YouTube Shorts how-to
How to add music to YouTube Shorts without copyright blocks
Short answer
Add music with YouTube's own tools: tap the sound option when creating a Short and pick from the Shorts audio library. YouTube says you may be able to use up to 90 seconds of a song in a 3-minute Short this way, and the screen shows how many seconds the music covers. Music added in another app can get a Content ID claim, and Shorts over one minute with an active claim are blocked.
Checked against: YouTube app and YouTube Create, October 2026.
Method 1: In the YouTube app
Add a sound
When creating a Short, tap the sound option and choose a song from the Shorts audio library. Selecting audio shows how many seconds it will cover.
Or royalty-free music
Use royalty-free music from the YouTube Audio Library to avoid claims.
Method 2: In YouTube Create
Tap Sound
In a project, tap Sound in the toolbar and filter by Shorts audio library, royalty-free music, sound effects or your own music.
Mind the 15-second rule
Shorts library music is removed if you export a video longer than 15 seconds from YouTube Create; upload directly to YouTube to keep longer licensed clips.
Music and claims in Shorts
| Situation | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Song from the Shorts audio library, added in YouTube | Licensed; up to 90 s in a 3-minute Short | YouTube Help |
| Song added in another editor | Can get a Content ID claim | YouTube Help |
| Short over 1 minute with an active claim | Blocked worldwide | YouTube Help |
If it doesn't work
| What you see | Fix |
|---|---|
| Short blocked after upload | It's over one minute with a claim; remove the claimed music or dispute. |
| Song not available | Tracks are only offered where the rights holder has a Shorts agreement in your country. |
| Music vanished after export from YouTube Create | Library music is removed from exports over 15 seconds; upload from YouTube instead. |
Questions people ask
How long can music be on YouTube Shorts?
YouTube says you may be able to add up to 90 seconds of a song in a 3-minute Short with YouTube's tools, depending on the song.
Can I use copyrighted music in Shorts?
Use the Shorts audio library inside YouTube. Music added elsewhere can be claimed, and claimed Shorts over 1 minute are blocked.
Is royalty-free music safe for Shorts?
Tracks from the YouTube Audio Library are royalty-free and avoid claims.
More YouTube Shorts guides
Sources and how we checked
- YouTube Help: Music eligibility for YouTube Shorts (checked 2026-10-05)
- YouTube Help: Add & edit audio in YouTube Create (checked 2026-10-05)
- YouTube Help: Learn about copyright claims (checked 2026-10-05)
Reviewed October 5, 2026 by the Koldflux team. Each step is compared with YouTube Shorts's own documentation (linked above) and with the top search results for this task; where they disagree, the maker's documentation wins. Steps without a source link follow the menu names that several current guides agree on.