How to Make Reels on Instagram with Music - Clear Guides

Why use music on Instagram Reels

Music plays a crucial role in making Instagram Reels more engaging and visually appealing. If you want to make a Reel with music, incorporating the right soundtrack can enhance storytelling and viewer retention. Here's why you should use music in your Reels:

• Boost engagement: Music helps capture attention, making Reels more immersive. Catchy tunes encourage more shares, likes, and comments, boosting engagement rates.
• Stay on trend: Using popular or trending songs increases the chances of your Reel appearing in the Explore feed. This can help your content go viral.
• Improve brand presence: Businesses can use custom sounds to create a unique brand identity, making their Reels instantly recognizable.
• Emotional impact: Music sets the mood of a video, making content more relatable and impactful for viewers.

How to make Reels with music on Instagram (Official method)

Instagram makes it easy to add music to Reels using its built-in music library. Whether you're following trends or setting the mood, knowing how to make Reels with song enhances engagement and storytelling. Follow these steps to create a music-powered Instagram Reel effortlessly.

STEP 1
1. Open Instagram and start a new Reel

To begin, open the Instagram app and tap the "+" icon or swipe right from your home feed to access the camera. At the bottom of the screen, select Reels from the available options. This opens the Reel creation interface, where you can start recording or uploading clips for your video.

STEP 2
1. Add music to your Reel

Tap the Music Note 🎵 icon on screen to open Instagram's built-in audio library. You can browse through trending songs, explore categories, or search for a specific track. Once you've selected a song, adjust the audio slider to pick the section you want to use in your Reel. This allows you to match the most relevant part of the song with your video content.

STEP 3
1. Edit audio, adjust timing, and add effects

Once you've added music, you can trim or adjust it using Instagram's built-in tools to ensure it fits perfectly with your Reel. To enhance your video further, apply filters, stickers, and AR effects for a visually appealing look. Adding captions improves accessibility, ensuring viewers can follow along even without sound.

STEP 4
1. Preview and share the Reel

Before posting, preview your Reel to check for any necessary adjustments. Add captions, hashtags, and select a cover image that best represents your content. Once everything looks good, tap Share to publish your music-powered Reel on Instagram.

While Instagram's built-in music library and editing tools offer convenience, they come with limitations—such as restricted song availability, limited audio customization, and fewer editing effects. If you want more copyright-free music, advanced editing controls, and professional-quality visuals, CapCut is the perfect solution. Let us unlock powerful video editing features of CapCut to enhance your Instagram Reels effortlessly!

How to make Reels with music using CapCut (Advanced editing)

For users looking for more control over music and effects, the CapCut desktop video editor is the ideal tool. It offers an extensive copyright-free audio library, allowing creators to add music without worrying about copyright restrictions. With advanced editing features, including precise audio syncing, beat markers, and diverse visual effects, CapCut makes it easy to create professional-quality Instagram music Reels. Whether you're trimming clips, enhancing transitions, or designing custom soundscapes, CapCut provides the flexibility and tools needed to make your Reels stand out. Download CapCut for free and start editing like a pro!

Key features

• Copyright-free audio library: Access a vast collection of royalty-free music tracks that can be used for Reel content.
• Audio copyright detection: You can check the audio copyright using CapCut's audio copyright detection tool for free.
• Diverse visual elements: CapCut offers plenty of visual elements for creating Reels, including stickers, transitions, and effects.

3-step guide to making Reels with music in CapCut

STEP 1
1. Import video clips

Open CapCut and start a new project. Click the Import button to upload your video clips, images, or other media. Arrange them in the timeline in the correct order to create a smooth sequence and set the video ratio to 9:16. Trimming unnecessary parts ensures a concise, engaging Instagram Reel.

STEP 2
1. Add music and sync with video

Tap Audio > Music to explore CapCut's free music library. Choose a song that fits your Reel's theme, and adjust its placement to sync with transitions. Use beat markers to align video cuts with the rhythm for a seamless, dynamic effect. Then, adjust the music volume or fade-in/out effect. You can also add voiceovers, sound effects, and auto-captions for extra engagement.

STEP 3
1. Export your Reel

Once satisfied with your edit, click Export and select high-resolution settings optimized for Instagram Reels. Save your video and upload it to Instagram.

Common mistakes to avoid when making Reels with music

Creating Instagram Reels with music can boost engagement, but certain mistakes can affect viewer retention and performance. Issues like copyright restrictions, poor syncing, or excessive effects can reduce the impact of your content. Below are common mistakes and how to fix them to ensure your Reels edit song process is smooth and effective.

• Using copyrighted music on business accounts

Some songs are restricted for commercial use, meaning business accounts may not have access to certain trending tracks. This can result in muted audio or removed Reels.

Solution: To avoid this, use CapCut's audio copyright detection tool, which ensures you select copyright-free music that won't cause issues when uploading. CapCut's free music library provides a variety of copyright-free songs for business and personal use.

• Poor music syncing

Badly synced video and audio make Reels feel disjointed and unprofessional, reducing engagement. Viewers are more likely to scroll away if transitions and beats don't align.

Solution: CapCut offers beat markers that help align video cuts with music for a smooth and dynamic effect.

• Low-quality audio

Poor audio quality, such as muffled or distorted sound, can ruin the viewing experience. Reels with clear, crisp music are more likely to retain audience interest and get better Instagram Reels engagement.

Solution: Use high-quality audio sources from CapCut's free music library to ensure professional sound clarity.

• Ignoring trending sounds

Trending songs increase discoverability, as Instagram promotes Reels with popular audio in the Explore feed. Ignoring trends can make it harder for your content to reach a wider audience.

Solution: Stay updated with Instagram's trending songs and CapCut's diverse music library to choose the best tracks for your Reels edit song strategy.

• Overloading effects

While effects can enhance creativity, overusing filters, stickers, and animations can make Reels look cluttered and unprofessional. Excessive edits distract from the main content and reduce engagement.

Solution: Use effects sparingly and ensure that visuals complement the music, rather than overpowering it. CapCut provides balanced editing tools that help maintain aesthetic appeal.

6 Trending music Reels on Instagram in 2025

Instagram Reels trends evolve quickly, and music plays a huge role in making content go viral. In 2025, several tracks dominated the platform, inspiring a variety of creative videos. Below are six of the hottest trending Reels songs, along with why they became popular and how you can use them for your content.

People Get Up And Drive Your Funky Soul (Remix) - James Brown (177K Reels)

Why it's trending: This funky, energetic remix is a hit for brand collaborations, product showcases, and fun user-generated content. The upbeat rhythm makes it perfect for playful transitions and vibrant storytelling.

Best use cases

• Behind-the-scenes moments and day-in-the-life vlogs.
• Product launches or creative brand ads.
• Energetic dance or styling videos.

Abracadabra - Lady Gaga (171K Reels)

Why it's trending: Lady Gaga's new single has taken streaming platforms and Instagram by storm. This high-energy, playful track is frequently used across OOTDs, fitness content, and dance videos.

Best use cases

• Fashion Reels featuring bold and fun outfits.
• Workout videos with fast-paced transitions.
• Dance challenges and lip-sync trends.

DENIAL IS A RIVER - Doechii (90.7K Reels)

Why it's trending: With a 90s hip-hop vibe, this track has gone viral for its catchy hook and bold energy. Creators are using it for creative video edits, lip-sync trends, and fashion Reels showcasing bold outfit choices.

Best use cases

• Beauty and makeup transformations.
• Fun lip-sync videos with confident expressions.
• High-energy fashion showcases with quick transitions.

Chanting - Original Audio (27.3K Reels)

Why it's trending: This moody, ethereal instrumental has gained popularity for its dreamy, cinematic feel. It works well as background music for aesthetic videos that require a vintage, artistic vibe.

Best use cases

• Book reviews, poetry, or storytelling videos.
• Fashion content with aesthetic vintage edits.
• Mood-setting videos featuring soft, artistic visuals.

I'M HIS, HE'S MINE - Katy Perry ft. Doechii (15.4K Reels)

Why it's trending: This fun, upbeat love song from Katy Perry's latest album is a go-to track for Valentine's Day content and romantic-inspired Reels. Its catchy melody has made it a favorite for fashion, beauty, and relationship-themed videos.

Best use cases

• OOTD and date night outfit showcases.
• Valentine's Day content featuring couples or gift ideas.
• Fun, flirty transitions and glow-up edits.

Not Like Us - Kendrick Lamar (NFL Version) (6K Reels)

Why it's trending: Kendrick Lamar's live Super Bowl performance of Not Like Us became the most-watched halftime show in history, sending the song into viral status. The high-energy beat and aggressive flow make it perfect for football-related content, OOTD videos, and any dynamic edits.

Best use cases

• Sports highlights and game reactions.
• Outfit of the day (OOTD) featuring bold styles.
• Action-packed edits requiring fast transitions.

Conclusion

Creating Instagram Reels with music is an excellent way to boost engagement and reach a wider audience. Using Instagram's built-in music library provides quick access to trending songs, while CapCut offers advanced editing tools, copyright-free music, and seamless audio syncing for more professional results. To avoid copyright issues, always use legal music sources and ensure proper audio integration. Take your Reels to the next level with CapCut's precision editing tools! Download CapCut for Free and create high-quality music Reels today!

FAQs

1
1. How to edit music in Instagram Reels after posting?

Currently, Instagram does not allow editing music in Reels once they are posted. If you need to change the audio, you must delete the Reel and re-upload it with the correct track. This can be inconvenient, especially if your Reel has already gained engagement.

2
1. How to make Reels with music without Instagram's library?

If the song you want is not available in Instagram's music library, you won't be able to add it directly from the app. Instagram's music selection is limited by region and account type, especially for business accounts with commercial restrictions. You can add any song or custom audio using CapCut before uploading your video to Instagram Reels. With its copyright-free music library, you'll have a variety of tracks to choose from.

3
1. How to use my own music or custom audio in Reels?

Instagram allows users to record original audio while creating a Reel. Simply tap the microphone icon during recording to capture voiceovers or background music. Because Instagram has fewer built-in audio editing tools, we recommend using CapCut to upload your own audio and edit it. It provides recording functions and a large number of audio editing tools, such as adjusting audio, reducing noise, enhancing voice, etc.