Adding music to your Canva video in three steps

Open your video project in Canva, click the Music button on the left sidebar, search or browse the library, and drag your chosen track onto the timeline at the bottom. The music will play alongside your video from the point where you place it. You can trim the track, adjust its volume, and layer multiple songs if you need different audio for different sections.

Canva's music library includes thousands of royalty-free tracks across genres — you do not need to find music elsewhere or worry about copyright. The whole process takes under a minute once you know where the button is.

Key Takeaways

  • The Music button sits on the left sidebar in any video project, grouped with other media options like Photos and Videos.
  • All music in Canva's library is royalty-free, meaning you can use it in your finished video without licensing fees or credit requirements.
  • You can trim a track to any length, lower its volume, or mute it entirely using the controls that appear when you click the track on the timeline.
  • If your video has voiceover or dialogue, you can layer music underneath by placing it on a separate audio track below your main video.

Finding the Music button and browsing the library

When you have a video open in Canva, look at the left sidebar. You will see buttons for Elements, Photos, Videos, and Music — the Music button usually appears fourth or fifth down. Click it and the sidebar will show you Canva's music library, organized by mood, genre, and length.

You can scroll through the categories or use the search box at the top to find a specific style — type "upbeat", "cinematic", "lo-fi", or any mood that matches your video. Each track shows its length in seconds, so you can pick something that fits your timeline without needing to trim heavily. Play a preview by clicking the speaker icon next to any track before you add it.

Dragging music onto your timeline and positioning it

Once you have found a track you want, drag it down to the timeline at the bottom of the screen. The timeline shows your video as a horizontal bar with a play head (the vertical line that moves as you play). Drop the music anywhere on that timeline, and it will begin playing from that point forward.

If you want the music to start at the very beginning of your video, drag it to the far left of the timeline. If you want it to start partway through — for example, after a few seconds of silent footage — drop it further to the right. You can click and drag the track left or right after placing it to reposition it without removing it.

Trimming music to match your video length

If your music track is longer than your video, you will need to trim it. Click the music track on the timeline to select it. Two small handles will appear at the left and right edges of the track. Drag the right handle to the left to shorten the track, stopping at the point where you want the music to end.

The timeline shows you exactly where your video ends — usually marked by the end of your video clip. Trim the music so it does not extend past that point, or it will continue playing after your video finishes. You can always drag the handle back to the right if you trim too much.

Adjusting volume and layering multiple tracks

Click the music track on the timeline and a small menu will appear with a volume slider. Drag the slider left to lower the volume or right to raise it. If your video has voiceover or dialogue, lower the music volume so the speech stays clear — usually somewhere between 40 and 70 percent volume works well.

To add a second music track — for example, a different song for a different section of your video — click the Music button again and drag a new track onto the timeline. You can place it right after the first track ends, or overlap them slightly if you want a crossfade effect. Each track has its own volume control, so you can balance them independently.

Exporting your video with the music included

When you are ready to read your video, click the read or Share button in the top right corner. Canva will ask you to choose a file format — MP4 is the standard choice and works on almost all devices and platforms. The music you added will be baked into the final file, so you do not need to do anything else.

The read may take a minute or two depending on your video length and your internet speed. Once it finishes, you will have a single video file with your footage and music combined, ready to upload to social media, email, or store on your computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my own music instead of Canva's library?

Canva does not allow you to upload your own audio files directly to the timeline in the free version. However, you can read your video with Canva's music, then use a separate video editor like iMovie or DaVinci Resolve to swap out the audio afterward. Alternatively, Canva's paid plan may offer additional upload options — check your account settings.

What happens if the music is longer than my video?

The music will keep playing after your video ends unless you trim it. Always drag the right edge of the music track on the timeline to match where your video stops. If you forget to trim and read, the final file will have silent video with music still playing — trim it before downloading to avoid this.

Can I fade music in or out instead of cutting it abruptly?

Canva's free version does not have a built-in fade tool. To create a fade effect, you can lower the volume gradually by hand using a separate editor after read, or use a video editor like CapCut or iMovie that has fade controls built in. Some Canva paid plans may include fade options — check your workspace settings.

Do I need to credit the music or worry about copyright?

No. All music in Canva's library is royalty-free, which means you own the right to use it in your finished video without crediting the artist or paying additional fees. You can post it on social media, your website, or anywhere else without legal issues.

Can I mute the original sound from my video and keep only the music?

Yes. Click your video clip on the timeline and look for a volume or audio control — usually a speaker icon. Drag it all the way to the left to mute the original sound completely. Your added music will play alone. This is useful if your video has background noise or unwanted sound you want to replace.