How to Get Music on Instagram

Adding the perfect song can turn a good Instagram post into a great one, but finding and using music isn't always as simple as it looks. Whether you're trying to add a trending track to your latest Reel, set the mood on a photo carousel, or figure out why your account has a limited music library, this guide has you covered. We'll walk through exactly how to get music on your Instagram Stories, Reels, and Feed posts, and solve the most common issues you might run into along the way.

How to Add Music to Instagram Stories and Reels

This is the most common way people use music on Instagram, and thankfully, it’s the most straightforward. The process for adding licensed music from Instagram’s library is nearly identical for both Reels and Stories.

Let’s break it down step-by-step:

1. Create a New Story or Reel: Tap the plus (+) icon at the bottom of your screen and select either "Story" or "Reel." You can either record a new video right in the app or upload a video or photo from your camera roll.
2. Access the Music Sticker: Once your photo or video is loaded into the editor, tap the sticker icon (it looks like a square smiley face) at the top of the screen. In the menu that appears, tap the "MUSIC" sticker. This opens up Instagram's official music library.
3. Find Your Song: You now have a few ways to find the right track. The "For You" tab suggests songs based on your activity and the content you're posting. The "Browse" tab lets you explore genres, moods, and trending charts. Most of the time, you’ll probably use the search bar at the top to type in a specific song title or artist.
4. Select and Edit the Audio: After tapping on a song, the editing interface will open.
   • Choose Your Snippet: Use the slider bar at the bottom to scrub through the song and find the exact 15- to 90-second clip you want to use. Reels let you use audio up to 90 seconds, while Stories are limited to 15-second clips per slide.
   • Customize the Look (Stories Only): For Stories, you have several options for how the music appears. You can display the album art, a small text sticker of the song title, or dynamic lyrics that highlight as the song plays. Tap through the different font and layout options to find one you like.
   • For Reels: The audio you select will become the soundtrack for your entire video. You can adjust the clip, but the display options (like lyrics) are edited differently within the main Reel editor, usually with the text tool.
5. Finalize and Post: Tap "Done" in the top right corner. You can now resize and reposition the sticker or lyrics on your Story. If you’re making a Reel, the music is now locked in. Finish any other edits, add your caption, and share it.

How to Add Music to Instagram Feed Posts

For years, this was the feature everyone wanted. Instagram has finally rolled out the ability to add music to your static in-feed photos and carousel posts, just like you can with Reels. It’s a fantastic way to add personality and mood to a photo dump or a single powerful image.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Start a New Post: Tap the plus (+) icon and select "Post." Choose the photo or multiple photos you want to share from your gallery. Tap "Next."
2. Edit Your Photos: Apply any filters or make edits as you normally would. Tap "Next" again when you’re ready.
3. Find the "Add Music" option: On the final screen where you write your caption and tag people, you’ll see an option labeled "Add Music" right below "Add Location." Tap it.
4. Choose Your Song: This will bring up the same music library experience from Reels and Stories. Search for your song, artist, or browse the recommendations.
5. Select Your Clip: Once you've chosen a song, you can select the duration of the clip (from 5 to 90 seconds) and use the slider to pick the exact portion of the song you want to feature.
6. Finalize and Share: After selecting your snippet, tap "Done." The song title will now appear in your post setup. Finish writing your caption, tag accounts, add a location, and tap "Share." When users see your post in their feed, they can tap the audio icon to listen to your chosen track.

Troubleshooting: Why Can't I Find the Music I Want?

It’s incredibly frustrating when you have the perfect song in mind, but you can’t seem to find it in Instagram’s library. Or even worse, the music sticker is missing entirely. This usually comes down to one of two reasons: your account type or geographic licensing restrictions.

The Main Culprit: Business vs. Creator Accounts

If you're using an Instagram Business Account, you've probably noticed that your music library is full of generic, royalty-free instrumental music instead of popular tracks from artists like Taylor Swift or Drake. This is not a glitch, it's intentional.

Here's why: Business Accounts are intended for commercial use. The agreements Meta (Instagram's parent company) has with record labels for mainstream music are specifically for personal, non-commercial use. Allowing businesses to use popular songs in what could be considered advertisements would open up both Instagram and the business to major copyright infringement lawsuits. To avoid this legal mess, Instagram provides Business Accounts with its own library of commercially licensed music you can safely use to promote your products or services.

You have two main solutions for this:

1. Switch to a Creator Account (The Best Option for Most)

The Creator Account type is Meta's answer for public figures, influencers, artists, and brands that want access to the features of a professional account and the full music library. Most brands can operate perfectly well as a Creator Account.

• How to Switch: Go to your profile >, Edit Profile >, Category. Make sure your category is set to something like "Entrepreneur" or "Digital Creator." Then go to Settings and privacy >, Creator tools and controls >, Switch account type >, Switch to Creator Account. The change happens instantly, and you should immediately have a new message that says: 'you just gained access to millions of songs'.
• The Downside?: The differences between Business and Creator accounts are shrinking. Creator accounts have robust analytics and creator-specific tools. For most businesses, especially personal brands and small businesses, the switch provides far more benefits (like music) than drawbacks.

2. Use Original Trending Audio from Other Reels

You may not be able to search for a specific commercial song, but you can often use "Original Audio" clips from other users' Reels, which include commercial music.

• Find a Reel that uses the audio you want
• Tap the scrolling audio title at the bottom of the Reel to open the audio page
• Tap "Use audio" at the bottom of your screen, and it will give you full access in your Reels editor

Other Potential Reasons for Missing Music

• Regional Licensing: A song might be available in the United States but not in Germany because of different licensing deals. If you and a friend are in different countries, you might have access to different catalogs.
• The Artist Pulled Their Music: Just like on Spotify or other streaming platforms, artists and labels can choose to remove their entire catalog from Instagram at any time.
• Your App is Outdated: Sometimes, new features require the latest version of the app. Before you panic, head to the App Store or Google Play Store and make sure your Instagram app is fully updated.

The Pro Method: Using Your Own Licensed Music in Videos

What if you’re a musician who wants to use your new song or a brand that paid for a license to a specific track? In these cases, you will want to add the music to your video before you upload it to Instagram. This gives you full control and ensures you have the proper rights attached.

Warning: Only use this method if you have the legal right or license to use the music. Uploading copyrighted material you don't own can get your video removed, your account flagged, or worse.

The process is simple:

1. Use a Video Editing App: Use a tool on your phone or computer like CapCut, InShot, Adobe Premiere Rush, or iMovie.
2. Add Your Content and Audio: Import your video clip and the audio file (the song you have licensed) into the editing app.
3. Sync and Edit: Line up the audio with your video. You can trim clips, adjust volume, and make any other edits you need.
4. Export and Upload: Export the final video from the editing app to your phone’s camera roll. Now, open Instagram, create a new Reel, and upload this finished video. Since the music is already part of the video file, you don’t need to use Instagram’s music sticker at all.

This is the best way to maintain high audio quality and ensure the final product is exactly how you envisioned it, all while staying legally compliant (assuming you own the rights to the music).

Final Thoughts

Adding music is one of the easiest ways to level up your Instagram content, whether you're using a trending track in a Reel, setting a vibe for a photo carousel, or troubleshooting a restricted business account. By understanding how the music library works and knowing the right workarounds, you can make sure your content always has the perfect soundtrack to capture your audience's attention.

Staying on top of trends means consistently creating and scheduling great content, especially short-form video. After spending years managing social media for brands, we got tired of fighting with clunky tools originally built for a decade-old text-and-photo world. That’s why we created Postbase, a social media management platform designed specifically for how we all work today. A visual calendar lets us plan our Reels strategy at a glance, and features like a unified inbox help us keep conversations flowing without the headache of switching between five different apps.