3 Simple Ways to Add Music to Instagram Posts

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A beginner's guide to adding songs to Instagram posts

Co-authored by Kasey Dunn and Travis Boylls

Last Updated: July 29, 2024 Fact Checked

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Adding Music to a Post

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Adding Music to a Story

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Adding Music to a Reel

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Video

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Expert Q&A

If you want to add flair to your Instagram post, Story, or Reels, you can easily add music via the Instagram app. This wikiHow guide will show you how to add music to pictures on Instagram using your iPhone, iPad, or Android.

Quick Steps

Tap the plus (+) icon to create a new post.
Select a photo and tap Next.
Tap the music note icon and search for a song.
Select a section of the song and tap Next.
Write a caption and tap Share.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Adding Music to a Post

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Tap + in the Instagram app. You can now add music to pictures you post on Instagram. To get started, you just need to create a new post by tapping + at the bottom of your feed.
- Instagram is available for iOS in the App Store and for Android in the Google Play Store.
If you want to select multiple photos, tap and hold the first photo you want to add, then tap the others.

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It's in the upper-right corner above your photo. This opens the Music search bar, where you can search for a song or artist.
Use the search bar at the top of the page to search for an artist or song title, then tap the song to select it.
Tap the 30 to select a duration, anywhere from 5-90 seconds, then drag the box at the bottom to select the part of the song you want to add. You can also tap the pink dots to jump to popular sections of a song. Tap the checkmark icon or Done to continue.
You can now select a filter, add a caption and hashtags, tag a location, or tag users in your photos as you normally would. When you're finished, tap Share to post your photo(s) with music on your Instagram profile.^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Adding Music to a Story

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If you want to add music to a photo in an Instagram Story, you can do so while creating the story. You'll see the + at the bottom of the screen.
You'll see this next to Post near the bottom of the screen.
To select a photo, tap the square at the bottom-right, then choose your photo. Alternatively, you can take a photo or record a video now.
It's at the top of your photo or video preview. This opens the Music search bar, where you can search for a song to add.
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Select a song. Type in the name of a song or an artist, then tap a song to add it to your picture or video.
- You can also scroll through the For you tab list of music or tap Browse.
- If your search doesn't produce results, you'll have to search for a different song.
- You can also tap the play triangle icon next to a song to preview it.
You can add anywhere from 5 to 15 seconds of music to a photo or video on your Instagram Story. Tap the 15 at the bottom-left to select a time, then drag the box at the bottom to the part of the song you want to use.
The icons above the selection bar allow you to choose how the song displays on the Story. You can display lyrics in various formats, the album cover, and a few other options.
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Tap Done. It's in the top-right corner of the screen.
- You can now reposition the song title or lyrics by pressing and holding them on the preview and dragging them to the desired location.
You can now design your story as you wish using the icons at the top of the screen. You'll be able to add text, stickers, locations, effects, and other story features.
It's at the bottom of the screen. Doing so adds the photo to your Instagram story, where your followers will be able to see it for the next 24 hours.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Adding Music to a Reel

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1
Open the Instagram app and tap +. If you want to add music to a video (reel), you'll have many options.
- Instagram is available for iOS in the App Store and for Android in the Google Play Store.
- If you aren't logged into Instagram, tap Sign in to do so now or create an account.
- Instagram Reels are videos with one or more clips, including still photos. You can add music effects and use creative tools on the Reel before sharing them.^{[2]
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It's the third option at the bottom of the screen.
Tap a video or photo from your Gallery or Camera Roll that you want to use in your reel. You can choose multiple photos and/or videos if you'd like, as long as they don't exceed 60 seconds.
This opens your music selector.
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Search for and select a song. Type in the name of a song or an artist, then tap a song to add it to your reel. You can also scroll through the For you tab list of music or tap Browse.
- You can also tap the play triangle icon next to a song to preview it.
Tap and drag left or right on the box on the sound wave at the bottom of the screen to choose which part of the song to add.
You can use the options at the top of the screen to add text, stickers, effects, and more.
Add any text, hashtags, or other details you want to add to your reel, then tap Share to post it. Your Reel will begin uploading to your Instagram page. You can view your Reels on your timeline or profile page in the Reels tab.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How can you get more likes on Instagram reels?

Kasey Dunn
Social Media Expert
Kasey Dunn is a Social Media Expert and the Senior Social Media Manager for Golden Arrow PR in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. With over five years of experience, she specializes in business development, marketing, and brand design. She earned her BA in Business Administration and Management from Mount St. Joseph University. She also holds a SEMRUSH for Digital Agencies Certification, an SEO for Social Media Certification, and a Social Media Marketing Strategy: TikTok and Instagram Reels Certification.

Kasey Dunn

Social Media Expert

Expert Answer

One way is by adding trending audio. You can search for trending audio that ranges from 1,000 to 10,000 uses. If it has an arrow pointing up, it means that it is trending, That means the audio is probably going to pop off. If you use audio that is too saturated, for example, 100,000 to 500,000 uses, you might have a chance, but you also might get lost in the mix when it comes to the trending audio. Making sure to use it when it starts and then when it takes off would be my advice.

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Question

Can I make longer posts with these apps?

Community Answer

No, but you can try using another app. It also may work if you just do more than one picture and add music to each one.

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