How to post a copyright video on instagram

How to Use Copyright Music on Instagram

If you’ve ever wanted to use copyright music on Instagram, you’ve likely struggled to find the real facts. Some places suggest freedom with credit, while other information says otherwise. That’s made even more complicated by changing rules and Instagram features over the years.

Today, we’re giving you ALL the rules and requirements to use copyright music on Instagram. We’ll also break it down by feature, so you can find all the details you need to create Instagram videos with music!

The contents of this post do not constitute legal advice and are subject to change. Always pay attention to Instagram’s direct insight and any in-app suggestions or restrictions. The nature of copyright music is ever-evolving, and the best advice is only to use music you have the rights or correct license for.

What are Instagram’s rules about copyright music?

When artists make music, they (and their labels) want to make money from their work. The law also agrees that the creator should be paid. Most platforms, including Instagram, have strict rules against using copyrighted material that you do not have the right to use. In some cases, platforms make deals with rights holders to pay them a flat rate, allowing copyrighted content to exist on their platform.

Instagram has made several deals with the music industry to allow some use of copyright music on the platform. While the specifics of those deals are confidential, there are some guidelines to follow in an announcement by Instagram from May 20, 2020.

Music recorded from live performances is permitted. If you attend a concert and share Stories, Reels, or Instagram Live videos of the gig, you should be okay. 'Music in Stories' is permitted wholly.
Using too many full-length recorded tracks may limit your ability to broadcast live. If you’re streaming on Instagram Live and playing track after track, you might find your broadcast terminated.
In general, video clips containing music should be short. While there is no clear answer on what 'short' means, aim for short-form content when in doubt.
You should always have a video component when using copyright music on Instagram. Just playing songs with no visual element isn't permitted.
Music may not be allowed in some countries. While music is available for Instagram in 90 countries, some places do not currently hold the rights, and might render these guidelines irrelevant in your area.

Does Instagram have its own copyright music?

Instagram does have its own catalog of copyright music. It’s by no means the biggest, most comprehensive collection in the world, but you can find certain songs on the platform when posting Reels and Stories. All you need to do is hit the music icon while editing your post, then type what you’re looking for into the search bar. Doing this means a music sticker will be added to your post, clearly showing and linking viewers to the track and artist.

Can I use copyright music on Instagram Stories?

Yes, you can use music in Instagram Stories. Stories allow you to use both recorded and live music performances – the only exception is countries where music usage is currently limited. Your content should include a visual component, and you can use Instagram’s music catalog.

How do you avoid copyright on Instagram Reels?

Yep, you can use music on Reels. Revealed in August 2020, Reels has a built-in music catalog and is the preferred platform for music use – it’s a pretty perfect medium for video and music. Reels are short-form pieces of content, which line up with Instagram's agreements made with rights holders. Using music on Instagram Reels also requires a visual component.

Can you play music on Instagram Live?

You can conditionally use copyright music on Instagram Live video. Live performances of artists are permitted, so they're your safest bet. Streaming full-length recorded tracks may result in your stream being limited or even terminated; the more full-length tracks you play, the likelier your chance of being restricted. As always, you should have a strong visual component when using copyright music on Instagram Live streams.

Can I get banned for playing music on Instagram Live?

While Instagram Live videos are only available at the time of broadcast, it doesn’t mean you can use copyright music without consequence. If you don’t have the correct license to use the track, you could end up in trouble.

If you fall on the wrong side of copyright law during an Instagram Live stream, you’ll receive an automated pop-up message. This basically serves as a warning, giving you the chance to stop playing the music or change it to something you’re cleared to use.

This process is automated, so mistakes can be made. If you don’t comply with the message, though, your Instagram Live video can be muted or even stopped.

Can I use 30 seconds of copyright music on Instagram?

‘You can just use a few seconds of music on Instagram – it’s fine.’ That’s a line you've surely heard before; unfortunately, it’s an urban myth. Unless you have full permission to use the music, you can never be truly safe. Sure, you can use 10, 20 or 30 seconds of a track and it might be OK.

But it might not be. Given Instagram doesn’t specifically say how much of a track you can or can’t use, you won’t know until it’s too late. Generally speaking, if you’re using a short snippet, it’s generally assumed you’re safer using a bridge or verse rather than the more recognizable chorus hook.

Does giving credit mean you can use copyright music on Instagram?

This is also an urban myth. While giving credit to songwriters, artists and rights holders is a nice thing to do, it doesn’t get you out of hot water. Even if you credit them, you still need a valid license or hold the rights to use their copyright music on Instagram without restrictions.

There’s no sure-fire way to look at a song and see if it’s copyrighted. You can search for individual songs’ copyright status, but as a rule of thumb, you should assume that you need to obtain a license to use it on Instagram. There are a few exceptions here, namely:

If the song is your own, and you own all the necessary rights.
If the song is explicitly labeled as ‘in the public domain.’ This music has no ‘official’ owner and can be used how you wish. You can find a list of songs in the public domain here, which you can use for Instagram music.
If the track’s copyright protection has ended. For songs published in the USA during or after 1978, copyright protection remains for 70 years following the death of the last surviving author. For music released before that period, copyright protection remains for 95 years after publication. Following this, the track becomes public domain.

What do you do when Instagram blocks your video?

If you’ve done everything by the books and Instagram still blocks your video, don’t sweat it. Accidental copyright strikes and takedowns happen quite often, purely because Instagram uses an automated system to scan content for music. There aren’t real people trawling through each post, so accidents aren’t uncommon.

Occasionally, Instagram can block, mute or remove content even if you’ve stuck to the rules and haven’t done anything wrong. You can easily appeal this decision, though. Just follow the below steps:

Head to the notification menu, then click on the message telling you that your video has been blocked, muted or removed.
You should be given details about who’s flagged your content, and why. If the rights owner has reported you for copyright infringement, their details and reasoning should be available.
Read the notice saying you actually do have permission to share everything within the video, and click ‘I agree.’
Hit the ‘Appeal’ button. You can expect a decision within 24 hours, and if you’ve followed the rules and have the right to use the copyright music in your content, Instagram should remove all restrictions.

Other ways to use copyright music on Instagram legally

If you’re in a country that doesn't currently allow the use of copyright music on Instagram, there are ways to use songs in your videos. Options include collaborating with artists, seeking the rights for individual songs, or paying for royalty-free tracks.

Collaborate with artists

Collaborating with artists is a great way to get access to their music. If they own the rights to their songs, they can grant you a license – perhaps for free. This allows you to use their music in your videos without worrying about breaking the rules. The best artists to collaborate with are smaller, up-and-coming artists or local groups. Twitter, Soundcloud and Bandcamp give you plenty of ways to discover smaller artists whose music may fit with your videos!

Seek to license individual songs

If you want to use a specific song in your video, you can always seek a license. Licensing individual, mainstream songs can be expensive, but worth it if you have something big planned. Licensing services will differ based on the country you’re in, but some examples are as follows:

United States

ASCAP, BMI or SESAC

Latin America

ACEMLA

Canada

SOCAN

United Kingdom

PRS or PPL

Australia

APRA or PPCA

Pay for royalty-free tracks

Royalty-free music is music you can use in content without paying royalties to artists or rights holders every time it’s played. Royalty-free music doesn’t automatically include public performance rights, meaning you still might have to pay royalties when you publish it on digital platforms.

Our music is more than just royalty-free. What sets us apart is that we own all rights to our music and offer users a direct license. Synchronization rights, mechanical rights and public performance rights? All included. Additional fees or royalties? Forget about it.

More than royalty-free. More like worry-free. Check out our catalog of 35,000 tracks and 90,000 sound effects, sign up for the 30-day free trial, and never get stuck asking the question, 'What music can I use on Instagram?' again!

Related posts:

How to Make Money on Instagram
What’s Better: Instagram Reels or TikTok?
How to Improve Your Content with Instagram Analytics

Published on Oct 11, 2022 under Teach Me, Most Read

The Official Instagram Music Copyright Rules

Alexandra | Sep 17, 2020

Are you looking for the official Instagram music copyright rules?

I’m going to share with you how to post copyrighted music on Instagram legally, so that your post doesn’t get taken down.

And if it gets taken down, I’ll show you what to do.

Let’s start.

Click here to use it

How does Instagram detect copyright music?

Similar to most social media platforms, the process to detect copyrighted music isn’t done by a person sitting in a room listening to thousands of people’s posts (although that might be a pretty cool job).

Instagram’s system will automatically detect when copyrighted music is being played on a post.

Since this is an automated process, mistakes can happen, and music could get flagged as copyrighted and taken down even when you have permission to use it.

What actions does Instagram typically take when copyright music is detected?

When copyrighted music is used, Instagram can:

Mute your post and block the music from playing,
End your live stream, or
Take down your Instagram post entirely.

However, Instagram has recently rolled out a new feature that pops up with a message that alerts users when copyrighted music being used.

When using this music on live streams, Insta Stories, and other posts, a warning will appear to give the user time to change the music.

The message also includes instructions for how users can remedy the issue.

This new feature is an effort to avoid Instagram’s automatic interruptions like muting, blocking, or ending of a live stream.

Luckily, Instagram shared some of their Instagram music copyright rules.

Click here to use it

Instagram Music Copyright Rules

So how to use copyrighted music on Instagram posts, videos, IGTVs, or Lives?

There is no Instagram music copyright bypass.

Instagram’s Terms of Use and Community Guidelines say that you can only “post content to Instagram that doesn’t violate someone else’s intellectual property rights”.

I’m sure you don’t want to infringe copyright laws and you don’t want your post to be removed.

So how to post copyrighted music on Instagram legally?

Luckily, Instagram shared some of their Instagram Copyright Music Rules.

Follow these 4 rules and your content should be safe:

Always post a video when you are sharing music. Instagram says “There should always be a visual component to your video; recorded audio should not be the primary purpose of the video.”
Keep your video short. Instagram recommends you use short clips of music. They said that “The greater the number of full-length recorded tracks in a video, the more likely it may be limited”.
Unlimited music for your Instagram Stories and traditional musical performances (like filming a live artist or band performing).

Use Instagram’s copyright free music called Facebook Sound Collection. Facebook / Instagram has created a library of copyright free music and sounds that you can use. If you use their audio, your post will be safe.

Here are other things you can do too:

1. Ask for permission. While easier said than done for some artists, it’s always worth the time and effort to reach out and ask the artist if you can use their music before you post with it. The worst they can say is “No”. The best they can say is “Yes” and maybe you get to become friends with a rockstar in the process.
2. Give credit in your caption. While this may not prevent the Instagram system from detecting your copyrighted music, it can be helpful in the case of an appeal. If your content does get taken down, you can demonstrate that you did not intend to claim the music as your own, and gave appropriate credit to the owners.
3. Collaborate! Talk to local musicians or smaller artists to see if you can work together to create custom sounds for your Instagram videos. Not only will you have copyright free music that you can legally use on Instagram, but you are supporting independent artists at the same time! It’s a win-win for everyone.
4. Use royalty free music. Find a royalty free music library, like HookSounds, which allows you to use a lot of different types of music for Instagram (and other social media platforms).

And there is an easier way to make sure you are safe 100% of the time:

Post Instagram Reel videos.

Instagram Reels are short videos (15 seconds). This is exactly what Instagram wants to avoid copyright infringements.

And the best part: Instagram Reels have an in-built Music feature.

You can use almost any songs you want for your video and post it on your feed.

View this post on Instagram

Feed created with @preview.app 😍 by @riskinovianti 💖 Riski has been using Preview for SO long to create her colorful Instagram feed 🌈 We LOVE it! What’s the color of YOUR feed? 💫 is there a color that stands out? Maybe a brand color? Or an overall color vibe? Or is it multi-colored? On this fun note: Happy weekend everyone! ~ PS: If you want to use this song to create your own Instagram Reel video: 1️⃣ Press on the song title “Original…” under our video 2️⃣ Record your video (or upload it from your camera roll) 3️⃣ Post it and you’ll have the song for your Reel video too 🥳 Video ideas to match this song: ⭐️ Your feed colors ⭐️ Outfits colors (show different outfits in different colors – so fun!) ⭐️ Nail polish colors ⭐️ Makeup looks ⭐️ Artwork colors (if you are an artist) ⭐️ Home decor ideas (with different prop colors – imagine different cushions on a sofa for example 😍) Anything you can think of that has to do with colors 🌈 Have fun!!
A post shared by Your Instagram Feed Planner (@preview. app) on Aug 15, 2020 at 1:56am PDT

If you don’t want to post an Instagram Reels video, or if you want your video to be longer than 15 seconds, then you’ll need to make sure you keep the music clips short. Try not to use the same audio for the whole 1 minute for example. Use different songs.

What can I do if my content has been taken down?

If you follow the Instagram Music Copyright rules above, your content should be safe.

However, Instagram could accidentally remove your post, or it can be “reported for copyright infringement”.

If someone reports your content, you will receive a notification from Instagram.

The notification will give you more information about the issue, like:

The name and email address of the rights owner who made the report, and/or
Other details provided in the report

If you think your content shouldn’t be removed and you were not infringing the person’s copyright, you can appeal to Instagram.

Click on this link to see how to appeal to Instagram.

That’s it!

Now you know how to post copyrighted music on Instagram.

Have fun creating your posts with music!

Instagram blocks videos with music how to bypass copyright blocking

Before posting content on your Instagram page, you must first familiarize yourself with the requirements of the service for the posted material. Otherwise, one of the posts will be banned in the future. If this has already happened, then do not despair. This article is written for you. Consider why Instagram blocks videos with music, how to bypass the blocking, and where to look for tracks without copyright. nine0003

Blocking videos with music on Instagram - reasons

First, let's figure out why Instagram blocks videos with music. There may be several reasons for this, but most often it is obscene content. Namely, clips or songs:

containing materials with an age limit of 18+;
calling for inciting ethnic hatred;
offending the feelings of believers;
showing violent acts and moments of cruelty. nine0012

Instagram deletes all this without the possibility of restoring this publication. In this case, the user account itself is often blocked.

Among other things, musical accompaniment may infringe someone's copyright. It is in this issue that we will try to understand in more detail.

Because of the music

This is explained by the fact that the author of the work recorded the melody not only to please his fans, but also to earn money from it: perform, sell, etc. It turns out that the song is his intellectual property. nine0003

Therefore, anyone who borrows entire tracks or even parts of that track from someone else's artist is essentially stealing/pirating. And this is not welcomed in our country and is severely punished, up to litigation and large monetary compensation (due to lost profits).

Content copyright infringement

The second reason that allows the administration of the social network Instagram to delete and ban posts is copyright infringement of music, text, video, photos, etc. The legislation of our country does not allow you to post them on your page without buying materials. And as you can see, it's not just songs. nine0003

Of course, it happens that you found an interesting landscape on the Internet, wanted to share it on Instagram and no one has been blocking you for several years. But then it’s quite realistic that the photographer who took this picture will show up and want to get all the money from you that he could earn for all this time. The court in this case with a probability of 99% will take his side.

Foreign music

And the third reason why the service "does not let" your music on Instagram is foreign tracks. No matter how strange it may sound, but our domestic stage is more indifferent to piracy than foreign ones. Abroad, artists actively fight for their copyrights and try to punish the violator in any way. nine0003

Good to know. On the social network Instagram, it is easy to block someone else's post with inappropriate content. To do this, go to the feed, select the publication and click on the "three dots" in the upper right corner. Next, click "Complain ..." and decide on the motivation for your complaint.

How to bypass author rights and music blocking on Instagram

There are ways to upload a video and bypass the possible deletion of a post:

Buy rights to a media file. To do this, it is not necessary to write a letter to the musician, it is enough to install a special service or library on your smartphone to acquire the rights. At the same time, in some cases, the prices are very attractive. nine0012
Wait until 70 years have passed since the death of the copyright holder. The countdown starts on January 1, the year following the death of the singer. Then the once recorded audio file will become public property.
Change the song. Create a remix, add interesting sounds or your own voice. Everything, the melody has become completely different.
Search for a musical composition without copyright. To do this, take a look at a couple of sections below in our article. There are detailed instructions on how to do it. nine0012
Use equipment that changes the sound quality of a track. For example, record audio on a voice recorder and use an editor to place it on a video track.

It is worth noting that the last method is less effective than the previous four. After all, not only will there be a bad sound, but it will not help to 100% avoid disputes with Insta about rights.

What to do when a video with music is blocked

What to do if your content has already been removed? To get rid of blocking, follow the algorithm of actions below:

Launch the Instaset program and log in. If your account is banned, try doing it through the linked Facebook page or through a friend's account.
Tap on the little man icon and go to your profile.
Click on the "three bars" in the upper right corner of the screen and open "Settings".
Click on the line "Help" - "Help Center".
Click the "Report a problem" button.
Attach screenshots, if available, and briefly describe the situation. nine0012

If technical support detects that you have been blocked by mistake, you will be able to continue adding new posts to Instagram. And if not, then, unfortunately, you will have to register another account. This is very sad for large business pages. So, first of all, still try to avoid copyright infringement.

Among other things, you can:

remove other people's material from your posts;
negotiate with the owner of the track or photo about compensation. nine0012

Search music for Instagram without copyright

There are many web resources on the Internet that allow you to download audio files to your PC or smartphone for free without copyright infringement. Consider for example two of them:

Vkontakte group;
tracklist on YouTube.

All you need is:

Enter the service.
Listen to melodies and find your favorite.
Tap "Download". nine0012
Attach it with the editor to the video.

Good to know. To download songs from the VKontakte social network, install the VKMusic auxiliary utility on your PC.

Be sure to read all the sections above and if Instagram removes a video from your page, you already know what to do.

Instagram Copyright Policy: Adding Music to Videos

Companies were not
added to compare another

Back to content

Instagram has always valued the rights of artists and other users of its platforms. While he wants to encourage musical expression, he also wants to enforce agreements with copyright holders.

According to Instagram, its partnership with rights holders has brought people together on the platform. But as part of licensing agreements between Instagram and rights holders, the company has set limits on how much recorded music can be included in videos or live streams. nine0003

Furthermore, the company has stated that the details of its licensing agreements are confidential. However, it shares common rules so users can plan their videos better.

General rules for including music in videos and Instagram Live

An article published by the company states that music in stories, as well as live musical performances, are not subject to copyright. This means that users can post clips from concerts or live performances without violating the platform's copyright rules. nine0003

Also, the more full-length music a video contains, the more likely it is to be restricted. For this reason, Instagram encourages users to use shorter clips.

There must also be a visual component to the video that users will post. Recorded tracks should not be the main target of the video.

Moreover, the above rules are the same for both recorded and live broadcasts on both devices. Instagram and its parent company Facebook. These rules apply to all account types, including verified and unverified. nine0003

In addition, Instagram has already launched music on its platforms in more than 90 countries. However, there are still places where it is not yet available. For this reason, if your video contains recorded tracks, it may not be available for use where Instagram music is not already available.

What action will Instagram take if it discovers copyrighted music?

Instagram has three choices when it detects that your video has a copyrighted track. It can either mute your message and block the track from playing, end the live stream, or delete your entire Instagram post. nine0003

But late last year, the company introduced a new feature that warns users when they are using copyrighted music. The message will appear if the user uses copyrighted music in Instagram Stories, live streams, and other publications. This warning will give users time to change the music they are using.

The warning notice also provides instructions on how users can resolve the issue. This feature aims to avoid Instagram's automatic interruptions such as blocking, muting, or ending a live stream. nine0003

In addition, Instagram users can use the platform's copyright-free music when posting videos or during live broadcasts. It's called the Facebook Sound Collection. Facebook and Instagram have created a library of music that people can use without running into copyright issues. By using these tracks, your messages will surely be safe.

What to do if your post was deleted

Knowing the above Instagram music copyright rules will make your posts safe. However, there are times when a platform accidentally removes a post. It may also be claimed "copyright infringement". nine0003

When someone reports your post, Instagram will send you a notification. This will give you more details about the problem. This includes the name and email address of the copyright holder who reported your content, or information provided in a submitted report.

If you believe that your post does not violate the applicant's copyright and should not be removed, you can appeal to Instagram.

How to prevent copyright problems with your Poss

There are four easy ways you can follow to avoid copyright issues when using music on Instagram.

First, you can ask permission from the owner of the music. While this sounds easier than it actually is, it's still worth the time and effort to reach out to an artist and ask permission to use their music. However, the bad part comes if they say no.

You can also give credit to the rightful owner of the track you are using. This cannot prevent the Instagram algorithm from detecting your copyrighted music. However, it will be very helpful if someone files an appeal. If your post hasn't been deleted yet, you can show added credit. You can also explain that you did not intend to claim the music as your own and that you have provided due credit to the rightful owner. nine0003

You can also cooperate. You can reach out to local musicians or smaller artists. Ask them if you can work together to create custom music for your Instagram videos. This way you will have copyright-free music that you can use when posting videos or doing live broadcasts. In addition, you will support and promote independent artists at Apple.

Finally, there are online libraries such as HookSounds that offer royalty-free music. They allow people to choose from a huge number of tracks and use them for Instagram. nine0003

There is also a much easier way to make sure your messages are completely protected from copyright issues. You can use Instagram's short video feature called Reels.

Output:

Instagram Reels works similarly to Tiktok. You can create 15-second videos, which is Instagram's preferred time frame to avoid copyright infringement.

Best of all, Reels has a built-in music feature. This way, you can use all the songs you want for your videos and post them to your feed without worrying about the platform turning them off. nine0003

However, if you don't want to use drums or want to post videos longer than 15 seconds, you need to make the music video short.