How to Remove Audio from an Instagram Post

Ever hit Share on an Instagram video only to realize the background noise is a chaotic mess, a private conversation got caught on tape, or you simply prefer silence? It’s a common moment of panic for creators and social media managers alike. The good news is, you can absolutely post a video without audio. This guide breaks down exactly how to remove audio from any type of Instagram post, whether you’re working on a Reel, a Story, or a standard feed video.

Best Practice: Removing Audio Before You Post

The easiest, cleanest way to manage your video’s sound is to handle it before it goes live. Muting a video during the upload process gives you complete control and saves you the headache of fixing a post that’s already collecting views and comments. The process varies slightly depending on what you’re posting.

For Instagram Reels

The Reels editor gives you powerful, yet simple, audio controls. If your original clip has sound you want to eliminate - like wind noise, unwanted chatter, or just ambient sound - you can mute it and even add new music or a voiceover in its place.

Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

1. Upload Your Video: Open Instagram, tap the "+" icon, and select "Reel." Choose the video clip(s) from your camera roll or record a new one.
2. Access the Editor: After selecting your video, tap "Next" to go to the editing screen where you can add text, stickers, and effects.
3. Open Audio controls: At the top of the screen, tap the music note icon. This opens the audio mixer.
4. Mute Original Audio: You'll see two volume sliders: "Camera Audio" (your original video's sound) and "Music" (if you've added a track from Instagram's library). To remove your original sound, simply drag the Camera Audio slider all the way down to 0.
5. (Optional) Add New Audio: If you want to replace the original sound with music, you can tap "Add music" and select a song. The slider for that track will appear, and you can adjust its volume. With the "Camera Audio" at zero, only the new music will be heard.
6. Done and Share: Tap "Done," and then tap "Next" to add your caption and share your Reel with no original sound.

For Instagram Stories

Muting a video for your Instagram Story is even more straightforward. It’s a simple toggle right in the editor.

• Start a Story: From the Instagram home screen, swipe right or tap your profile picture with the "+" icon to start a new Story.
• Select Your Video: Choose an existing video from your library or record a new one.
• Tap the Mute button: Once your video is loaded in the Story editor, look at the icons at the top of the screen (alongside the sticker, text, and drawing tools). Tap the speaker icon. When you tap it, an "X" will appear over it, and the video will be muted.
• Add Any Other Elements: You can still add music from the sticker menu, and it will play over the muted video.
• Post to Your Story: Tap “Your Story” or send it to specific friends. Your video will be completely silent if that's what you want, or just feature the music you've added.

For In-Feed Video Posts

Posting a regular video to your Instagram grid follows a similar pre-publishing flow. The mute option appears on the final screen before you write your caption.

1. Start a New Post: Tap the "+" icon at the bottom and choose "Post." Select the video from your photo library.
2. Edit (Optional): Go through the filters and trimming options by tapping "Next." These tools won’t affect the audio.
3. Find the Mute Icon: On the final screen where you write your caption, tag people, and add a location, look at the preview of your video at the top. You'll see a small speaker icon in the top-left corner of the video preview.
4. Tap to Mute: Just like with Stories, tap this speaker icon to mute your video's audio. A small "X" will appear to confirm it's muted.
5. Share Your Post: Finish writing your caption and hit "Share." Your video will be published to your grid without any original sound.

What If I Already Posted the Video? Your Options After-the-Fact

This is the moment every creator dreads. You’ve posted a Reel, it’s getting traction, and *then* you realize the audio is a problem. Let's get the bad news out of the way first: for standard in-feed video posts, you cannot edit, change, or remove the audio after the post is live. Once it’s published, it’s locked in.

But don't worry, you still have a solid workaround. For Reels, however, Instagram has recently added some limited editing capabilities that can be a lifesaver.

The "Delete and Re-upload" Strategy (For Any Post Type)

While it stings to lose the likes and minutes of engagement you've already earned, this is often your best and only option for a flawed feed post. The strategy is to save the video, take down the current version, and upload a new one with the audio properly muted. Here’s what matters:

Steps to Delete and Re-upload:

1. Save Your Video (If Needed): If you don’t have the original file on your device, open your post on Instagram, tap the three dots (...), and select ‘Save to camera roll.' Be warned: This may download a compressed version of your video and any music if you used Instagram’s library, which may not be the original high resolution. It’s always best to work from the original file.
2. Copy Your Caption and Hashtags: Don't lose a perfectly-crafted caption. Open your post, tap next to your username, and copy the entire text to your clipboard. Paste it somewhere safe, like a Notes app.
3. Delete the Old Post: Tap the three-dot (...) menu on your post again and select "Delete." Confirm that you want to delete it.
4. Upload the Corrected Version: Now, follow the steps from the "Before You Post" section above to upload a new version of your post. Make sure you mute your video before hitting "Share." Paste your saved caption, and you're good to go.

When Should You Use This Method?

• Definitely use when: The post is brand new (only up for a few minutes). You have very little engagement, and the audio error is very distracting or harming your brand.
• Think twice when: The post is already generating significant engagement (likes, comments). Losing that social proof could do more harm to your overall reach than the unwanted audio. You may just want to leave it as-is and learn for next time.

Special Case: Editing Audio on an Already-Posted Reel

Unlike regular videos, Instagram now lets you make small audio adjustments to Reels after they’re live. You unfortunately cannot remove or replace the original camera audio. However, you can change the music you used from the audio library, which is helpful for fixing audio-related issues on trending reels.

For a Reel whose audio is no longer available, Instagram will flag it and give you the option to change it. Here's how to check and edit your Reel's audio:

1. Navigate to Your Reel: Open the Reel from your grid.
2. Tap the Three Dots: Look for the ... in the bottom-right corner.
3. Select Edit: Choose the "Edit" option from the menu.
4. Adjust Audio: In the edit screen, tap "Audio" at the top of the screen. Here you'll be able to swap out the existing audio track for a new one.

This feature is most useful when trending audio added to your Reels has been removed for copyright reasons or removed from the platform, allowing you to quickly swap it with a new song without having to delete and re-upload the entire Reel.

Prepping Videos Externally: A Pro Workflow

For creators who want more control or want to prepare content in batches, using a third-party tool to mute videos before uploading to Instagram is a game-changer. Here are some simple options:

1. Use Your Phone's Native Video Editor

Most smartphones, including iOS and Android, have built-in video editing features, including the option to mute a video.

• On iOS (Photos App): Open your video in the Photos App and tap "Edit" in the top-right corner. Tap the speaker icon in the top-left corner to mute the video, then tap "Done" to save your changes.
• On Android (Google Photos/Gallery): Select the video in your Gallery or Google Photos app and tap the "Edit" button. Look for the audio or volume control. Simply tap the volume icon to mute it. The video will be saved without sound.

2. Popular Third-Party Video Apps

For more advanced control, you can use popular apps like InShot or CapCut, which are user-friendly but powerful editors right on your phone.

• CapCut: Import your video into CapCut and select the clip in the timeline at the bottom. Look for "Volume" in the bottom menu and use the slider to turn the clip's audio down to zero.
• InShot: Import your video into InShot and tap the "Volume" option in the toolbar. Drag the slider all the way to 0. This will allow you to export the video separately without its original sound, ready for you to upload to Instagram.

This workflow is especially effective for social media managers and creators who manage multiple platforms and want to ensure content is the same everywhere, without relying on Instagram's built-in tools, which can sometimes vary by account.

Final Thoughts

Removing audio from an Instagram post is simple and strategic, depending on when you catch the problem. Ideally, the best practice is to always mute the audio during the upload process - whether for a Reel, Story, or feed post. If an audio issue slips past the cracks, you have a solid workaround to delete and re-upload the correct way, and for Reels, you even have some basic edit options.

Perfecting every detail before sharing saves a lot of headaches. Planning your content and making smart audio choices before you hit "upload" is key to a smooth strategy. That's why a visual calendar like Postbase can help. It allows you to plan your feed in advance for Reels, TikToks, and more, so you can focus on creative details and schedule your content without stress. Get organized and stay ahead of the game.