How to add music to your Instagram Story

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How to quickly add music to your Instagram Stories

Here is how to find Instagram's music library, plus how to add music to your Instagram Story.

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In an effort to take on TikTok, Instagram allows its users to add music to their Instagram Stories. It even offers an entire library of licensed music. Most users currently have access to it (although certain business accounts and types of posts do not, according to Instagram's support page). Here is how to find Instagram's music library, plus how to add music to your Instagram Story.

How to add music to your Instagram Story

You can find Instagram's music library by swiping up from the story you've just captured and then selecting the music sticker in Stories.

Step one: Capture a photo or video for your Story

To capture a photo or video to your story, open the latest version of the Instagram app for Android and iPhone and then follow these steps:

Tap + at the top or swipe right anywhere in Feed.
Scroll to Story at the bottom.
Tap o at the bottom of the screen to take a photo, or tap and hold to record a video.

To choose a photo or video from your phone's gallery or camera roll, swipe up anywhere on the screen. You may see gallery suggestions to help you choose what to share.

Step two: Go to the music sticker

After you capture a photo or video for your story, you can then use creative tools - like music - to edit it before sharing. To add music to your story, you need to find the music sticker first.

While previewing your story before sharing, tap the Sticker icon at the top.
Search for music.
Select the music sticker that appears (it has a waveform symbol in the icon).

If you're not seeing the music sticker in Stories, make sure your app is updated to the latest version by visiting the App Store or Google Play Store. The music sticker is available to most users.

Step three: Find the music you want to use

If you have access to Instagram's music sticker, you can then find songs to use in Instagram's library of licensed music.

From within the music sticker, search for a song.
Tap the one you want.
You can edit which part of the song you want to play in your story.
Swipe left to see all the effects and select the one you'd like to use.
Tap Done when finished.

When you've added music to your photo or video and are ready to share it to your Instagram Stories, simply tap Your Story in the bottom left of the preview screen. You're done!