How to Add Music to YouTube Shorts (2026)

YouTube Shorts music works a little differently depending on whether you add it before you film, right after, or once the Short is already published — all three are possible, and none of them require a separate editing app.

Add Music Before You Record

1. Open the YouTube app and tap the + button, then Create a Short.
2. Tap Add Sound at the top of the camera screen.
3. Search for a specific song, or browse the Trending and Recommended tabs to see audio currently popular on Shorts.
4. Tap the track to select it, then drag the waveform left or right to choose which part of the song plays.
5. Record your Short — the selected music plays in the background while you film.

Add Music After Recording, Before Publishing

If you've already recorded or uploaded a clip, tap the music note icon on the editing screen before you post. This opens the same sound library so you can add or swap a track before your Short goes live.

Change the Music on an Already-Published Short

You don't have to delete and re-upload a Short just to change its audio:

1. Go to studio.youtube.com on desktop and sign in.
2. Click Content, find the Short, and click the pencil (Edit) icon.
3. Click Editor, then select Audio from the toolbar.
4. Tap Replace song or Add track, choose a new one from the library, and save.

YouTube processes the change in a few minutes and the Short goes live with the new audio — its URL, views, and comments stay intact. Note: if the Short has already passed 100,000 views, YouTube may block further edits unless you're in the YouTube Partner Program.

Watch the Licensed-Music Length Limit

YouTube Shorts can run up to 3 minutes, and most tracks in the Shorts audio library can be used for up to 90 seconds within that (the picker shows each track's actual allowed duration — some are limited to 60 or 30 seconds). The exception is trending commercial/copyrighted music: those tracks are licensed for Shorts under 60 seconds specifically, and that license didn't expand when Shorts did. Use one in a Short over 60 seconds and it can get hit with a Content ID claim and blocked globally, regardless of what the picker allowed you to select.

Bonus: Polish the Video Before You Add Music

Instasize can crop and reframe your clip before it ever reaches YouTube's editor — useful if your footage wasn't shot in the vertical 9:16 ratio Shorts expects. Use the video cropper for the clip itself. If you are also designing a still frame to select inside the Short, prepare it on a 1080 × 1920 YouTube Shorts canvas and add it to the video edit; do not assume YouTube will accept it as a separate image upload.

FAQs

Can I use any song in a YouTube Short?

You can use anything in YouTube's built-in Shorts audio library — each track's picker shows exactly how many seconds of it you're allowed to use in your Short. Using outside music you don't own the rights to risks a copyright claim, and trending commercial tracks specifically are only licensed for Shorts under 60 seconds, so using one in a longer Short can get the video blocked outright.

How long can a YouTube Short be?

Up to 3 minutes as of the current YouTube Shorts format. The ideal length for engagement is usually much shorter — most creators see the best performance between 20 and 60 seconds.

Can I change the music after my Short is already published?

Yes. Use YouTube Studio's built-in audio editor (Content → Editor → Audio → Replace song) to swap the track without re-uploading — your existing views and engagement carry over.

Why did my Short get a copyright claim after I added music?

Most often because the track wasn't from YouTube's Shorts-cleared library, or because a trending commercial track was used in a Short longer than 60 seconds — that category of music is only licensed for the sub-60-second format, even though Shorts themselves can run up to 3 minutes.