Ijharul Islam
To add music to a video, open it in an editor (iMovie, Clipchamp, CapCut or the app you post with), import a track you have the right to use, place it under the video, and lower it well below any speech before you export. For copyright-safe music, use YouTube's Audio Library, TikTok's Commercial Music Library for business posts on TikTok, or a paid stock-music licence that covers where you'll post.
More on this topic: Video editing how-tos, every guide in one place.
The editing is the easy part. The music source decides whether your video gets muted, blocked or claimed, so this guide covers both.
The short answer
Import your video and a licensed track into an editor, drag the track under the clip, trim it to length, fade it in and out, and set it about 15-20 dB below the voice (or roughly 10-20% volume in apps with a slider). Export as MP4. Use music from YouTube's Audio Library, the platform's own business library, or a stock licence; popular songs usually need permission.
Key takeaways
- Music under a voice should be quiet: if you can't hear every word on a phone speaker, it's too loud.
- YouTube's Audio Library offers free tracks; some require credit in the description (Creative Commons).
- TikTok says businesses should use its Commercial Music Library, about 1 million pre-cleared songs, for commercial TikTok content.
- A licence for one platform doesn't automatically cover another; check before you repost a video elsewhere.
Disclosure: we make QuickVeed and show how to do this in it, along with other ways. Details about other products come from their public pages, checked in October 2026 and linked at the end.
Where to get music you're allowed to use
| Source | Cost | Where you can use it | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Audio Library (YouTube Studio) | Free | Your YouTube videos; YouTube can't give legal guidance for use off the platform | Creative Commons tracks need credit in the description |
| TikTok Commercial Music Library | Free for businesses | Commercial TikTok content: organic posts, ads, branded content | Business accounts can't use TikTok's general music library for commercial use |
| Paid stock-music sites | Subscription or per track | As the licence says, often multi-platform | Read the licence: client work, ads and platforms covered? |
| Music you commission or own | Varies | Anywhere you agree | Get it in writing |
| Popular songs | Licence from rights holders | Only with permission | Copyright claims, muted audio or blocked videos |
YouTube's help page describes the Audio Library under Audio Library in YouTube Studio (or youtube.com/audiolibrary): filter by Attribution not required to avoid credits, or copy the credit text for Creative Commons tracks. TikTok's Ads Help describes the Commercial Music Library as about 1 million pre-cleared songs, free for businesses, and says businesses can't use the general library for commercial use.
How to add music to a video on a phone
iPhone: iMovie
- Open iMovie, start a Movie project and add your clip.
- Tap the + button, choose Audio & Music, then a soundtrack, or My Music / Files for a track you've licensed.
- Tap the music in the timeline to trim it, set its volume and add fades.
- Tap Done, then Share > Save Video.
Android and social apps
TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts let you add a sound while posting, from their own libraries. That's the simplest route for those platforms, and the track stays within that platform's licence. For an edited file you'll post in several places, use an editor and a track you've licensed for all of them.
How to add music on Windows or Mac
- Windows: Clipchamp. Import the video and the music file, drag both to the timeline (music on the audio track below), trim the music to the video's end, set its volume and add a fade out, then export.
- Mac: iMovie. Drag the song below the clips in the timeline; drag the volume line down and the fade handles in at the ends.
- Any editor: keep the original voice track at full level and the music low; most editors have “ducking” that lowers music automatically while someone speaks.
How to add music with FFmpeg
| Goal | Command |
|---|---|
| Replace the sound with music (video unchanged) | ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -i music.mp3 -map 0:v -map 1:a -c:v copy -c:a aac -shortest out.mp4 |
| Mix quiet music under the existing voice | ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -i music.mp3 -filter_complex "[1:a]volume=0.15[m];[0:a][m]amix=inputs=2:duration=first[a]" -map 0:v -map "[a]" -c:v copy -c:a aac out.mp4 |
-shortest stops at the end of the shorter input; volume=0.15 sets the music to 15% before mixing. amix lowers each input when it mixes, so check the voice level afterwards and raise it if needed.
How loud should background music be?
- Under speech: roughly 15-20 dB below the voice. In apps with a percentage slider, start around 10-20% and listen on a phone speaker.
- No speech (B-roll, montage): music can carry the video at full level.
- Fade in and out over 1-2 seconds; a hard cut at the end sounds like a mistake.
- End on the music's ending if you can: trim the start of the track rather than the end.
These are mixing rules of thumb, not platform requirements.
Free QuickVeed tools for the audio side
QuickVeed doesn't have a music-on-video editor; these free browser tools help around it. Each runs in your browser and never uploads your file:
- Remove the original sound first with the mute video tool (see how to remove audio from a video).
- Cut a track to length and add fades with the audio cutter (see how to cut audio).
- Pull a soundtrack from another video you own with the audio extractor, or make a quiet recording louder with the audio volume booster.
- Make a short clip long enough for its music with the video looper (see how to loop a video), or join clips first with the video merger (how to merge videos).
For narration over the music, QuickVeed's AI voice generator reads a script with 9 voice models, and how to add a voiceover covers the mix.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add music to a video for free?
Use a free editor such as iMovie (iPhone, Mac) or Clipchamp (Windows): import the video and track, place the music under the clip, lower it under speech and export.
Can I use any song in my video?
Not without permission. Popular songs are copyrighted; use YouTube's Audio Library, a platform's business library or a licensed stock track.
Is YouTube Audio Library music free to use?
Yes, in your YouTube videos. Some tracks need credit in the description. YouTube says it can't give legal guidance on use off the platform.
What music can businesses use on TikTok?
TikTok says businesses should use its Commercial Music Library, about 1 million pre-cleared songs that are free for commercial TikTok content.
How loud should background music be under a voice?
About 15-20 dB below the voice, or roughly 10-20% on a volume slider. Every word should be clear on a phone speaker.
How do I replace the audio in a video with music?
Mute the original track, then add the music in an editor, or use FFmpeg's -map to take video from one file and audio from another.
Try it with your own video
Add the music, then a voiceover or captions so the message still lands with the sound off. Paste your script, pick a voice, and judge the first take for yourself. QuickVeed plans start at $18/month, and new accounts get a 14-day trial with 250 credits, no card needed. Sign up or see pricing.
Sources
Competitor details in this post were checked against these public pages in October 2026. Products and prices change, so confirm with each vendor before you decide.
