In this guide
Open an iMovie movie project, add a built-in soundtrack or permitted audio file, and adjust the mix with your original video. Check the beginning, speech and ending in the exported video.
To add music to a video on iPhone, open the video in an iMovie movie project, tap Add Media, choose an audio source and add a track. Preview the music with the original video sound, adjust their levels, then export and listen to the saved video.
iMovie offers built-in soundtracks, eligible songs in your Music library and compatible audio files in Files or iCloud Drive. The right path depends on where your audio is stored. Use music you have permission to include and keep the original video.
Choose where the music comes from
| Source | Where to start | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in iMovie soundtrack | Add Media → Audio → Soundtracks. | Download a dimmed soundtrack if needed, preview it and check how it fits the project. |
| Music library song | Add Media → Audio → My Music, then browse a category. | Download availability and permission to use the song; protected tracks may be unavailable. |
| Audio file on the device or in iCloud Drive | Add Media → Files and choose a supported file. | Check its placement and length. Apple says files under a minute appear at the playhead, while longer files behave like songs. |
These steps are for an iMovie movie project. Magic Movie and storyboard projects use different controls. Apple’s guide to adding songs and audio files describes the current iPhone workflow and supported file types.
How to add a built-in soundtrack
- Open a movie project. In iMovie on your iPhone, create or open a movie project containing your video. Keep the original clip in Photos or Files.
- Open the soundtrack browser. With the project timeline open, tap the Add Media button, then choose Audio → Soundtracks.
- Preview and add a soundtrack. Tap a soundtrack to hear it. If it is dimmed and requires a download, download it first. Tap its Add Audio button to place it in the project.
- Play the edit. Apple says iMovie places a built-in soundtrack at the project beginning and fits it to the project length. Listen at the first scene, any spoken section and the end; the automatic placement may not be the musical cue you want.
- Adjust and export. Select the relevant audio or video clip in the timeline to adjust its level. Preview the mix, export a new video and play the saved copy.
See Apple’s soundtrack instructions and audio adjustment guide for your installed version. iMovie may duck background music when a video clip’s sound plays, but still check whether important dialogue is intelligible.
Add a song or audio file from your iPhone
For a song available in the Music app, tap Add Media → Audio → My Music and browse to the song. Preview it, then tap Add Audio. Apple notes that unavailable songs may need downloading and that protected files may not be available in iMovie. A downloaded song is not automatically licensed for every reuse; verify the rights for your project.
For a file in Files or iCloud Drive, move the playhead to the intended position for a clip shorter than one minute, tap Add Media → Files, browse to the file and tap it. Apple lists formats including M4A, MP3, WAV and AIFF, and says a file longer than one minute behaves like a song in the project. These behaviors can affect placement, so review the timeline after adding the file rather than assuming it begins at the playhead.
If you want a shorter music excerpt, prepare it first in an editor or use the separate free audio trimmer for a compatible short MP3 or WAV. Download the excerpt, make it available in Files and add it to iMovie. The trimmer does not add music to the video or transfer the file automatically.
Adding music to iMovie on a Mac?
Mac iMovie uses a different timeline from the iPhone app. Open your movie in the timeline and choose Audio & Video above the browser. Select Music or Sound Effects in the sidebar, preview a clip, then drag it into the timeline. To use your own compatible audio file, Apple also documents dragging it from Finder directly into the timeline. See Apple’s Mac audio instructions and file-import guide.
Where you drop the track matters. Drag it to the background music well below the timeline for music that stays independent of video clip edits. To connect a sound to a particular video clip, drag it beneath that clip until the connecting bar appears; moving the video clip then moves the attached sound. Trim and adjust the music, check it against speech and preview the exported movie. If the music cuts off abruptly, use the iMovie fade guide.
Keep dialogue clear under the music
Listen to the busiest spoken sentence at a comfortable level. Lower the music if it masks words, and check that its beginning and end do not cut across a sentence. Apple’s audio-clip guide explains trimming and moving clips; it also distinguishes background music from audio attached to a particular video clip.
If you want to silence the original clip entirely, the iPhone mute guide explains the iMovie controls. Muting removes all sound in that clip, including any speech or effects you may want. If music and voice are already mixed in the original soundtrack, lowering the clip changes both; source separation is a different test with its own limitations.
Why can’t I add or hear the music?
| Issue | Check |
|---|---|
| Song is dimmed or missing | Check whether it must be downloaded to the device and whether it is a protected file. Try an eligible permitted audio file instead. |
| File appears at the wrong place | Review the playhead and Apple’s under-one-minute versus longer-file behavior, then adjust the clip and replay the cue. |
| Speech is hard to hear | Compare the music and original clip levels during speech. Lower the music rather than raising an already distorted recording. |
| Music ends too early or repeats | Inspect the timeline and listen through the end. iMovie can fit or loop background music; review and adjust the actual edit. |
Common questions
Can I add my own MP3 to an iPhone video?
Yes, iMovie supports adding compatible audio files from Files or other locations. Make the permitted MP3 available on the device, add it to a movie project and check where it appears in the timeline.
Will adding music remove the original video audio?
No. Adding a music track does not automatically remove all original clip sound. Adjust or mute the original separately, and listen for any dialogue or effects you want to retain.
Can I use any song in a video I share?
Availability in an app is not the same as permission for every use. Check the rights and destination’s requirements for your specific recording and intended distribution.