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How to add music to an Instagram Story
Put a song on any Instagram Story with the Music sticker: the steps, choosing the right part, lyrics and styles, and fixes when music is missing.
· 8 min read
In this guide · 8 sections
Add a song with the Music sticker
The Music sticker is how you add a song to an Instagram Story. Start a Story, take or choose a photo or video, tap the sticker icon and pick Music. Find a song, drag to the part you want people to hear, choose a style and share. It takes less than a minute on personal, Creator and Business accounts alike, though the songs you can choose from depend on your account type and your country.
The song comes from Instagram’s licensed music library, and that explains the things that catch people out: the sticker can’t be added once a Story is shared, Business accounts often get a much smaller selection, and music you play out loud while filming isn’t treated like a song from the sticker. Each of these is covered below.
Add music to a Story, step by step
- Start a new Story: tap the plus button and choose Story, or tap your own picture at the start of the Stories row at the top of your feed.
- Capture something new with the camera, or open your gallery and select a photo or video you already have.
- Tap the sticker icon at the top of the editing screen and choose Music. If it isn’t in view, search the sticker tray for “music”.
- Find your song. Search by title or artist, or browse For You, which suggests tracks based on what you’ve listened to and what’s popular with your friends, as well as trending tracks, moods and genres.
- Tap the song, then choose the moment: drag the highlighted lyrics, or move through the track, until the clip starts where you want it.
- Tap Done. The song appears on your Story; tap it to switch between styles such as the sticker, lyrics only or the full cover.
- Drag it into place, pinch to make it bigger or smaller, and share to Your story or to Close Friends.
Some versions of the app also have a music note at the top of the editing screen that opens the same song search. Instagram moves its buttons between updates, so if your screen looks different, searching the sticker tray is the route that keeps working.
Tip: Add the song before you share. Instagram doesn’t let you edit a Story once it’s posted, so if you forget the music, save the photo or video, delete the Story and share it again with the sticker. The first version’s viewer list goes with it.
Pick the right part, length and look
Which part of the song you use matters more than which song. The clip can start anywhere in the track, so choose the line that fits the picture: the chorus for a birthday, a quiet verse for a view, the drop for a reveal. When what people hear matches what they’re looking at, the Story feels made rather than decorated.
Photos and videos
On a video, the song plays along with the footage. A single Story clip can be up to 60 seconds long, and Instagram splits a longer video into several clips by itself. On a photo, the music editor usually offers a duration setting, and the photo stays on screen for as long as the clip plays.
Styles and lyrics
- Lyrics only: best when the words carry the message. This style appears only when Instagram has lyrics for that song.
- Full cover: shows the song’s cover art in full, which suits a Story about the song itself, such as a new release you love.
- Sticker: the most compact option. Shrink it into a corner when the photo should do the talking.
- Spinning record: Instagram’s record design turns while the Story plays, and friends watching can “scratch” it for a short sound effect.
If your video already has sound
Play the Story through before sharing, with your phone’s sound up, to hear exactly what viewers will. If the video’s own sound fights with the song, tap the speaker icon on the editing screen to mute the video so only the music plays; its position varies between versions. If your voice is the point of the video, leave the song off and add captions with the text tool instead.
Music you play out loud while filming, or a song you added in another editing app before uploading, doesn’t come from Instagram’s library. If it matches a copyrighted recording, Instagram can mute the sound or remove the Story. A song from the sticker, your own voice or a track you made yourself avoids that problem.
Why music is missing, and what to try
Licensing explains most missing music. Meta’s Business Help Center says certain business accounts and certain types of posts don’t have access to the licensed music library, and that it may not be available in some countries or regions. Work through the likely causes in this order:
| What you see | Likely reason | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| No Music option in the sticker tray | An out-of-date app, or music isn’t offered where you are | Update Instagram and reopen it. If Music still isn’t there, it’s probably not available in your region or for your account type |
| Music appears, but no songs you know | A Business account, which often gets only the Sound Collection | Use a Sound Collection track, or read the next section before you change account type |
| One song can’t be found | It isn’t licensed in your country, or it has left the library | Search by the artist’s name, try another version or pick a different track |
| No lyrics option | Instagram doesn’t have lyrics for that track | Choose another style, or write your own caption with the text tool |
| Music worked before and now doesn’t | A switch to a Business account, or a fault after an update | Check your account type in settings, then restart or reinstall the app |
Tip: Stay away from modified copies of the Instagram app that promise the full music library. Meta doesn’t make them, they need your login, and handing over your password puts the whole account at risk.
Business accounts and music
The fallback library is Meta’s Sound Collection, which Meta’s Business Help Center describes as over 14,000 songs and sounds that are royalty free, safe to use in Reels and Instagram Stories, and usable for commercial purposes such as ads. On some Business accounts it’s the only music on offer: the page names business accounts, not personal or Creator ones, as the restricted case.
Some businesses switch to a Creator account for the wider choice. Switching is free, you can change back, and both types are professional accounts with insights. Before you do, check that the tools you rely on, such as a shop, ads or a scheduling app, work with Creator accounts.
There’s a second reason for care. Meta’s Business Help Center says the licensed library is intended for personal, non-commercial use, and Meta’s music guidelines require the appropriate licences for commercial use, so a Story that sells something, such as a launch, a discount or a product demo, is better with a Sound Collection track or original audio than with a chart hit, even when the sticker would let you add one.
Questions people ask
Can I add music to an Instagram Story after posting it?
No. Instagram doesn’t let you edit a Story once it’s shared, so there’s no way to add a sticker afterwards. Save the photo or video, delete the Story and post it again with the song. Any replies you’ve had stay in your DMs.
Why can’t I add music to my Instagram Story?
Usually licensing. Meta says certain business accounts and certain types of posts don’t have access to the licensed music library, and that it may not be available in some countries or regions. Business accounts are the case people hit most, and they may get the Sound Collection instead. Update the app first to rule out an old version.
How long can a song play on an Instagram Story?
On a video, as long as the clip, and one Story clip can run for up to 60 seconds; longer videos are split into several. On a photo, the music editor usually lets you set the length, and the photo stays up while the song plays.
Can I add music without the lyrics showing?
Yes. Lyrics are only one of the styles. Tap the song on your Story to switch to the compact sticker or the cover art, then shrink it and move it where it won’t hide anything important.
Why was the sound on my Story muted?
Usually because the video contained a recording that Instagram matched to copyrighted music, such as a song playing in the background or one added in another app. Instagram can mute or remove that audio. Songs added with the Music sticker come from the licensed library instead.
Can a business use popular songs in Instagram Stories?
Often not, and not safely. Business accounts frequently see only the Sound Collection, and Meta’s music guidelines require the appropriate licences for music used commercially. A Sound Collection track or original audio avoids that problem for promotional Stories.