How to Add Music to Instagram Reels in 5 Easy Steps

Q: What Are Reels on Instagram?

Instagram Reels are short videos that let you create fun, engaging content right from the app. These short-form videos have become incredibly popular, making them a perfect feature for sharing quick expert tips, tutorials, or creative ideas.

Lex Martin

If you’re wondering how to add music to Instagram reels, Kiopi has your back with 5 easy steps. Our step-by-step guide will show you exactly how to pair the perfect soundtrack with your Instagram content to capture your audience’s attention.

Whether you’re creating a fun video or a more polished reel for your brand, adding music can make all the difference. Plus, with Kiopi’s toolkit, posting on Instagram and managing your accounts has never been easier.

Keep reading to learn how to enhance your reels, and don’t forget to try Kiopi’s free 14-day trial to streamline your social media management!

What Are Reels on Instagram?

Instagram Reels are short videos that let you create fun, engaging content right from the app. These short-form videos have become incredibly popular, making them a perfect feature for sharing quick expert tips, tutorials, or creative ideas. With the option to add audio and text, you can easily make your reel video stand out and reach more people than regular posts.

Whether you’re looking to entertain, educate, or promote your business, reels are a fun and effective way to boost your Instagram presence.

How to Create Instagram Reels

Creating an Instagram reel is easier than you might think. With just a few simple steps, you’ll be making engaging content in no time.

Here’s a quick breakdown to help you get started:

Open the Instagram App: Open Instagram and tap on the + symbol at the bottom of the screen. From the menu that appears, swipe over to the “Reel” option.
Upload Footage: You can either record a short video with the Instagram camera or select photos or video clips from your camera roll. Once you’ve chosen or recorded your footage, tap “Next.”
Edit Reel: The reel editor will now open. Here, you can edit your Instagram reel by adding text, audio, or stickers to make your reel more interactive and engaging. After editing, tap “Next.”
Finalize Reel: Before sharing to Instagram, review your post details. Write a caption, select a cover image, tag people, and customize other details.
Post Your Reel: When you’re satisfied with everything, tap the “Share” button at the bottom right of the screen to post your reel.

For a more detailed tutorial, read our step-by-step guide on how to make an Instagram reel.

Why Is Adding Music to Instagram Reels Important?

Adding music to Instagram reels is important because certain sounds and songs often trend, giving your reel the chance to go viral. Adding music to Instagram posts is similarly important. When you add audio, especially trending audio from Instagram’s library, your content becomes more discoverable and can attract new audiences.

Instagram users often search for popular sounds through the Reels tab, so using a trending audio track increases the likelihood that more people will watch your reel and engage with your account.

Whether you’re using original audio or music from the Instagram music library, adding the right soundtrack can help your reel stand out and reach a broader audience.

Adding Music to Reels in 5 Simple Steps

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide for adding music to Instagram reels. Follow these instructions to pair the perfect soundtrack with your reel and make your content stand out:

1. Tap the Audio Icon: When editing your reel, tap on the audio icon at the top of the screen. This will open Instagram’s music library, where you can choose songs or original audio clips.

2. Search or Browse Music: Scroll through Instagram’s library to explore trending tracks, or search for a specific song or audio clip. You can also browse your saved tracks.

3. Choose Your Favorite Section: After selecting your song or original audio, use the timeline at the bottom of the screen to pick which part of the track you want in your reel. Once you’ve decided, tap “Done.”

4. Finish Editing Your Reel: Complete your video by using the reel editor to add text, stickers, or effects to enhance your content. Then, tap “Next.”

5. Post Your Reel: When you’re satisfied with your reel, write a caption, tag people if needed, and hit the “Share” button to post it.

More Helpful Tips for Making Instagram Reels

If you’re looking for more tips and tricks to elevate your Instagram reels, we’ve got you covered. From adding music to specific parts of your reel to keeping your original audio intact, these guides will help you save time and create standout content.

How to Add Music to Only Part of Your Reel

Tap the Sound Icon: While editing your reel, tap on the sound icon at the top of the screen to open the music options.
Choose Your Music: Select a song from Instagram’s music library by scrolling through or searching for a specific track.
Adjust the Timeline: Use the timeline tool to pick which part of the song you want to add to your reel. Then, tap “Done” in the top right corner of your screen.
Adjust Music Length: In the bottom left corner of your screen, tap the “Edit video” button. Then, select the audio track. Drag the start and end points of the track to align it with the part of the reel where you want the music to play.

How to Add Your Own Music to Instagram Reels

Tap the Sound Icon: While editing your reel, tap on the sound icon at the top of the screen.
Choose How to Add Your Own Audio:
1. To add original music or your own audio from your device, tap the “Import” button and select the audio from your camera roll.
2. To record a voiceover, tap the “Voiceover” button and use your microphone to add your voice directly to the reel.
Adjust Audio Levels: Once the upload or recording is complete, tap the “Controls” button and adjust the volume of both the original video sound and your new audio.
Credit Yourself as the Original Creator: When using original music or your voice, Instagram will automatically credit you as the original creator of the audio.

How to Make a Reel with Photos and Music on Instagram

Open the Instagram app: Open the app and tap the + symbol at the bottom of the screen, then select “Reel.”
Upload Photos: Choose all the photos you want to include in your reel from your camera roll.
Automatic Audio Sync: Instagram will suggest audio tracks and automatically sync your photos to the beat of the music for smooth transitions.
Manually Add Your Own Audio (Optional): If you want to use your own audio, tap the sound icon in the reel editor. You can then choose a track and manually sync your photos to the music by adjusting the duration of each photo.
Finalize and Post: Once you’re happy with the music and transitions, tap “Next”, add a caption, and post your reel.

How to Keep Original Audio on Reels with Music

Tap the Audio Icon: When editing your reel, tap on the audio icon to start adding music from Instagram’s library.
Adjust Volume: Tap the “Controls” button to access the volume settings for both the original audio and the added music.
Balance the Audio: Use the volume controls to adjust the levels of the original audio and the music. You can lower the music to keep your original sound more prominent.
Preview the Reel: Listen to the reel and make sure both the original audio and the music are balanced to your liking.
Save and Post: Once you’re satisfied with the audio levels, tap done, finish editing, and post your reel.

How to Add Music to Instagram Reel Without Copyright Issues

Use Instagram’s Music Library: Tap the audio icon while editing your reel and select a track from Instagram’s built-in music library. These tracks are pre-cleared for use.
Choose Royalty-Free Music: If you want to use external music, search for royalty-free tracks on platforms like YouTube Audio Library or other sources that allow free use for content creation.
Upload Original Audio: If you have your own original audio, you can safely use it by uploading it through the Instagram app.
Credit the Source (if needed): For certain royalty-free tracks or original audio, ensure you follow licensing requirements, such as adding a credit to the creator.
Check the Licensing: Always double-check the licensing terms of any song before adding music to avoid potential copyright issues.

How to Add Lyrics to Instagram Reel

Open the Music Library: While editing your reel, tap the audio icon to open Instagram’s library of songs. Make sure the song has lyrics available.
Tap the Lyrics Option: Once you’ve selected your song, lyrics will automatically appear as an option. You can scroll through the styles to choose how you want the lyrics to be displayed.
Customize the Lyrics: Adjust the size, color, and placement of the lyrics on your reel, just like you would in Instagram stories.
Sync the Lyrics: Instagram will automatically sync the lyrics with the music you’ve selected, so they match the timing of the song.
Post Your Reel: Once you’re happy with how the lyrics look and sync with your reel, tap “Share” to post it!

Can You Download Audio from Instagram Reels?

No, Instagram doesn’t provide a direct option to download audio from Instagram Reels. However, you can save the audio for future use within the app by following these steps:

Tap on the Audio Name: While watching a reel, tap the audio name or icon at the bottom of the screen.
Save Audio: Once you’re on the audio page, tap the bookmark icon in the top right corner of your screen. This will save the audio clip to your saved collection in the Instagram app.
Access Saved Audio: When creating your own reel, tap the audio icon and select “Saved” to find and use the audio clip.

If you’re looking to download audio to your device, you’ll need to use third-party tools or apps, but be cautious about potential copyright violations when using downloaded audio outside of the Instagram app.

Optimize Your Instagram Success with Kiopi

Adding audio to your Reels is a powerful way to enhance your content, engage your audience, and boost your reach on Instagram. Whether you’re using trending music or your own original audio, getting the sound just right can make all the difference.

If you’re looking to streamline your social media marketing campaigns, Kiopi’s tools make planning content and scheduling posts easier than ever. With Kiopi, you can keep your content consistent and effective across platforms.

Ready to take your social media game to the next level? Start your 14-day free trial today!