How to Add Music & Audio to a Video (the Right Way)
Audio is half your video — and the half most people get wrong. Here’s how to add music to a video on your phone, sync it to your cut, and mix it so the music supports your message instead of burying it.
Music sets the mood of a video more than any single visual choice — and bad audio makes a beautiful edit unwatchable. Here’s how to add music and sound to a video on your phone, sync it to your cut, and mix it so it sounds intentional.
Audio is just another layer
Like video and text, audio lives on its own track on the timeline. You drag it in time to sync it, trim it to length, and control its volume independently. (New to layers? See the mobile video editor guide.)
Tap for audio
Step 1 — Add a track
Open the audio tool
Tap the music note in the bottom toolbar. Choose from the built-in library or add a track from your phone.
Drop it on the timeline
The track lands on its own audio layer beneath your video.
Line up the beat
Drag the track left or right so a beat or drop lands on your cut or a key moment. Cutting on the beat is the single biggest upgrade to any edit.
Browse Music, SFX, Ambient, Vocals & Nature
Step 2 — Fade in and out
Hard audio cuts sound abrupt and amateur. Add a fade in at the start and a fade out at the end so the music eases in and out. Even a half-second fade makes a clip feel finished.
Step 3 — Balance the mix
If you have both music and speech, the words win:
- Duck the music under any voiceover — drop it 15–20 dB below the voice so it’s a bed, not competition.
- Avoid clipping — keep levels below the point where audio distorts.
- Match energy — a calm clip wants a calm track; don’t fight your footage.
Watch the silent test. Most of social plays muted first, then unmutes if hooked. So your visuals and captions must work silent, and your audio must reward the unmute. Design for both.
Beyond music: effects and voice
A full mobile editor gives you more than a soundtrack: audio effects (EQ, reverb, filters), audio transitions between tracks, and the ability to add voiceover or text-to-speech narration. Layer a subtle whoosh on a transition or a riser before a reveal and your edit gains polish instantly.
Where to go next
- Add music in a full first edit: Make Your First Video.
- Sync visuals to the beat with keyframes & motion.
- The full edit context: mobile video editor guide.
Good audio is invisible — viewers just feel that the video is “professional.” Sync to the beat, fade the edges, balance the levels, and yours will too.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add music to a video on my phone?
Tap the music/audio tool in the bottom toolbar, pick a track from the built-in library or your phone, and it lands on its own audio layer beneath your video. Drag it to line the beat up with your cut, then add a fade in and fade out so it eases in and out cleanly.
How do I make music quieter under a voiceover?
Lower the music layer's volume under any speech — a technique called ducking. Aim for the music to sit roughly 15–20 dB below the voice so words stay clear. Some editors do this automatically; otherwise keyframe the music volume down during the talking.
Why does my video audio sound bad?
Usually it's levels: music too loud over speech, or harsh cuts with no fades. Add a fade in at the start and fade out at the end, balance music under voice, and avoid clipping (audio peaking into distortion). Those three fixes solve most problems.
Give your video great sound
A built-in sound library, per-layer fades, audio effects and clean mixing — all on-device. Drop a track and line it up with your cut.
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