How to Add Music to TikTok

It doesn’t take long when scrolling through TikTok to come across a video with hundreds of thousands of views and likes. The content creator has nailed the videography, perfectly adjusted the lighting and made it so the beat of the music perfectly syncs up with each scene. While the attention-grabbing video might look easy to make, you might find yourself hitting a few roadblocks when creating your own—especially when adding music. 

Leveraging music is one of the easiest ways to get more eyes on your content and is a great skill to add to your TikTok toolbox, no matter what your goal is as a creator. While adding your own music to a TikTok is pretty straightforward, there are also trending sounds and other ideas for incorporating music into your content. So get ready to turn up the volume and let your creativity shine!

Getting into the Rhythm of Adding Music to Your TikToks

Since TikTok originally started as an app with exclusively singing and dancing content, it’s no surprise that learning how to add music to TikTok is a top skill for any user to have. You’ll find hundreds of thousands of songs to choose from, plus sounds created by other users.

Exploring the TikTok Music Library

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when scrolling through the TikTok music library. Here you’ll come across tracks that TikTok has handpicked for you based on sounds you’ve previously listened to and a range of playlists.

You’ll always see playlists like “TikTok Viral” and “New Releases,” but depending on events going on in the world or popular trends you might see playlists like “#WomenInMusic” during Women’s History Month. When you start looking through these sounds and playlists, it’s important to consider the type of video you want to make.

If you’re eager to make a Tiktok dance video, try scrolling through your For You Page to see which quick routines catch your attention. Wanderlusts who love to travel might show off the coffee shops of LisbonLisbon using the Portuguese guitar. Filming a day in the life as an artist in Seattle? Choose soft piano music that doesn’t drown out your voiceover.

Within the TikTok music library, most of the tracks you’ll see will be songs that professional musicians have produced. It’ll take a little more digging to get to some of the trending music on TikTok that amateur DJs and other TikTok users have made. 

What to Know About Trending Music on TikTok

Using a trending sound can help your content stand out and reach a wider audience because other users are more likely to engage with content that feels current, relevant and slightly familiar. 

When looking for trending music on TikTok, your For You Page (FYP) is the best place to go. TikTok has a viral sounds playlist, but if you want to grow your account, try to tap into TikTok trends that aren’t at the top but are quickly making their way up the ranks. If you see more than a few videos on your FYP using the same sound, but it isn’t a top trending sound yet, it might be a sign to try it out yourself. 

How to Add Your Own Music to a TikTok

Do a little dance because it’s time to add your own music to your TikTok video! Once you’ve had a chance to explore some videos on your FYP and you have an idea of the vibe you want for your video, you’ll be in the right mindset to pick out the perfect sound for you.

Create a New Video

You can find the music library in TikTok by clicking on the plus sign in the middle of the bottom bar on your screen. This will open you up to a view of your camera to start creating a TikTok, but at the top of your screen you’ll see a button that says “Add Sound.” Click that button and you’ll find yourself in the music library.

Check out the Music Library

Here you’ll find the playlists, trending sounds and suggested tracks that you explored earlier. Consider spending five minutes listening to a few different tracks with and without your video. A dramatic guitar solo might not be the best background music for a calming sunset, so take your time observing which feels like the best fit for you.

Choose a Saved Sound

Within the music library, you can also access music tracks and sounds that you’ve saved from other videos. This will be under the “Favorites” tab within the music library page and also under the “Favorites” tab on your profile. It can be beneficial to keep track of sounds you like as you scroll so that you don’t have to spend time looking for a new sound every time you make a new video. 

Add and Adjust Your Sound

Once you’ve chosen your sound, you just need to click on the sound and then on the little check mark to add music to your TikTok video. After that, you’ll be taken back to the screen where you can start creating your Tiktok. If you want to adjust the part of the song you want to use, you can click the scissor icon, and you’ll be able to cut the song to start and end where you desire.  

Editing Outside of the TikTok App

Some creators find it easiest to edit their videos outside of the TikTok app using other apps like CapCut and InShot. With these apps, you can play around with transitions and more easily adjust the clips you want to use.

If you're going to edit your TikTok in an outside app but still have the sound in the background as you do so, you just have to find a video that uses your desired sound. Then save it by clicking the share arrow and then the “save video” button. 

Once you save the video, you can extract the audio from it within one of the editing apps and use it while you edit your video.   

Time to Get TikTok-ing

You’ve made it! You now know how to add a sound to any TikTok video, which brings endless opportunities. Now you can engage in trending memes, add enjoyable background music and create TikTok videos where the music perfectly syncs up with each scene.

This week, spend time saving sounds you enjoy and then try making a few new videos until you feel completely comfortable adding songs to your TikToks. Before you know it, you might be making your own viral videos!

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Written By

Calli Zarpas

Producer & Writer by occupation. Ceramicist & Newsletter Editor by avocation.

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