The fastest way: use the Photos app's built-in music
Open the Photos app, find the video you want to edit, tap Edit, then tap the music note icon at the bottom. Choose a song from Apple Music, your library, or the free tracks in the Soundtracks section. The music will start playing from the beginning of your video. Tap Done to save.
This method works for videos up to a few minutes long and handles the timing automatically — the music plays for as long as your video lasts. If the song is longer than your video, it cuts off at the end. If it's shorter, the video ends when the music does.
The Photos app does not let you trim the music, adjust when it starts, or layer multiple audio tracks. If you need those controls, move to iMovie or a third-party app.
Key Takeaways
- The Photos app's Edit button is the quickest route — tap the music note icon, pick a song, and save.
- iMovie gives you control over when the music starts, how loud it is, and whether to keep the original video sound.
- You can use songs from Apple Music, your iTunes library, or free Soundtracks — you do not need to own the song outright.
- If your video has dialogue or important original sound, use iMovie to lower the music volume instead of replacing the audio entirely.
- Third-party apps like CapCut or Adobe Express offer more editing options but require more steps than the built-in tools.
Using iMovie for more control over timing and volume
Open iMovie, tap the plus icon, and select Movie. Choose your video from your library. Once it appears on the timeline, tap the plus icon again and select Audio. Choose Music to browse Apple Music, your library, or free soundtracks. Tap the song to add it.
The music will appear as a separate track below your video. Tap and drag the music track to move it left or right — this controls when the music starts relative to your video. Tap the music track and use the volume slider to make it quieter if you want to keep the original video sound underneath. You can also tap the X on the music track to remove it entirely.
iMovie lets you add multiple audio tracks, so you can layer background music over dialogue or ambient sound. Each track has its own volume control, which means you can balance them the way you want.
Where to find music on your iPhone
Apple Music subscribers can search for any song in the Apple Music catalog from within Photos or iMovie. Tap Music or the music note icon and search by song title, artist, or album. You do not need to read the song first — it plays from the cloud.
If you have purchased songs through iTunes or added them to your library manually, they appear in the Library section of the music picker. Songs you have downloaded to your phone show up here even without an Apple Music subscription.
Both Photos and iMovie include free Soundtracks — royalty-free background music designed for video. These are safe to use in videos you share publicly without worrying about copyright claims. The selection is smaller than Apple Music but covers common moods: upbeat, calm, dramatic, funny.
Keeping or removing the original video sound
In the Photos app, adding music replaces the original audio completely. If your video has dialogue or important background noise, the Photos app is not the right tool — use iMovie instead.
In iMovie, the original video sound stays on by default when you add music. Tap the video clip itself (not the music track) and look for the speaker icon. Tap it to mute the original audio, or use the volume slider to turn it down. This way you can keep the sound of someone speaking while adding background music underneath.
If you want only the music and no original sound, mute the video clip entirely. If you want only the original sound with no music, delete the music track by tapping the X.
Exporting your video with the new audio
In Photos, tap Done after you finish editing. The app saves the changes to your video automatically. The original file is replaced — if you need to keep a copy without music, save it separately before editing.
In iMovie, tap Done when you finish editing. Then tap the share icon (arrow pointing out of a box) and choose where to save: Save Video sends it to your Photos library, Share lets you send it directly to Messages, Mail, or social media. The export takes a few seconds to a few minutes depending on video length and your phone's speed.
Both apps save the video in the format your iPhone uses natively, so it will play on any device without conversion. The file size stays roughly the same — adding music does not make the video significantly larger.
When to use a third-party app instead
CapCut and Adobe Express are free apps that give you more detailed control than iMovie: you can trim the music to specific seconds, fade it in and out, adjust the pitch, or add sound effects. They also let you add text, filters, and transitions more easily than iMovie.
The trade-off is complexity. Both apps have more buttons and menus, and the learning curve is steeper. If you are editing a straightforward video and iMovie's controls feel like overkill, stick with Photos or iMovie. If you are making something you plan to share widely or want a polished look, the extra options in CapCut or Adobe Express are worth the time.
All three — Photos, iMovie, and third-party apps — handle music licensing the same way. Using a song from Apple Music or your library does not automatically make it legal to post publicly. If you plan to upload to YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, use royalty-free music or tracks you own the rights to. The free Soundtracks in Photos and iMovie are safe for public use.
Troubleshooting common problems
If the music does not appear in the picker, make sure you are signed into iCloud with the same Apple ID you use for Apple Music. If you are not a subscriber, only songs you own or have added to your library will show up. Check that the song is not in a restricted playlist or marked as unavailable in your region.
If the music sounds out of sync with your video, you are probably using the Photos app — it does not let you adjust timing. Switch to iMovie and drag the music track to line it up with the moment you want it to start. If the music is too loud or too quiet, use the volume slider on the music track itself, not your phone's volume buttons.
If iMovie crashes or freezes when you add music, close the app completely and reopen it. If the problem persists, restart your phone. Very long videos or videos with many audio tracks can slow iMovie down — if you are working with a file longer than 10 minutes, consider splitting it into shorter clips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a song from Spotify or YouTube Music instead of Apple Music?
No. Photos and iMovie only access Apple Music, your iTunes library, and their built-in Soundtracks. If you want to use music from another service, you would need to read it to your phone first, which most streaming services do not allow. Third-party apps like CapCut sometimes integrate with other music services, but the easiest route is to use Apple Music or royalty-free alternatives.
Will I get a copyright strike if I post the video on YouTube or Instagram?
It depends on the song. Apple Music songs are copyrighted, and posting a video with one may trigger a copyright claim — YouTube or Instagram might mute the audio, block the video in certain countries, or place ads on it. The free Soundtracks in Photos and iMovie are royalty-free and safe to post. If you use an Apple Music song, check the platform's copyright policy before uploading.
Can I add music to a video I did not film myself?
Yes. Both Photos and iMovie work with any video file on your phone, whether you recorded it or downloaded it. The process is the same — open the video, tap Edit or create a new project, and add music.
What happens to the original video if I add music in the Photos app?
The original file is replaced with the edited version. If you need to keep a copy without music, duplicate the video before editing. Open Photos, find the video, tap Select, tap the video, then tap Duplicate. Edit one copy and leave the other untouched.
Can I adjust the volume of the original video sound and the music separately?
Only in iMovie. The Photos app does not give you separate volume controls — adding music replaces the original audio. In iMovie, tap the video clip to adjust its volume, and tap the music track to adjust the music volume independently.