The fastest way to add music in CapCut

Open your project in CapCut, tap the Music button at the bottom of the screen, choose a track from the library, and drag it to your timeline. CapCut will place the audio on a new track below your video. You can trim it, adjust the volume, or move it to start at any point in your video.

The entire process takes under a minute for most videos. CapCut's built-in music library is free to use in your videos without worrying about copyright strikes — the platform licenses the tracks for creators. If you want to use your own audio file instead, you can upload it the same way.

Key Takeaways

  • Tap Music at the bottom, select a track, and drag it onto your timeline to add licensed music to your video.
  • You can trim the music, change its volume, or fade it in and out by tapping the audio track and using the editing tools.
  • CapCut's library music is free to use in videos you post publicly without copyright issues.
  • If you want to use your own audio file, tap Music, select Upload, and choose the file from your phone or computer.

Adding music from CapCut's library

Tap the Music button at the bottom center of the editing screen. A panel will open showing categories like Trending, Pop, Electronic, and Cinematic. Scroll through or search for a mood or genre that matches your video. When you find a track you like, tap it to preview a few seconds of the audio.

Once you choose a track, tap Add or the plus icon. CapCut will place the music on a new audio track below your video. If your video is shorter than the song, the music will continue playing past the end of the video — you will need to trim it. If your video is longer, the music will loop (repeat) to fill the time unless you add another track.

Uploading your own music or audio files

If you want to use a song or audio file you already own, tap Music at the bottom, then look for an Upload button or folder icon. Select the audio file from your device. CapCut supports MP3, WAV, M4A, and other common audio formats.

Once uploaded, the file will appear in your Music library under a section like "My Uploads" or "Local Files." You can add it to your timeline the same way you would add library music. Keep in mind that if you use copyrighted music you do not own the rights to, you may get a copyright claim if you post the video on YouTube or another platform — CapCut itself will not block you from using it, but the platform where you share it might.

Trimming and timing your music

Once music is on your timeline, tap the audio track to select it. You will see handles (small markers) at the start and end of the track. Drag the right handle to the left to shorten the music, or drag the left handle to the right to make it start later in your video. This is how you prevent music from playing after your video ends.

If you want the music to start at a specific moment — for example, when a scene changes — tap and drag the entire audio track left or right on the timeline. The music will move without changing its length. You can also tap the track and look for a Split or Trim option to cut the audio into pieces and delete the parts you do not want.

Adjusting volume and adding fades

Tap the audio track on your timeline, then look for a Volume slider or icon. Drag it left to make the music quieter or right to make it louder. If your video has dialogue or voiceover, you will usually want the music quieter so people can hear the speaking.

To fade the music in or out, tap the track and look for Fade In and Fade Out options. A fade-in makes the volume gradually increase from silent at the start; a fade-out does the opposite at the end. Both create a smoother, more polished sound than music that starts or stops abruptly. You can adjust how long the fade lasts — usually one to three seconds works well.

Adding multiple music tracks or layering audio

You can add more than one music track to the same video. Tap Music again and add a second song. CapCut will place it on a new audio track below the first one. Both tracks will play at the same time. This is useful if you want background music under a voiceover, or if you want to transition from one song to another at a specific moment.

When you have multiple audio tracks, you can control the volume of each one separately. Lower the volume of the background music if it is competing with dialogue. If you want one song to fade out while another fades in, trim and fade each track so they overlap slightly — the crossfade will sound natural rather than like an abrupt switch.

Exporting your video with the music included

When you are ready to save your video, tap Export or Share at the top right. Choose your video quality and format — most phones default to 1080p, which is fine for social media. CapCut will render (process) your video with the music mixed in. This usually takes a few minutes depending on your video length and phone speed.

Once the export is done, the video file will be saved to your phone's camera roll or files. You can then post it to YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or any other platform. The music will be part of the video file itself — you do not need to upload the audio separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use CapCut's music library music on YouTube without getting a copyright strike?

CapCut's library music is licensed for use in videos, so you should not get a copyright strike from using it. However, YouTube may still claim the audio and place ads on your video — the revenue goes to the copyright holder, not to you. Check CapCut's terms to confirm which tracks are fully free to use.

What if the music is longer than my video?

Drag the right edge of the audio track on the timeline to the left until it ends when your video ends. You can also tap the track and use the Trim tool to cut off the extra seconds. The music will stop playing at the point where you trimmed it.

How do I make the music quieter so people can hear my voiceover?

Tap the music track, find the Volume slider, and drag it to the left to lower the volume. A good starting point is around 30 to 50 percent of full volume if you have dialogue on top. You can adjust it by ear as you preview your video.

Can I add music from Spotify or Apple Music to my CapCut video?

No — you cannot directly import songs from streaming services into CapCut because those songs are protected by copyright. You can only use CapCut's library, music you own the rights to, or royalty-free music from other sources like YouTube Audio Library or Epidemic Sound.

What audio formats does CapCut accept?

CapCut accepts MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC, OGG, and FLAC files. If you have a music file in a different format, you can convert it using a free online tool before uploading it to CapCut.