Facebook Stories allow users to share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. One popular feature of Stories is the ability to add music to the background of your posts. By default, Facebook provides a limited library of music to choose from. However, you can customize your Stories by adding your own audio tracks.
Adding your own music to Facebook Stories is easy to do. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the entire process step-by-step.
Benefits of Using Custom Music
Here are some of the main benefits of using your own music files in Facebook Stories:
- Lets you match music to the exact mood and tone of your Story
- Provides more variety instead of being limited to Facebook’s default music
- Allows you to use your favorite songs or instrumental tracks
- Great way to promote your own music or podcasts
- Customizes your Story feed and makes it more unique
The default music Facebook provides covers many popular genres. But there may be times you want specific songs that aren’t available. Adding your own music solves this problem and creates more personalized Stories.
Requirements for Custom Audio
If you want to upload audio files to Facebook Stories, they must meet the following requirements:
- File types: MP3, WAV, or OGG
- File size: Less than 36MB
- Length: Music can be up to 15 seconds long
The file types specifically supported are MP3, WAV, and OGG formats. The maximum file size you can use is 36MB. And audio clips can be up to 15 seconds long when added to Stories.
This allows you plenty of flexibility to add full-length songs, excerpts, or short audio tracks. Just make sure to edit your file if necessary to meet Facebook’s requirements beforehand.
Step 1: Download Music Files to Your Phone
The first step is to get the music files onto your smartphone where you access Facebook. Here are some options for downloading tracks:
- Extract music from your iTunes or Spotify libraries – Use a converter tool to save tracks from your playlists as MP3/WAV files.
- Download from YouTube – Use an online converter to extract audio from YouTube videos.
- Purchase individual songs online – Buy tracks from stores like Amazon Music or Bandcamp.
- Use your own recordings – Upload audio you created or recorded yourself.
Once you’ve identified the songs you want, download them onto your Android or iPhone. Your device’s “Music” or “Files” app is generally the best place to access them.
Edit Audio Length
Remember to edit longer tracks so they are 15 seconds or less. Use audio editing software like Audacity (PC/Mac) or Apple GarageBand (Mac/iOS) to trim an excerpt.
You may need to adjust the volume as well so it sounds good against your Story video. For consistency, aim for audio that is around -14 to -10dB.
Step 2: Add Music While Creating Story
Next, with your music files ready, it’s time to add them to a Facebook Story. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the + icon in the top menu bar.
- Tap “Story” to begin creating a new one.
- Take or select photos/videos for your Story as you normally would.
- Tap the Music note icon at the top to go to the audio screen.
- Tap “My Music” at the bottom.
- Browse to and select your downloaded track.
- Trim the length if needed by dragging the sliders.
- Tap “Add Song” to confirm.
And that’s it! Your custom music will now play along with the Story. You can post and share it normally.
Adjusting Volume Levels
If your music seems too loud or soft compared to the video, tap the volume icon on the music editing screen. Use the slider or arrows to turn it up or down until the audio mix sounds right.
Step 3: Save Music to Facebook Library
After you add a custom song once, Facebook will save it to your “Music Library” for easy access later. Here’s how your library works:
- Library saves all songs you’ve added previously.
- Songs stay in your library forever.
- Library is accessible from the “My Music” tab when adding to Stories.
- No limit on number of songs (unlike Reels music library).
With music in your library, you don’t have to download tracks repeatedly. Just tap and add any song you’ve used before. Your full collection will always be available.
Removing Tracks
If you want to delete a song from your library:
- Go to your Facebook Profile and tap the Music icon.
- Tap Library to view your saved tracks.
- Find the song you want to remove.
- Tap the three dots next to it and tap Remove.
This will permanently delete that specific song from your music collection.
Uploading Songs from Desktop
Adding music directly in the Facebook app is the easiest method. But you can also upload tracks from your computer:
- On your computer, go to the Facebook website and log in.
- Click the + sign in the menu bar and select “Story”
- Click “Upload Photo/Video” and choose your photo or video.
- Click “Music” on the left sidebar.
- Click “Upload Music” and select the track from your computer files.
- Adjust start/end points and click “Done”.
- Click “Next” and post the Story as usual.
This follows the same principles as the mobile app. The only difference is selecting music from your computer rather than phone files.
Finding Copyright-Safe Audio
Copyright law protects musicians’ rights to their creative work. Using popular songs with copyright protection might get your Facebook account flagged. Here are some tips for finding legal music to use:
- Use royalty-free music sites like Storyblocks or Epidemic Sound.
- Search for songs marked “Creative Commons” on sites like SoundCloud or YouTube.
- Use music uploaded by you or friends/family.
- Commission music from composers on Fiverr and Upwork.
- Use music creation apps like Jinglepunk or Soundtrap.
Sites with royalty-free downloads are your safest option. Alternatively, look for songs that creators have explicitly allowed for reuse under a Creative Commons license.
Original music by people you know also avoids copyright problems. And hiring composers to make custom tracks specifically for your Stories is permitted by law.
Music Ideas to Try
Need inspiration for great music to pair with your Stories? Consider these ideas:
- Popular songs fitting your Story’s theme
- Your favorite feel-good, upbeat pop tracks
- Instrumental solo piano or acoustic guitar
- Ambient chill, lounge, or jazz music
- Movie soundtrack instrumentals
- 8-bit video game background music
- ASMR sounds like rain, waves, or crackling fire
- Custom audio created just for your brand
Match the tone of your visuals with complementary audio styles. Fast-paced Stories suit upbeat pop songs. Relaxing content pairs better with slower ambient genres. Consider using soft instrumental covers of popular songs too.
For a unique vibe, experiment with using background sounds like weather or ASMR noises. Or create custom musical branding that fits your Stories by hiring composers.
Optimizing Audio for Your Brand
Smart use of music isn’t just about picking any random song. To build your brand and engage viewers, follow these best practices:
- Match musical vibe with your brand identity and audience.
- Use consistent music genres/styles to be recognizable.
- Feature music from artists your target viewers enjoy.
- Time music changes to complement Story content.
- Hide audio behind speech/narration if it competes.
- Cross-promote artists, songs, or podcasts featured.
Choose music styles that resonate with your target demographics. Using similar tracks repeatedly also helps reinforce your brand identity through sound.
To connect better with viewers, feature songs they already know and love. Syncing music changes to Story footage creates more seamless, natural transitions.
If narration clashes with busy background songs, try lowering the volume or muting during speech parts. Lastly, tag any musicians you use to help cross-promote their work.
Extra Tips
Keep these additional tips in mind for great results with custom music in Stories:
- Use copyright and royalty-free sounds whenever possible.
- Cut long songs into 15-second clips that tell a “story”.
- Fade music in/out gently to introduce and conclude tracks.
- Adjust volume so music complements your voice and other sounds.
- Add subtle background songs behind busy foreground audio.
- Use the same song across different Stories for a series.
Stay legal by sticking with audio that’s copyright-free or properly licensed. Trim longer tracks into brief segments that suit Stories’ pace. Fading between songs creates more polished transitions.
When mixing multiple audio elements, adjust levels so no sounds overwhelm others. Try layering faint ambient music underneath louder audio. You can also reuse the same song in different Stories to tie them together thematically.
Troubleshooting Problems
If you have trouble adding music to Stories, here are solutions for some common issues:
Can’t Find “My Music” Tab
– Update the Facebook app to latest version
– Check app has required permissions enabled
– Force quit and restart the Facebook app
Music Not Playing in Story
– Confirm the track was added successfully
– Try re-adding the song file
– Check audio isn’t muted in the Story composer
Audio Out of Sync
– Preview Story before posting
– Adjust sync by trimming start/end points of music
– Repost video for Facebook to reprocess
Can’t Hear Custom Audio
– Increase music volume in the audio editor
– Reduce volume of other overlapping sounds
– Adjust equalizer to boost soft frequencies
Stories Blocked for Copyright
– Only use authorized copyright-free music
– Dispute takedowns if you have legal rights to a song
– Edit Story and replace blocked music
Checking for app issues, adjusting audio mix, and using permitted sounds will solve most technical problems. Seek help from Facebook support if you can’t resolve an error.
Conclusion
Adding custom music is a great way to make your Facebook Stories stand out. Simply download suitable audio files and import them when making Stories. Trim and mix your music correctly against photos and videos.
Pairing impactful songs elevates production quality. Play with musical styles to match different Story content. Have fun exploring your own audio library once tracks get saved for repeat use.
So be creative in selecting meaningful tunes for your brand. With the right soundtrack, you can keep viewers fascinated from start to finish!