The basic way to add music to iMovie

Open your iMovie project and click the Music and Sound Effects button in the toolbar — it looks like a musical note and sits to the right of the video clips panel. A sidebar will open showing your music library. Drag a song directly onto your timeline, either above or below your video clips. The music will snap into place and play alongside your video.

iMovie will automatically lower your video's audio volume so the music doesn't drown it out. If you want to adjust how loud the music is compared to your video, click the music clip in the timeline, then use the volume slider that appears above it.

Key Takeaways

  • Music goes into iMovie through the Music and Sound Effects button in the toolbar, which pulls from your computer's music library or Apple Music.
  • You can drag music directly onto the timeline above or below your video clips, and iMovie automatically balances the volume between music and video.
  • If a song is longer than your video, you can trim it by dragging the edge of the music clip in the timeline, or split it at a specific point.
  • iMovie includes royalty-free sound effects and background music in its built-in library that you can use without worrying about copyright.

Where iMovie finds your music

iMovie pulls music from three places. First, it searches your computer's Music app — any songs you've bought, downloaded, or synced there will show up. Second, if you have an Apple Music subscription, iMovie can search that library too. Third, iMovie includes its own collection of royalty-free background music and sound effects that you can use without copyright concerns.

To search across all three sources, type a song name or artist into the search box at the top of the Music and Sound Effects sidebar. If you only want to see iMovie's built-in music, click the Music tab at the top of the sidebar to filter out your personal library.

Trimming music so it fits your video

If your song is longer than your video, you have two options. The simplest is to trim the end: click the music clip in the timeline, then drag the right edge of the clip leftward until it ends where you want. The music will fade out automatically over the last second or so.

If you want the music to start partway through a song — say, skipping an intro — click the music clip, then position your cursor where you want the cut to happen. Press the spacebar to play and find the exact spot, then right-click and select Split Clip. Delete the part you don't want, and the remaining music will shift left to fill the gap.

Layering multiple music tracks

You can add more than one music track to the same project. Drag a second song onto the timeline below or above your first one — they'll play at the same time. iMovie will mix them together, lowering both volumes automatically so neither overwhelms the other.

This is useful for adding a background pad under a main melody, or for crossfading between two songs. To crossfade, overlap the two clips slightly in the timeline, then adjust their individual volumes so one fades down as the other fades up. Click each clip and use the volume slider to fine-tune the balance.

Adding sound effects alongside music

Sound effects work the same way as music — click Music and Sound Effects, then search for effects like "door slam" or "applause." Drag them onto the timeline just like a song. You can layer effects over music, and iMovie will balance all the volumes together.

The built-in sound effects library includes hundreds of options: footsteps, car horns, laughter, water sounds, and more. Each effect is short — usually one to three seconds — so they're designed to punctuate moments in your video rather than run underneath it.

Fixing audio that doesn't sync with video

Sometimes music or sound effects will drift out of sync with what's happening on screen. Click the music or sound clip in the timeline, then drag it left or right to shift when it plays. Dragging left makes it start earlier; dragging right makes it start later. You'll see a tooltip showing how many seconds you've moved it.

If you need to move a clip by a very small amount — a fraction of a second — click the clip and use the arrow keys on your keyboard. Each press moves the clip by a tiny increment, giving you precise control.

Removing or replacing music

To remove a music track, click it in the timeline and press Delete. The gap will close automatically, and any clips after it will shift left. To replace a song with a different one, you can either delete the old one and drag in a new one, or simply drag a new song directly onto the old one — iMovie will swap them out.

If you want to keep the music but mute it temporarily to hear just your video's original audio, click the music clip and drag the volume slider all the way to the left. The clip stays in the timeline but produces no sound.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use music from Spotify or YouTube in iMovie?

Not directly. iMovie only reads music from your computer's Music app, Apple Music, or its built-in library. If you want to use a song from Spotify or YouTube, you'd need to download it first and add it to your Music app — but check the song's copyright status before using it in a video you plan to share.

What happens if I use copyrighted music in a video I upload to YouTube?

YouTube's system will detect copyrighted music and either mute it, block the video in certain countries, or allow the copyright holder to claim revenue from it. Using iMovie's built-in royalty-free music avoids this problem entirely. If you use your own music or music you have permission to use, you won't face these issues.

Can I adjust the volume of just one part of a music track?

Yes, by splitting the clip. Right-click the music clip where you want the volume change to start, select Split Clip, then adjust the volume of each section separately. This lets you make one part louder or quieter than the rest.

Does iMovie fade music in and out automatically?

iMovie fades out the end of a music clip automatically when you trim it. For a fade-in at the start, you'll need to manually adjust the volume slider — drag it from zero at the beginning of the clip to full volume partway through.

What audio formats does iMovie accept?

iMovie works with MP3, AAC, WAV, and AIFF files. If you have music in a different format, you can convert it using your computer's built-in tools or free converters before adding it to your Music app.