The basic way to add music to iMovie

Open your iMovie project and position your playhead (the vertical line showing where you are in the timeline) where you want the music to start. Click the Music and Sound Effects button in the toolbar — it looks like a musical note. A panel opens on the right side showing your music library. Drag a song from that panel directly onto the audio track below your video clips in the timeline. The music will snap into place at the playhead position.

If you don't see the Music and Sound Effects button, you may be in the wrong view. Make sure you're in the timeline editor (not the event library), and look for the button in the top toolbar. On iPad, tap the three dots in the top right, then select Music and Sound Effects.

Key Takeaways

  • Music comes from your iTunes library, Apple Music subscription, or iMovie's built-in sound effects — you cannot import audio files directly into iMovie on Mac or iPad.
  • Drag music from the Music and Sound Effects panel onto the audio track in your timeline, positioned exactly where you want it to start.
  • Adjust volume by double-clicking the audio clip and using the volume slider, or fade music in and out by dragging the small handles at the edges of the audio clip.
  • If your song is longer than your video, trim it by dragging the right edge of the audio clip inward on the timeline.

Where iMovie finds your music

iMovie pulls music from three places: your iTunes library (songs you own or have downloaded), your Apple Music subscription (if you have one), and iMovie's own collection of royalty-free sound effects and background music. You cannot import an MP3 file or audio file from your computer directly into iMovie — the app only works with music already in one of these three sources.

If you want to use a song that's not in iTunes or Apple Music, you'll need to add it to iTunes first. On a Mac, open iTunes, go to File > Add to Library, and select your audio file. Wait for it to sync to your library, then it will appear in iMovie's Music and Sound Effects panel. On iPad, this option is not available — iPad iMovie can only use music from Apple Music or iMovie's built-in library.

Adjusting volume and creating fades

Once music is on your timeline, double-click the audio clip to open its settings. A volume slider appears — drag it left to lower the volume or right to raise it. You can also mute the audio entirely by clicking the speaker icon.

To fade music in or out, look at the edges of the audio clip on the timeline. Small handles appear at the top corners of the clip. Drag the left handle to the right to fade in (the music starts silent and gets louder), or drag the right handle to the left to fade out (the music gets quieter and ends in silence). The longer you drag, the longer the fade takes. This is useful for smoothing transitions between clips or letting music end gradually instead of stopping abruptly.

Trimming music that's too long

If your song is longer than your video, you need to trim it. Position your cursor at the right edge of the audio clip on the timeline until a resize cursor appears (usually a double-headed arrow). Drag the edge to the left to shorten the clip. The music will stop playing at the point where you've trimmed it.

You can also trim from the beginning by dragging the left edge to the right, which makes the music start later. This is helpful if you want to skip the intro of a song or start at a specific verse. The original file is not changed — you're only controlling what portion plays in your project.

Layering multiple audio tracks

iMovie lets you add more than one audio track at the same time. You might want background music playing while someone is speaking, or sound effects layered under music. Each audio clip you add goes into its own lane on the timeline. Drag a second song or sound effect onto the timeline below your first audio clip, and both will play together.

Control the balance between them by adjusting each clip's volume separately. Double-click each audio clip and use its volume slider to set how loud it should be relative to the others. If you have video with dialogue and want to add background music, lower the music volume so the dialogue stays clear. Test by playing the timeline and listening to how the layers sound together.

Syncing music to your video timing

Sometimes you want a song to hit a specific moment — a beat drop at a cut, or music starting exactly when someone speaks. Drag your audio clip on the timeline so it lines up with the visual moment you want. You can move it left or right by clicking and dragging the clip itself (not the edges).

Use the playhead to mark where you want something to happen. Click in the timeline at the exact frame where you want the music to change, and the playhead jumps there. Then drag your audio clip so it starts or ends at that playhead position. Play through the section to check the timing. Small adjustments often require a few tries, so don't hesitate to move clips around until it feels right.

Removing or replacing music

To delete a music clip from your timeline, click it once to select it (it will highlight), then press Delete or Backspace. The clip disappears and the remaining audio clips shift to fill the gap. This does not delete the song from your iTunes library — it only removes it from this project.

To replace music, delete the old clip and drag a new one onto the timeline in the same spot. You can also drag a new song directly onto an existing audio clip to swap them, though this method is less reliable. Deleting and re-adding gives you more control over exactly where the new music starts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a song from Spotify or YouTube in iMovie?

No. iMovie only works with music in iTunes, Apple Music, or its built-in library. If you want to use a Spotify song, you would need to read it (if Spotify allows it) and add it to iTunes first. Most streaming services do not allow downloads for this purpose, so this is usually not an option.

Why doesn't my music appear in the Music and Sound Effects panel?

The song may not be in iTunes yet, or it may not have finished syncing. Add it to iTunes using File > Add to Library on Mac, wait a few seconds, then close and reopen iMovie. If you're on iPad, only Apple Music songs and iMovie's built-in sounds are available — you cannot add personal files on iPad.

How do I make music fade out at the end of my video?

Drag the right handle at the top corner of the audio clip inward toward the left. This creates a fade-out effect where the music gradually gets quieter. The farther you drag, the longer the fade takes — usually one to three seconds is noticeable but not jarring.

Can I adjust the volume of just one part of a song?

Not directly. iMovie applies one volume level to the entire audio clip. If you need different volumes in different sections, you would need to split the clip into separate pieces. Click the audio clip where you want to split it, then use the Edit menu to split at playhead. Now you have two clips you can adjust independently.

What if my video is longer than the song I want to use?

The song will play once and then stop. You can loop it by adding the same song again on the timeline right after the first one ends, or choose a longer song. Looping works well for background music but can sound repetitive if the song has a distinct structure or lyrics.