You can change a song on an Instagram post after you publish it, but only if the post is a Reel
Instagram lets you swap out the audio track on a Reel after it goes live, but the process depends on whether you posted it as a Reel or a regular feed video. If you posted a Reel, you can edit the song directly from your profile. If you posted a regular video to your feed with music, you cannot change the audio after publishing — you would need to delete the post and upload a new one.
The distinction matters because Reels have built-in editing tools that regular feed posts do not. When you post a video as a Reel, Instagram treats it as a piece of content you can modify. When you post a regular video with audio to your feed, that audio is locked in place.
Key Takeaways
- Reels allow you to change the song after posting by tapping Edit on your own Reel from your profile.
- Regular feed videos with music cannot have their audio changed after publishing without deleting and reposting.
- When you edit a Reel's audio, the view count and engagement stay the same, but comments may reference the old song.
- You can only edit Reels you created yourself, not Reels you shared from other accounts.
How to change the song on a Reel you already posted
Open Instagram and go to your profile by tapping your profile picture in the bottom right corner. Find the Reel you want to edit and tap it to open the full view. Below the video, you will see three dots in a circle — tap those to open a menu. Select Edit from the options that appear.
Once you are in the edit screen, tap the audio icon (it looks like a musical note or speaker symbol) at the bottom of the screen. This opens the audio library. You can search for a new song by typing in the search bar, browse trending audio, or scroll through categories. Tap the song you want to use, and Instagram will apply it to your Reel. The new audio will replace the old one completely. Tap Save or Done to confirm the change.
The entire process takes less than a minute. Your Reel will stay in the same place on your profile, keep the same number of views and likes, and remain visible to anyone who could see it before. The only thing that changes is the audio track.
What happens to comments and engagement when you change the song
Your view count, like count, and share count do not change when you edit the audio on a Reel. The post itself stays live the whole time you are editing, so people can still see and interact with it. However, anyone who commented about the original song will now be commenting about a video with different audio, which can look confusing to people reading the comments later.
If your Reel got popular because of a specific song, changing it might affect how many new people discover the post. Instagram's algorithm partly recommends Reels based on the audio used, so swapping to a completely different song could change who sees it going forward. That said, the engagement you already earned stays attached to the post.
Why you cannot change audio on regular feed videos
Instagram treats feed videos and Reels differently in terms of editing. When you post a regular video to your feed (not as a Reel), the audio is baked into the file. Instagram does not give you the option to swap it out after publishing the way it does with Reels. This is a technical limitation of how feed videos are stored and displayed.
If you posted a video with the wrong song to your feed and want to fix it, your only option is to delete the post and upload a new version. This means you will lose all the likes, comments, and views that the original post had. For this reason, it is worth double-checking the audio before you post a regular feed video.
How to avoid posting with the wrong song in the first place
Before you publish any video — whether as a Reel or a feed post — play through the entire thing with sound on. This catches audio issues, mismatched music, or unwanted background noise before the post goes live. If you are using Instagram's built-in audio library, preview the song at full volume to make sure it fits the mood and length of your video.
If you are uploading a video file from your phone's camera roll, make sure the audio is correct in the original file. Instagram cannot separate or change audio that is already embedded in a video file you upload — it can only swap audio on Reels that use Instagram's audio library. If your video has audio you want to remove or replace, edit the file in a video app before uploading it to Instagram.
Reels you did not create cannot be edited
If you shared someone else's Reel to your profile, you cannot edit its audio. You can only edit Reels that you originally created and posted. If you want to use a Reel with different audio, you would need to download the video, re-edit it in a video app, and post it as your own new Reel.
This restriction exists to protect the original creator's work. Even if you shared their Reel, the audio and content remain theirs, and Instagram does not let you modify it from your profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the song on a Reel if I did not post it myself?
No. You can only edit Reels you created and posted to your own profile. If you shared someone else's Reel, you cannot change its audio. You would need to download the video, edit it separately, and post it as a new Reel.
Will changing a Reel's song delete the comments?
No. Comments stay on the Reel when you change the audio. However, comments that reference the old song will now seem out of place, since viewers will see and hear the new audio instead.
Can I change audio on a video I posted to my feed, not as a Reel?
No. Feed videos do not have an edit audio option. If you need to change the song, you must delete the post and upload a new version, which means losing all views, likes, and comments from the original post.
What if the song I want to use is not in Instagram's audio library?
If a song is not available in Instagram's library, you cannot add it to a Reel through the edit audio feature. You would need to download the Reel, edit it in a video app with the song you want, and repost it as a new Reel.
Does changing a Reel's audio affect how many people see it?
It can. Instagram's algorithm recommends Reels partly based on the audio used. Changing to a very different song might affect how many new people discover the post, but your existing views and engagement remain on the post.