfect fit for your brand, move it to the top of your content calendar. Speed is a competitive advantage.
• Add Your Own Spin: Don't just replicate what you see. How can you add a unique opinion, a surprising visual, or a bit of humor that is distinct to your personality or brand? People follow you, not just the trend.

The Don'ts

• Don't Be Cringey: If a trend feels completely off-brand for you, don't do it. Your audience can spot inauthenticity from a mile away. It's better to skip a trend than to force it.
• Don't Forget about Business Account Limitations: If you have an Instagram Business Account, you might not have access to the full music library due to commercial licensing restrictions. You'll typically be limited to royalty-free music and original audio. Lean into using "Original Audio" snippets or find creative ways to use the royalty-free tracks available to you.
• Don't Rely *Only* on Trending Audio: Trending sounds give you reach, but original, valuable content builds community and trust. Your content strategy should be a mix of trend-forward hits and foundational, high-value content that helps, educates, or entertains your audience without relying on a meme.

Final Thoughts

Finding viral sounds is a skill that blends passive observation with active research. It's about paying attention to what you're seeing in your own feed, knowing where to find the data inside the app, and keeping an eye on adjacent platforms like TikTok to spot what's coming next. By weaving these practices into your regular workflow, you’ll stop chasing trends and start riding them to organic growth.

Using trending audio is just one piece of the puzzle. At Postbase, we built our platform to streamline the rest of your social media workflow. Once you’ve found the perfect sound and created your Reel, our visual calendar helps you plan when it goes live. You can then schedule it across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts all at once, which is a massive time-saver. It keeps your posting consistent so you can spend less time juggling apps and more time creating great content.