Why Can’t I Add Music to My IG Story?
Instagram Music Stickers are here to change the way we use Instagram Stories!
The music feature allows you to add music to an Instagram story quite easily - just look for the music option, select the song you like the most, and start adding music in no time.
But why can’t I add music to my Instagram story, you ask?
This is a problem that many Instagram users have experienced in the past, and there are a few reasons behind this bug.
If you want to share music on your story, but the Instagram Music Feature is not working, then keep on reading today’s article to get precise information about:
- Why can’t I add music to my IG story?;
- How to fix Instagram music not working on your Instagram account;
- What to do if the Instagram music sticker is not working as it should?
Why Can’t I Add Music to My IG Store? 3 Possible Reasons
As you know, you can add music to IG story if, at the moment you upload a new story, you select the song name you like the most, look it up by song title, and let your story play music for others.
But why can’t I add music to my Instagram story?
Is there something wrong with the songs, or is the app that is failing?
Let’s take a look at the possible reasons for the “can’t add music to an Instagram story” error:
- Software bugs on the app: perhaps you cannot add music to Instagram story because there’s a software issue with the app. Updating both your mobile device and the Instagram app can help you get rid of these problems;
- Problems on your account: some accounts have restricted use of the Music Sticker Feature on Instagram. This will prevent you from adding your favorite music to a video or photo that you upload by tapping on the story icon;
- Problems with the songs: perhaps the music sticker appears there before you upload videos or photos to the app, but if the music sticker disappears on the app, then perhaps the music industry partners made their songs unavailable on the app, and you can’t add that song anymore.
How to Fix “Can’t Add Instagram Music to Instagram Stories”
So, picture this: you open Instagram, select the plus icon, then tap on the square smiley face to select the music sticker tray, and select the sticker icon of a song you want to add to your Instagram page; but IG music is not working!
If the song does not start playing, even if the dynamic album cover picture of the sticker appears there, then we need to do something about it.
We found seven ways to fix the “can’t I music to my Instagram story” error, so let’s not wait any longer and solve this matter as soon as possible.
Fix #1: Force Close the Instagram App
Perhaps you are just facing a minor bug on the Instagram app.
In that case, simply force-close Instagram, and restart your phone.
This solution works on both iOS and Android devices.
Make sure to close all other apps that are opened at the moment too.
After you force close the application, turn on your phone, go back to Instagram, and see if adding music to your Instagram story is possible now.
Fix #2: Check Your Wi-Fi Connection
Weak network connections prevent Instagram from working properly.
Thus, turn off your Wi-Fi, and switch to mobile data instead.
If you can add music to your Instagram stories with mobile data, then the problem was caused by your unstable connection!
Otherwise, move on to the following fix.
Fix #3: Update Instagram App
It is imperative to keep the Instagram app updated if you want music playing on your Instagram stories from time to time.
So, if you own an iPhone, tap on the Apple App Store Icon, use the search bar to look for Instagram, and update the app.
If you own an Android phone, open Google Play Store, look for Instagram, and install the latest version of the app.
Adding music would not be possible if you don’t keep the Instagram app updated and set to the latest version, so don’t sleep on it.
Fix #4: Check that The Music Sticker is Available On Instagram
If you cannot add music sticker to IG, but all other Instagram features are working, then perhaps the song is not available on Instagram anymore.
The pop-up menu on the music sticker section recommends songs Instagram thinks you might like, but sometimes, these songs are not available anymore.
As a consequence, if you cannot add a specific song to your stories, but other songs are indeed working, then it’s time to choose a new one and move on - there’s nothing you can do about it.
Fix #5: Change Business Account to Personal Account
According to Meta, business accounts on Instagram have limited music feature use because they are supposed to belong to an organization that makes a profit on the Instagram platform.
This can lead to copyright infringement, which is a serious legal matter that you surely want to avoid.
If you want to get rid of your business account, do this:
- Open Instagram and tap on your profile picture;
- Tap on settings at the upper right corner of the screen;
- Select Account at the top right corner, and scroll down until you see the “Switch to Personal Account” button;
- Tap on it, get a new personal account, and check if you can use the music feature on your Instagram story now!
Fix #6: Clear Instagram App Cache
Cached files mess up Instagram’s performance. Thus, clearing the app’s cache is imperative from time to time.
Regardless of the mobile OS you use, simply go to the Settings App on your phone, look for the App Tab, search for Instagram, and tap on it.
Then, tap the Clear Cache button, and open the app again.
You should now be able to upload music to your Instagram Story.
Fix #7: Delete and Reinstall Instagram
At last, if nothing seems to work, it’s time to entirely delete the Instagram application, and download it again.
Worry not - your account information won’t be lost, so simply get rid of the app, go to your mobile OS’s application store, and download it again.
This should work if nothing else does!
Summary: Why Can’t I Add Music to Instagram Story?
Not being able to add a song to your Instagram story is a bummer; we know it!
Thankfully, if you follow these fixes, you will be able to use the music option in no time:
- Update Instagram and make sure that your Internet connection is working;
- Check that the song you want to use is actually available to post on an Instagram story;
- Change from business to personal profile if that does not work;
- Clear the app cache and restart your phone if needed;
- Entirely delete Instagram if nothing else works.
Get more Instagram fixing guides right here, at GrowFollowing.
FAQ
Can You Add Music to Your Instagram Story from an External Music Streaming App?
It is possible to add music to your story from other platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Music. However, you need to beware of copyright and other things, so your best bet would be to use the music sticker instead of Apple Music or any other platform outside of the Instagram ecosystem.
Karen is a senior technical writer and copywriter here at GrowFollowing. Her area of expertize are social media apps and new media.