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Instagram Reels Audio helps you complete more of your Reel publishing workflow in Later. When scheduling Instagram Reels, you can search for and add eligible Instagram audio directly in Later, so you can spend less time switching between Later and Instagram.
The audio available in Later is provided through Meta’s API, which means the selection, search results, and preview experience may differ from adding audio directly in the Instagram app. This article explains how to add audio to Instagram Reels in Later, what requirements must be met, and what limitations to expect.
Before You Start
To add audio to Instagram Reels in Later, you’ll need:
- A Facebook Page connected to your Instagram profile
- An Instagram connection in Later
If you don’t see the option to add audio, you may need to refresh your Instagram connection.
Add Audio to an Instagram Reel
To add audio to an Instagram Reel:
- In Later, create a new Instagram post
- Select Reel as the post type
- Upload or add your Reel video
- Add your caption and finish setting up the rest of your post
- Open the audio option for the Reel
- Search for an audio track, or browse the available audio results
- Select the audio you want to use
- Review the selected audio in the post settings
- Schedule or publish your Reel
Instagram Reels Audio Limitations
Instagram Reels audio in Later is limited by Instagram’s API. This means the experience may be different from adding audio directly in the Instagram app.
Why can’t I find the same audio I see in Instagram?
Later can only display audio that Instagram has authorized for third-party use through Meta’s API.
This means some songs, sounds, or trending audio available in the Instagram app may not appear in Later. If you can’t find a specific audio track in Later, it likely isn’t available through Meta’s API for third-party publishing tools.
Search results are also limited by Meta’s search capabilities and the audio available through its API. This means searching for audio in Later may result in different results than searching for audio directly in Instagram.
Can I choose a specific part of an audio track?
No. Due to Instagram API limitations, you can’t choose a specific starting point or section of an audio track when adding audio to Reels in Later.
If you select audio for your Reel, the audio will start from the beginning of the track and play for the length of the Reel.
To use a specific section of a song or sound, you’ll need to add that audio directly in Instagram.
Why can’t I hear selected audio in my Reels preview?
Due to Instagram API limitations, selected audio may not play when previewing a Reel in Later.
This can happen when you’re reviewing a scheduled Reel or sharing a post for collaboration or approval. Teammates may not be able to hear the selected audio in the preview, but they can still see which audio was selected in the post settings.
As long as the Reel is configured correctly and the selected audio remains available, the audio will still be attached when the Reel is published.
Why isn’t the audio option available for me?
The option to add audio is only available for Instagram Reels that are set to Auto Publish.
To use this feature, your Instagram profile must be a Business or Creator profile connected to a Facebook Page. Your Instagram connection also needs to have the required permissions for Later to publish Reels on your behalf.
If you don’t see the audio option, check that your post is set to Auto Publish and that your Instagram profile is connected correctly.