While Instagram was originally created as a platform for sharing photos, it’s no longer a photo-centric platform. Instagram is charging headfirst into the video industry, opening new opportunities for video creators. As Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri has elaborated in the past, Instagram is no longer just a platform for photos. Its future is in video sharing, whether in the form of stories, posts or reels. There are lots of ways to optimize your videos on Instagram. One of those ways is to add music. Each Instagram post type has its own set of steps you have to follow to add music. Here’s what you need to know.

Adding music into Instagram stories

  1. In the Instagram app, tap the “Your Story” icon. This is located in the top left corner of the app.
  2. You’ll then be met with the option to either select a video clip from your camera roll or record a new video. You can select a video from your camera roll by hitting the “browse” icon. The icon is at the bottom of the screen to the left.
  3. Once you have either selected or recorded the clip ou want to use, Instagram will give you a few audio options. This is where you can add in music. To add music, tap the “media” icon. You’ll see a ‘Music’ icon. Select it.
  4. Instagram will recommend a few music tracks for you to add to your post. You can also search for tracks based on their name, genre or feeling. Once you found a track you would like to try out, click the play button to the right of the track’s title to preview the song.
  5. After selecting the track, Instagram will automatically adjust the track to fit the Story. You also have the ability to adjust the position of the track. You can tap a part of the track and shift the timeline bar to the part you want to include in the Story.
  6. When you’re happy, hit “done” and Instagram will upload the Story.

Adding music to Instagram reels

  1. When you’re ready to make an Instagram Reel, tap the “Your Story” icon.
  2. You can browse for a clip to upload and do a deeper search by tapping the “browse icon” or swiping up.
  3. You now will see the ‘music’ icon within the menu located at the top of your screen.
  4. After tapping the ‘music’ icon, you will see two audio sources. The first source is your video’s audio. The second source is where you will add the track. Tap the “Add music” icon on the second source.
  5. Instagram will pull up its library of music tracks you can add to your post. Look through the library and select the song you want to add to your Reel. You can preview the songs by pressing the play button next to the song.
  6. Now you can scroll through the song’s lyrics and edit the song to work with your reel.
  7. If the song isn’t working for you, you can hit the ‘delete’ button and look for a new song. After you’re happy with your song choice, hit ‘Done.”
  8. You can also adjust the levels your video’s original audio and the song you’ve added. Once you finish adjusting the levels, tap ‘Next.’
  9. Now you’re ready to share your reel.

Can you add your own music to Instagram stories and reels?

You may be wondering whether or not you can add your own music to your videos. Unfortunately, you can’t add music that isn’t already in the Instagram music library. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t include your own music in your posts. You can add your audio files using other audio software or apps. You just can’t add your own tracks using the Instagram app directly.

Be sure that you own the rights to the music you add to your videos if you’re going to go this route. Users have the right to use all the music featured in Instagram’s music library. However, if you use a song that isn’t part of Instagram’s music licensing library, you can run into some trouble.

Let your creativity flourish

Adding music to your posts can boost their overall quality. Some creators have even made a career for themselves based simply on their music choice for their posts. After all, a catchy song can help get people engaged with your content and help it spread to new eyes. So, if you want to add music to your Instagram post — whether that’s a story or reel — be sure to include music if it fits. With the right song choice, you’ll find your posts will get your followers engaged and give them a leg up in the algorithm’s recommendations.