The two ways to add music to Snapchat
Snapchat has a built-in music library you can add directly to Stories and Snaps without leaving the app. You open the camera, record or upload your video, then tap the music icon and choose a song from Snapchat's catalog. The music plays over your video when someone watches it.
The second way is to use music that's already on your phone — a song you downloaded, a voice memo, or audio from another app. This requires a different process depending on whether you're on iPhone or Android, and it has more limits on who can hear it.
Both methods let you control how much of the song plays, where the music starts in the timeline, and whether the music is loud enough to drown out background noise. Neither method costs money.
Key Takeaways
- Snapchat's built-in music library works on both iPhone and Android and lets anyone who views your Story hear the song.
- You can add music to a Story or a private Snap, but the process is slightly different for each.
- Music from your phone's storage can be added on Android through the Memories feature, but iPhone users cannot add local audio files directly to Snaps.
- When you add music from Snapchat's library, you can trim the song, choose where it starts, and adjust the volume relative to your video's sound.
- Some songs in Snapchat's library are region-locked, meaning they may not play for viewers in certain countries.
Adding music from Snapchat's library to a Story
Open Snapchat and tap the camera icon to record a new Snap or upload a video from your phone. Once you have your video ready, look for the music note icon — it usually appears at the top of the screen or in the toolbar on the right side. Tap it.
Snapchat will show you a list of songs organized by mood, genre, or trending tracks. You can search for a specific song by name or artist using the search bar at the top. When you find the song you want, tap it. Snapchat will add it to your Snap and show you a preview of how it sounds with your video.
The song will start playing from the beginning by default. If you want to change where the music starts, tap the song title at the top of the screen and use the slider to move to a different part of the track. You can also adjust the volume of the music relative to your video's original sound — tap the volume icon to raise or lower the music.
Once you're happy with the music and timing, tap "Send" to post it to your Story or send it to specific friends.
Adding music to a private Snap sent to one person
The process is the same as adding music to a Story, but the music will only play for the person you send it to. Record or upload your video, tap the music icon, choose your song, and adjust the timing and volume if you want to.
One difference: if you send a Snap with music to a friend, they can replay it multiple times without the music disappearing. With Stories, the music is tied to the video and plays the same way every time someone watches it.
Adding music from your phone to Android Snaps
Android users can add music files stored on their phone, but only through the Memories feature — not directly to a live Snap. Open Snapchat and swipe up from the camera screen to open Memories. Find the video you want to add music to, or upload a new one.
Tap the pencil icon to edit the video. Look for the music or audio icon (usually a note or speaker symbol). Tap it and select "Add Audio" or "Add Music." Your phone will show you files stored locally — songs you've downloaded, voice memos, or audio files from other apps. Choose the file you want.
You can trim the audio to fit your video length and adjust where it starts. Once you're done, save the edited video back to Memories, then post it to your Story or send it as a Snap.
Why iPhone users cannot add local music files
Apple's rules about how apps can access music on iPhones are stricter than Android's rules. Snapchat is not allowed to pull audio files directly from your iPhone's storage and add them to Snaps the way it can on Android. This is a limitation of iOS, not Snapchat.
If you want to add a song from your phone to a Snap on iPhone, you have two workarounds. First, you can use Snapchat's built-in music library instead — it has millions of songs and works the same way. Second, you can record a video in a different app (like Voice Memos or GarageBand), then screen-record yourself playing that video while Snapchat is open, and post the screen recording as your Snap. This is clunky and not recommended unless you have a specific reason to use a file that is not in Snapchat's library.
Understanding music rights and region locks
Snapchat licenses music from record labels and publishers, which means the songs in its library are legal to use. When you add a song to your Story, Snapchat handles the licensing on the back end — you do not have to pay or get permission.
Some songs are region-locked, meaning they are only available in certain countries. If you add a region-locked song to your Story and a friend in another country watches it, they may see a blank space where the music should be, or the audio may be muted. Snapchat usually tells you if a song is region-locked before you add it.
If you add music from your own phone files (on Android), the music rights are your responsibility. If you recorded the song yourself or own the rights to it, you can use it freely. If it is a copyrighted song you do not own, adding it to a Snap could violate copyright law, though Snapchat's enforcement of this is inconsistent.
Troubleshooting music that will not add or play
If the music icon does not appear when you try to add a song, make sure you are using the latest version of Snapchat. Open your phone's app store, search for Snapchat, and install any available updates. Older versions of the app sometimes have bugs that hide the music feature.
If a song you want is not in Snapchat's library, it may be too new, too obscure, or not licensed for use in your region. Try searching for a similar song or a cover version — Snapchat often has multiple versions of popular tracks. If the song plays in your preview but not when your friends watch it, the song is likely region-locked for them.
If music is not playing at all, check that your phone's volume is turned up and that you did not mute the audio when you edited the Snap. Also check that the person watching your Story has sound turned on — Snapchat Stories play silently by default on some phones until the viewer taps the screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can people see what song I added to my Story?
Yes. When someone watches your Story, they see the song title and artist at the top of the screen. They can tap the song title to see the full track, listen to it in Snapchat's music player, or save it to a playlist if they use Spotify or Apple Music.
What happens if I add music but then delete the Snap?
The music is deleted with the Snap. If you posted it to your Story and then delete the Story, the music goes away too. There is no way to remove just the music and keep the video — you have to delete the whole Snap and re-upload it without music.
Can I use the same song in multiple Snaps?
Yes. You can add the same song to as many Snaps and Stories as you want. There is no limit on how many times you use a song, and it does not cost anything.
Does the music play if someone screenshots my Snap?
No. A screenshot captures only the video frame, not the audio. If someone takes a screenshot of your Snap with music, they will get a still image with no sound.
Can I add music to a Snap I recorded a long time ago?
Yes, if it is saved in your Memories. Open Memories, find the old video, edit it, and add music the same way you would for a new Snap. If the video is no longer in your Memories, you would need to re-record or re-upload it to add music.