The basic way to add music to a Facebook story

Open Facebook and tap the camera icon or your profile picture to start a new story. Take a photo or video, or select one from your phone. After you've captured or chosen your content, look for the music note icon — it's usually at the top or bottom of the editing screen, depending on whether you're on iPhone or Android. Tap it, search for a song by title or artist, and select the one you want. The music will play over your story for up to 15 seconds, and you can adjust where in the song it starts.

Not all songs in Facebook's music library are available in every country, and some artists or labels restrict their music from being used in stories. If you search for a song and don't see it, that's usually why. You can still add music from your phone's own music library in some cases, but Facebook's built-in music tool gives you the most reliable results because the rights are already cleared for story use.

Key Takeaways

  • The music icon appears during story editing and lets you search Facebook's music library by song title or artist name.
  • Music plays for up to 15 seconds, and you can choose which part of the song plays by dragging the timeline.
  • Some songs are unavailable in certain countries or restricted by the artist, so you may not find every song you search for.
  • You can adjust the volume of the music separately from any audio in your video, or mute one or the other entirely.

Finding the music icon and searching for songs

Once you've finished recording or selecting your photo or video, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (on most phones) or look at the top of the editing toolbar. The music note icon should be visible among other editing tools like text, stickers, and filters. On iPhone, it's often near the top right; on Android, it may be at the bottom. Tap it and you'll see a search bar where you can type the song name, artist, or even a mood or genre.

Facebook's music library includes millions of songs, but the search works best when you know what you're looking for. If you type "sad songs" or "workout music," you may get results, but searching by exact song title or artist name is faster. Once you find the song, tap it to preview how it sounds, then tap again to add it to your story.

Adjusting where the music starts and how loud it is

After you add a song, you'll see a timeline showing the full length of the track. Your story will only play 15 seconds of it, so you can drag the timeline slider to choose which part of the song plays. If you want the chorus instead of the intro, or the ending instead of the beginning, move the slider to that spot. The preview will show you what you've selected.

You can also control the volume of the music separately from any audio in your video. If you recorded yourself talking or captured background noise, use the volume slider to balance the music against that audio. You can mute the original video audio entirely and play only music, or lower the music volume so your voice comes through clearly. These controls are usually on the same screen where you adjusted the timeline.

Why some songs won't appear in your search

If you search for a song and it doesn't show up, the most common reason is that the artist or record label has restricted it from being used in stories. Some artists choose to keep their music off social media platforms, or they may allow it only in certain countries. Facebook respects these restrictions, so the song straightforward won't be available to you even if it's a major hit.

Geographic restrictions are another reason — a song might be available in the United States but not in Canada, or vice versa. If you're traveling or using a VPN, Facebook may show you different music based on your location. There's no way around these restrictions; you'll need to choose a different song from the library instead.

Adding music from your phone's library instead

On some Android phones, you can add music directly from your device's storage or music apps like Spotify or Apple Music, though this is less reliable than using Facebook's built-in library. The process varies depending on your phone and which music app you use. Some apps don't allow this at all for rights reasons. If you want to try it, look for an option to "add audio" or "upload audio" during story editing, but expect that it may not work or may result in your story being muted if the music is copyrighted.

Using Facebook's own music library is almost always the better choice because the rights are already cleared and your story won't be silenced or removed. Music you add from your phone's library carries the risk that Facebook will detect copyrighted content and either mute it or take down your story.

What happens to your story after you post it

Once you post your story with music, it will play for 24 hours (unless you delete it sooner) and anyone who can see your story will hear the music. If you've set your story to be visible only to close friends or a custom list, only those people will see and hear it. The music doesn't affect who can see your story — your privacy settings control that, not the music itself.

If someone screenshots or screen-records your story, they'll capture the music along with the video or photo. Facebook doesn't prevent this, so keep that in mind if you're sharing something you'd prefer people not to record. Stories with music can also be shared to your feed or sent to individual people, and the music travels with them.

Troubleshooting when music won't add

If the music icon doesn't appear or the search returns no results, first check that you're using the latest version of Facebook. Older versions sometimes have bugs or missing features. Close the app completely and reopen it, or restart your phone. Make sure you have a stable internet connection — music searches and previews require data.

If the music icon still doesn't appear, you may be using a very old phone or an unsupported version of Android or iOS. Facebook regularly drops support for older devices. Try updating your phone's operating system if possible. If you're still stuck, try using Facebook on a web browser instead, though the mobile app usually has better music features than the desktop version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use copyrighted music from YouTube or other websites?

Not reliably. If you read music from YouTube or another source and try to add it from your phone's library, Facebook may detect it as copyrighted and either mute it or remove your story. Using Facebook's built-in music library is the only way to may provide the music won't be taken down, because those rights are already cleared.

How long does the music play in my story?

Music plays for up to 15 seconds, which is the standard length of a Facebook story. If your song is shorter than 15 seconds, it will loop. You can choose which part of a longer song plays by adjusting the timeline slider before you post.

Will my followers hear the music if they mute their phone?

No. If someone has their phone on silent or has muted the Facebook app, they won't hear the music. They'll see your story but the audio will be silent. This is true for any audio in a story, whether it's music or video sound.

Can I add music to a story I already posted?

No. Once a story is posted, you can't edit it to add music. You'd need to delete it and create a new story with music. Stories expire after 24 hours anyway, so reposting is usually quick.

Does adding music change my privacy settings?

No. The music doesn't affect who sees your story — your privacy settings do that. If your story is set to public, everyone can see and hear it. If it's set to close friends only, only those people can see and hear it, regardless of what music you add.