Instagram Stories allows you to add your favorite tunes to a video or photo from directly within the app, but you can also use third-party apps to add music to Stories and feed posts.
We’ve found several that get the job done. From Drake to Billie Eilish, you can now turn your Instagram account into your own personal soundtrack. Here’s how.
Note: Most of these apps only allow you to use audio recordings or music files that are saved to your device. So if you exclusively use streaming apps, consider finding a few music files first.
How to add music, to Stories and feed videos
Adding a great tune to your Stories is pretty easy. Just record your video in the Stories section of the app, then tap on the icon at the top of the screen that looks like a smiley face inside of a square. From there, tap on the Music icon and choose a song from the list. The lyrics will pop up on the screen and you can choose what part of the song plays, font type, and the color of the lyrics. If you don’t want lyrics, you can also choose to display the album cover.
Unfortunately, you can’t add music to videos for your feed unless you create them through the Stories option, save them, and then upload the video to your feed. There are some third-party apps that can help, though. Here are a few.
Lomotif
Lomotif is a lot like Instagram’s Story feature — the interface is similar, and adding music to your clips is painless. It even has a Boomerang-like feature called Scratch Editor. After you add music, you can upload and share your video on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The app also allows you to quickly add music to text, filters, and emoji. You can search for millions of songs and thousands of artists, too, or browse using a variety of unique themes.
Videoshop
The apt-titled Videoshop brings a lot of tricks to the table. You can flip videos horizontally, combine multiple clips into one, trim videos, add animated transitions, and make Vine-esque stop-motion videos. You can also create copies of your videos and edit each clip individually. The app even includes dozens of filters and text overlays, which allow for ample customization.
Vigo Video
Vigo Video, formally Flipgram, is a full-fledged video editor that sets itself apart by being more than just an app — it’s also a creative community. You can find inspiring content from other creators within the app and share your own videos to inspire others. Even if you’d prefer not to interact within its social space, Vigo Video still allows you to share to Instagram and other social media sites. It also features a built-in music library, making it easier to access your favorite tracks. You can also stitch together multiple video clips and add still photos, overlay text, and a host of other components.
Quik by GoPro
GoPro revolutionized the world of action video, and now the company is looking to do the same for the world of mobile video editing. Quik automatically creates stories using your pictures and videos — both those shot with your phone and a GoPro camera, if you have one. It also adds filters, music, and one of several unique video edits, such as stop-motion or “slice,” the latter of which cuts the screen in half and plays your video one side at a time. The app also allows you to change any of the video’s properties, giving you full control over the look of your video.
You can also choose music from your own library or from the app’s vast collection of songs. You can select or deselect pictures and clips you want to include as well, and choose which after-effects you’d like to apply. So, if you just want to add some tunes to a quick video of you cooking food, you can do that. Or, if you want to create a full collage of your recordings and pics from a recent ski trip, one replete with filters and effects, you can do that too.
TikTok
TikTok isn’t just an app; it’s a global video community powered by music. With TikTok, you can watch short videos and make your own by capturing those funny and memorable moments you want to share with the world. You can even spice up your videos with emoji stickers and face filters, or add audio backing using the app’s wide array of music clips and sounds. Best of all, the included playlists allow you to pull from every genre — including pop, rock, rap, electronic, R&B, and country — so you’re sure to find something that fits your current mood.
