How to Find a Song From a Video: Identify Music on Any Device

To find a song from a video, first check its description or audio credits, then play a clear section to a music-recognition app. When a result appears, listen to the matching recording and compare it with the video: a cover, remix or edited version can sound similar to the original.

If recognition fails, try another passage with less dialogue, search a distinctive lyric in quotation marks, or ask the creator. Some clips use original, unpublished or heavily edited music that a recognition service cannot identify.

1. Look for credits in the video

• YouTube: expand the description and look for music credits, a track list or a “Music” section. YouTube says it adds music information to some videos, but it can be incomplete or inaccurate. See YouTube's music information guide.
• Short-form video: check the audio label and any linked sound page, caption or creator credit. A sound name can identify an upload rather than the original song, so verify it by listening.
• Other sources: inspect the description, end credits or accompanying post. If the video contains several songs, note the timestamp of the passage you want.

If credits name a track, compare the artist, version and exact passage. A sped-up edit, live performance or sample may require an additional search even after you find the underlying composition.

2. Use song recognition while the video plays

On iPhone or iPad

1. Find a section where the music is clear and let it play. If necessary, add Shazam Music Recognition to Control Center.
2. Open Control Center and tap the Shazam Music Recognition control. Apple says it can identify music playing around you or in another app on the same device.
3. Open the result notification and compare the identified recording with the passage. If it does not match, retry a different section.

The Shazam app is another option. Apple's Shazam guide describes the app and Control Center workflows; available controls and permissions can differ by device and software version.

On Android

Open the Shazam app, tap its recognition button and play a clear passage. Apple documents recognition of music playing around the device or in another app on supported Android devices. If switching apps interrupts the video, try the app's automatic recognition mode, return to the video, and turn the mode off after testing. Review the result against the clip rather than assuming the first match is correct.

On a computer

Play the video through speakers and use a recognition app on a phone nearby. Keep the volume comfortable and reduce other room sounds. If the first passage is dominated by speech or effects, move to a more exposed section and try again.

3. Search clues when recognition fails

1. Write down words you can hear. Search a short distinctive phrase in quotation marks, then add an artist, language or context if known. Misheard lyrics can produce convincing but wrong results.
2. Check the creator's other credits. Look at the description, pinned comment or linked soundtrack; ask politely if the music is uncredited.
3. Try a different section. An instrumental break may help when speech covers the chorus; a sung phrase may help a lyric search. A very short loop may not contain enough information for recognition.
4. Consider an edited or original track. Search a likely title with “remix,” “live” or the creator's name, then compare the recording. Some music may not be publicly cataloged.

How to identify a song without lyrics

If the music has no singing, try a clear instrumental passage in a song-recognition app and compare the proposed recording. If you cannot play the original but remember the tune, use a search feature that accepts humming or whistling. These are different inputs: a melody search suggests possible matches, while a recording-recognition result can identify a particular released recording.

Find a song by humming on iPhone or Android

1. Open the Google app on your phone. In the search bar, tap the microphone and choose Search a song.
2. Hum, whistle or sing the melody you remember. If the app requests microphone permission, review and allow it to hear your input.
3. Review the possible matches. Select a result, listen to the recording and compare the melody and arrangement with what you remember. A familiar tune can appear in several versions.
4. If the match is wrong or missing, retry a clearer part of the melody in a quieter place, or use another clue such as the video creator, game, instrument or scene.

Google documents this workflow for iPhone and Android. Feature availability and controls may vary. Google describes the results of a hummed melody as potential matches; a match does not establish that a video uses the same performance or arrangement.

When you can play the original music

Try a recognition app on a passage without speech or sound effects, then compare the artist and version. Check the video's music credits and any audio label even if the search succeeds. A sound label may name an upload rather than the underlying track, and an unpublished score may not be in a recognition catalog. If the passage is masked by dialogue, the music-isolation option below is a listening experiment rather than an identification service.

Can you isolate the music to hear it better?

If you have permission to work with a local video or audio file, the background music extractor can estimate the music from a mixed recording. Describe the audible music, review the isolated output and compare it with the original. AI WAV downloads require an account and sufficient credits; check the cost shown before downloading.

The result may contain dialogue, lose instruments or alter the sound. It is an estimate, not an automatic song identifier, and processing may make recognition worse. Try the original clear passage first. You can also prepare a short compatible audio copy using the video-to-audio converter; it extracts the mixed soundtrack, not separate music and voices. Check file, duration and browser support limits.

Verify the match and your intended use

Compare more than the title. Listen for the same singer, arrangement, tempo and section of the recording. A recognition result may point to the original while the video uses a cover, remix, sample or altered version. Check the artist and release details against the creator's credits when available.

Identifying or extracting a track does not grant a license to reuse it. Before adding music to your own video, check what permission or platform license applies to the specific recording and intended use. Our YouTube music guide covers adding a permitted track and checking the finished edit.

Common questions

Can I identify a song playing on the same phone?

Apple says Shazam can recognize music playing in another app on supported iPhone and Android devices. Start recognition, play the relevant section and check the result.

Why does the app identify the wrong song?

Speech, effects, a short excerpt, an altered speed or a similar sample can make a match unreliable. Try another passage and listen to the proposed recording.

Can I find a song without lyrics?

Sometimes. Try recognition on a clear instrumental section, look for credits, and ask the creator. An original or unpublished recording may not appear in a recognition catalog.