The fastest way to add music to a Canva video

Open your video project in Canva, click the Music button on the left sidebar, search or browse the library, and drag the track onto your timeline. Canva's built-in music library has thousands of royalty-free songs sorted by mood, genre, and length — you do not need to find or upload your own files. The music plays over your video automatically, and you can trim it, adjust the volume, or swap it out in seconds.

If you want to use your own audio file instead, click Uploads on the left sidebar, upload an MP3 or WAV file from your computer, and drag it onto the timeline the same way. Canva handles the sync for you — no separate audio editor needed.

Key Takeaways

  • Canva's Music button gives you access to thousands of royalty-free tracks that are already cleared for video use, so you do not have to worry about copyright.
  • You can upload your own audio files (MP3, WAV, or M4A) if you want to use a specific song, voiceover, or sound effect that is not in Canva's library.
  • Music and audio sit on their own track in the timeline, separate from video and text, so you can adjust volume and timing without affecting your visuals.
  • Canva lets you layer multiple audio tracks — you can have background music and a voiceover playing at the same time, with separate volume controls for each.

Using Canva's built-in music library

The Music button is the easiest starting point. Click it and you will see Canva's full royalty-free collection, organized by mood (upbeat, calm, dramatic), genre (pop, electronic, acoustic), and duration. You can also search by keyword — type "energetic" or "corporate" and Canva filters to matching tracks.

Preview any track by clicking the play icon next to it. Once you find one you like, click it to add it to your timeline. The track appears as a colored bar on the audio layer below your video clips. If the track is longer than your video, it will play past the end — you can trim it by dragging the edge of the audio bar, or let it fade out naturally if you plan to extend your video later.

All music in Canva's library is royalty-free, which means you can use it in videos you share publicly, sell, or post to YouTube without paying extra fees or crediting the artist (though some creators do anyway). This is the main advantage over searching for music on YouTube or Spotify — those songs are copyrighted, and using them in a video you publish will trigger copyright claims or takedowns.

Uploading your own audio files

If you have a specific song, voiceover, or sound effect you want to use, click Uploads on the left sidebar and select the audio file from your computer. Canva accepts MP3, WAV, and M4A files. The file uploads and appears in your Uploads section, ready to drag onto the timeline.

This is the route to take if you have recorded a voiceover yourself, licensed a song from a music service, or downloaded audio from a site like Epidemic Sound or Artlist. Just make sure you own the rights or have permission to use the file in your video — Canva does not check this for you.

Uploaded files work exactly like library music: drag them onto the audio track, trim the edges, adjust volume, and layer multiple tracks if you need them. The only difference is that you are responsible for copyright — if you upload a song you do not have rights to and publish the video, you could face a copyright claim.

Adjusting volume and timing

Once music is on your timeline, click the audio bar to select it. A small menu appears with options to adjust volume, mute, or delete the track. Drag the volume slider left to make it quieter or right to make it louder. If you have both music and a voiceover, you can set the music to 50% volume so the voice comes through clearly.

To trim the audio, hover over the left or right edge of the audio bar until a resize cursor appears, then drag inward. This cuts off the beginning or end of the track without deleting it — you can drag the edge back out if you change your mind. To move the audio to a different part of the timeline, click and drag the entire bar left or right.

If your video is shorter than the music track, the audio will stop when the video ends — you do not need to trim it unless you want to. If your video is longer, the audio will loop or cut off depending on your settings. Most creators trim the audio to match the video length or fade it out near the end.

Layering multiple audio tracks

Canva lets you add more than one audio track at a time. You might want background music playing while a voiceover explains your slides, or sound effects layered under both. Each track gets its own row on the timeline, and you control the volume of each one independently.

To layer tracks, add your first audio file, then click Music or Uploads again and add a second one. It appears on a new audio track below the first. Adjust the volume of each track so they balance — if the voiceover is too quiet, turn the music down instead of turning the voiceover up. Preview the mix by clicking the play button on the timeline and listening to how they sound together.

Canva does not have advanced audio editing tools like fade-ins or crossfades, so if you need precise control over how tracks blend together, you might want to edit the audio in a separate tool first (like Audacity, which is free) and then upload the mixed file. But for most videos, layering in Canva works fine.

Syncing music to your video content

Music timing matters. If you have a beat-heavy track, you might want your cuts or text changes to land on the beat. If you have a calm background track, you can let it play steadily while your visuals change at their own pace.

Canva does not have automatic beat-sync tools, so you sync by ear and by eye. Play your video and watch where the music peaks or changes. Then click and drag your video clips or text elements to align them with those moments. It takes a few tries, but even rough alignment makes a video feel more intentional.

If you are making a slideshow or a series of still images with music, the same principle applies — change slides on the beat or at natural pauses in the track. Canva shows you the timeline clearly, so you can see exactly where each element starts and stops relative to the music.

Exporting your video with audio

When you export your video, Canva includes all audio tracks automatically. Click the read button, choose your video format (MP4 is the standard), and Canva renders the video with music, voiceover, and sound effects all mixed in. The export takes a few minutes depending on your video length and resolution.

The audio quality in your exported video depends on the quality of the source files. Canva's library music is high-quality, and uploaded MP3 files stay at their original quality. If you upload a low-bitrate MP3, it will sound compressed in the final video — for best results, use 192 kbps or higher for music.

Once exported, the video file contains all audio mixed down into a single track. You cannot edit the audio separately after export — if you need to change the music or volume later, you have to go back into Canva and re-export.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use copyrighted music from Spotify or YouTube in my Canva video?

No. Music on Spotify and YouTube is copyrighted, and using it in a video you publish will trigger a copyright claim or takedown notice. Canva's library is royalty-free specifically so you can avoid this. If you want a specific song, you need to buy a license from the rights holder or use a licensed music service like Epidemic Sound.

What audio file formats does Canva accept?

Canva accepts MP3, WAV, and M4A files. If you have audio in a different format (like FLAC or OGG), you can convert it using a free tool like Audacity or CloudConvert before uploading.

Can I adjust the volume of music and voiceover separately?

Yes. Each audio track on the timeline has its own volume slider. Click the audio bar, adjust the volume, and the change applies only to that track. This lets you balance a voiceover over background music without affecting either one globally.

What happens if my music is longer than my video?

The music will play past the end of your video. You can trim it by dragging the right edge of the audio bar inward, or leave it as is — when you export, the audio stops when the video ends. If you want the music to fade out smoothly, trim it a few seconds before the video ends.

Can I edit the audio after I export the video?

No. Once you export, the audio is baked into the video file. If you need to change the music or volume, go back into Canva, make the changes, and export again.