Adding a song to iMovie takes three steps: import your video, drag the song into the audio track, and trim it to match your video length
iMovie stores music in a dedicated audio track below your video clips. When you add a song, it plays alongside your footage without replacing any sound you recorded. You can adjust the song's volume, fade it in and out, and trim it to start and stop exactly when you want. The process is the same whether you're working on a Mac or iPad, though the exact button locations differ slightly.
Before you start, make sure your song file is saved somewhere you can find it — your Downloads folder, Music app library, or a folder on your computer. iMovie works with MP3, AAC, WAV, and AIFF files. If your song is in a different format, you'll need to convert it first using a tool like Audacity (free) or iTunes.
Key Takeaways
- Import your video into iMovie first, then add the song to the audio track below it rather than replacing the video track.
- Drag your song file directly from Finder (Mac) or Files app (iPad) into the audio track, or use the Audio button to browse your Music library.
- Trim the song to match your video length by dragging the edges of the audio clip in the timeline.
- Lower the song volume if your original video sound is important, or mute it entirely if you want only the music.
How to add a song on Mac
Open iMovie and create a new project or open an existing one with your video already imported. If you haven't added your video yet, drag it from Finder into the main editing area. You'll see your video clip appear in the timeline at the bottom of the screen.
Click the Audio button in the top toolbar — it looks like a musical note. A panel will open showing your Music library, GarageBand projects, and sound effects. If your song is in your Music app, you'll see it listed here. Click the song once to select it, then drag it down into the gray audio track below your video. The audio track is the empty space directly underneath your video clip in the timeline.
If your song isn't in the Music app, you can drag it directly from Finder. Open Finder in another window, navigate to the folder containing your song, and drag the file into the audio track. iMovie will import it automatically. The song will appear as a blue bar in the audio track, aligned to the start of your timeline.
How to add a song on iPad
Open iMovie and tap the project you want to edit, or create a new one. Make sure your video is already in the timeline. Tap the Audio button at the bottom of the screen — it's the icon that looks like a musical note inside a circle.
A menu will appear with options: Music, Sound Effects, and Recordings. Tap Music to see songs from your device's Music app. Scroll through the list and tap the song you want. A preview will play so you can confirm it's the right one. Tap the plus icon next to the song name to add it to your project.
The song will appear as a blue bar in the audio track below your video. If the song isn't in your Music app, you can use the Files app to locate it. Tap the Files app icon, find your song, and try to drag it into iMovie — though iPad's file handling is more limited than Mac, and some file types may not work this way. Converting your song to an MP3 or AAC file first will give you the best results.
Trimming the song to fit your video length
Once the song is in the audio track, you'll see it as a colored bar. If the song is longer than your video, you need to trim it so it doesn't play after your video ends. Position your cursor at the right edge of the song bar in the timeline until a resize handle appears (a small arrow or line). Drag it to the left to shorten the song. The song will stop playing at the point where you release it.
If you want the song to start partway through your video instead of at the beginning, position your cursor at the left edge of the song bar and drag it to the right. This shifts when the song begins without cutting any of the audio — you're just moving when it starts to play.
On iPad, tap the song bar once to select it, then tap the trim handle icon (usually a bracket or line at the edge). Drag the handles inward to shorten the song or outward to extend it. The exact appearance depends on your iPad model and iMovie version, but the principle is the same: drag the edges to change when the song starts and stops.
Adjusting volume and fading the song in and out
If your video has important sound — dialogue, ambient noise, or other audio you recorded — you'll want to lower the song volume so both can be heard. Double-click the song bar in the timeline to open its settings. You'll see a volume slider. Drag it to the left to make the song quieter, or all the way to the left to mute it completely. The video's original sound will play at full volume.
To fade the song in at the beginning, look for a fade handle at the top-left corner of the song bar. Drag it to the right to create a fade-in effect — the song will start silent and gradually get louder. To fade out at the end, drag the fade handle at the top-right corner to the left. This makes the song gradually quieter as it approaches the end of your video, which sounds more polished than an abrupt stop.
On iPad, tap the song bar to select it, then tap the volume icon (usually a speaker symbol). A slider will appear. Drag it left to lower the volume or right to raise it. Fade handles work the same way — look for small icons at the corners of the song bar and drag them inward to create fade effects.
Removing or replacing a song
If you want to remove the song entirely, click it once to select it (the bar will highlight), then press Delete or Backspace on your keyboard. The song will disappear from the audio track, but your video will remain untouched. On iPad, tap the song bar and tap the trash icon or press Delete.
To replace the song with a different one, you don't have to delete the first song. straightforward add a new song to the audio track the same way you added the first one. Both songs will play at the same time, which is useful if you want layered audio. If you want only one song, delete the old one after adding the new one.
Troubleshooting common problems
If you drag a song into iMovie and it doesn't appear, the file format may not be supported. iMovie works with MP3, AAC, WAV, and AIFF. If your song is an OGG, FLAC, or other format, convert it first using free software like Audacity or an online converter. Save the converted file and try adding it again.
If the song plays but sounds distorted or too quiet, the volume may be set too low in the original file. Try raising the song's volume slider in iMovie. If it still sounds wrong, the file itself may be corrupted — try a different song to confirm iMovie is working correctly. If the audio track won't accept any songs, restart iMovie and try again.
On iPad, if you can't find your song in the Music app, it may not have been synced to your device. Check the Files app to see if the song file exists on your iPad. If it's there but not in Music, try converting it to MP3 format and adding it again. Some iPad models have stricter file requirements than others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a song from Spotify or Apple Music in iMovie?
No. Spotify and Apple Music songs are protected by copyright and can't be exported or used in iMovie. You need to own the song file itself — either purchased from iTunes, downloaded from a royalty-free site, or recorded yourself. If you own a song on CD, you can rip it to your computer and import it that way.
What if my song is longer than my video?
Trim the song by dragging its right edge to the left in the timeline. The song will stop playing when you release it. You can also fade it out near the end to make the cutoff less noticeable. If you want the song to loop and play multiple times, you'll need to add it to the timeline multiple times.
Can I have multiple songs playing at the same time?
Yes. Add one song to the audio track, then add another. Both will play together. You can adjust each song's volume independently so one is louder than the other. This is useful for background music plus a voiceover, or layering different instruments.
Why does my video sound muffled after I added the song?
The song volume is probably too high and drowning out your video's original sound. Double-click the song bar and lower its volume slider. Start at 50 percent and adjust from there. You should be able to hear both the video's original sound and the song clearly.
Can I add a song to only part of my video?
Yes. Trim the song's start and end points in the timeline so it plays only during the section you want. You can also add multiple songs to different parts of the same video — add the first song, trim it to end where you want, then add a second song below it starting where the first one ends.