Adding music, stickers, and other effects to Instagram and TikTok posts

Instagram and TikTok handle music and effects differently when you publish through Buffer. Here's what you can add with automatic publishing, what needs notification publishing, and how to add each.

• Instagram Reels: you can add music in Buffer and still publish automatically, if your channel is connected through Facebook.
• Everything else: music on Instagram Posts and Stories, trending audio on TikTok, stickers, and other effects need notification publishing.

Adding music to Instagram Reels

You can add a song or original sound from Instagram's audio library to a Reel and still publish it automatically. Search for a track or browse the suggested list, preview it, and set the volume before you schedule.

Before you start

• Your Instagram account needs to be a Business or Creator account.
• Your channel needs to be connected through Facebook. If you connected with your Instagram login, you'll be prompted to reconnect when you select Music. Follow the steps in Refreshing your Instagram connection through Facebook, then come back to the composer. On the web, choose Save & Link when prompted and we'll save the post you're working on as a draft, so you can reopen it after you reconnect. Your drafts and scheduled posts stay in place.

On the web

1. Open the composer, select your Instagram channel, choose Reel, and upload your video.
2. Make sure Automatic is selected, then click Add Music next to Music. You can add music before or after you upload your video, as long as Reel is selected.
3. Type a song or artist in the Search for music box, or browse the suggested tracks. Each result shows the cover art, title, length, and artist. Original sounds from other accounts appear in the same list.
4. Click a track to select it. It appears in the Music row with its title and artist.
5. Click the play button on the track's cover art to preview it. Use the speaker icon to adjust the music and video volume. Each goes from 0 to 100 and starts at 100.
6. Play the Reel preview to hear your video and music together, then schedule as usual.

To take the music off, click the trash icon on the track. To use a different track, remove the current one and click Add Music again. You can do this on a scheduled Reel any time before it publishes.

On the Buffer mobile app

:::info Note: Adding music to Instagram Reels is available on our Android app, with iOS support coming soon! :::

1. Tap Publish at the bottom of the app, then open the composer.
2. Select your Instagram channel and choose Reel.
3. Upload your video and make sure Automatic is selected.
4. Tap Add next to Music.
5. Browse the recommended tracks or search for a song or artist, then tap a track to select it.
6. Adjust the music and video volume if you'd like, then schedule your Reel.

:::info Notes

• Reels only. To add music to Posts and Stories, schedule with Notify Me and add music in the Instagram app (see below).
• Music starts at the beginning of the track. The composer notes that Instagram doesn't let Buffer choose which part of a track plays. To pick a section, use Notify Me.
• Available tracks can vary by account and region, and Buffer's selection may differ from Instagram's. The picker says "Results are limited and may differ from Instagram." If you can't find a track, use Notify Me.
• Only tracks with a preview appear in search and recommendations. A preview can still fail to play after a track shows up, for example if its link expires.
• If a track becomes unavailable before your Reel publishes, the Reel won't publish. You'll see this message from Instagram: "It looks like there was an issue with the media attached to this post. Please check to ensure the media meets all specifications." Remove the track or choose a different one, then reschedule. We won't switch the Reel to notification publishing for you. If your music choices are limited, you can use Notify Me instead.
• You can add music to a trial reel. If it doesn't publish, you'll see the message above or, if the account doesn't meet Instagram's follower requirement, "Instagram did not publish this trial Reel because the account does not meet its follower requirement. Publish it as a regular Reel or try again after the account has more followers."
• Switching to Notify Me clears the track. If you change a post from Automatic to Notify Me, the track is removed. You can add music manually in the Instagram app when you get your reminder. :::

Adding music, stickers, and other effects with notification publishing

Certain effects can't be added through Buffer when using automatic publishing to send through posts or stories. This is due to limitations within the Instagram and TikTok APIs.

These include:

• Music on Instagram Posts and Stories, and trending audio from TikTok's music library
• Stickers, filters, and visual effects
• Interactive elements like polls, quizzes, or unique layouts
• Auto-generated closed captions

:::warning Using these effects is only available directly within Instagram or TikTok's mobile app. That means they're not supported when publishing posts automatically through Buffer.

If you'd like to use music or effects in your Instagram and TikTok posts, you'll need to use Buffer's notification publishing. :::

:::tip Tip: For posts scheduled as notifications, clicking "Music" and "Tag Products" reveals text boxes where you can add reminders of which music and products you'll add when Buffer pushes the posting notification to your mobile device. :::

How notification publishing works

With notification publishing, you can still plan and schedule your content in Buffer. When it's time to post, you'll receive a notification on your phone. Tapping the alert will open the content in the Instagram or TikTok app, where you can finish your post with any desired effect.

For example, to add a sticker to your Instagram Story, you can schedule it as a notification in Buffer, open the notification when it's time to post, and then add the sticker directly in the Instagram app.

:::info Learn more about using notification publishing in Buffer. :::

FAQ

Can I add trending music to my Instagram Reel?

Yes, if your channel is connected through Facebook. Choose Reel, click Add Music, and you'll see suggested tracks along with a search box. For Posts and Stories, use Notify Me and add music in the Instagram app.

Can I add trending audio to a TikTok post?

We don't have access to TikTok's audio library, so schedule your post with Notify Me and add the audio in the TikTok app when you get the notification.

Why am I asked to refresh when I click Music?

Reel music needs your channel connected through Facebook. Your drafts and scheduled posts stay where they are when you refresh the channel. Use the link option when you're prompted instead of removing your channel and adding it again. On the web, Save & Link also saves the post you're working on as a draft so you can reopen it afterward. See Refreshing your Instagram connection through Facebook for the steps.