Productivity · Platform not recorded
Use YouTube Audio Library Music in Videos and Shorts
Source-checked About 10 minutes
Answer
Use YouTube Studio's Audio Library and check each track's attribution requirement. “Copyright-free” does not mean every use has no conditions.
Use YouTube's own library
Sign in to YouTube Studio in a desktop browser and open Audio Library. Music and sound effects listed there are intended for use in videos, but each track can carry different attribution conditions.
Search for a suitable track
Filter by genre, mood, artist, duration, or attribution requirement, then preview candidates against the pace of the video. Check the full duration before choosing a track for a Short or a longer upload.
Read the license details
Open the license information for the exact track. Distinguish tracks that require Creative Commons attribution from those using the YouTube Audio Library license. Do not assume that music found elsewhere on YouTube has the same permission.
Download and record the details
Download the file from Audio Library and record its title, artist, source, and license at the same time. Keeping these details with the project makes future attribution and dispute review much easier.
Add required attribution
For a Creative Commons track, copy the attribution text supplied by YouTube and place it in the video description without removing required details. Publish the credit even when the video is a Short if the selected license requires it.
Edit without changing the license
Import the downloaded audio into the editor, trim or mix it as needed, and keep dialogue intelligible. Editing a track does not cancel its attribution requirement or grant ownership of the recording.
Keep evidence after publishing
Save the downloaded file and a note or screenshot of the library entry used for the project. YouTube states that only Audio Library music and sound effects are known to it as copyright-safe; it does not endorse third-party 'royalty-free' channels.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
- If a claim appears, compare the claimed recording with the exact Audio Library file and the saved license details. Confirm required attribution is complete, then use YouTube's claim-resolution process; do not assume a library download automatically defeats every mistaken claim.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Platform not recorded.
Follow the linked first-party guidance if labels differ after a platform or app update.