Music plays an important role in the video creation process. Choosing copyright-safe music for your videos will help make it easier to earn money on YouTube.
Options for Using Music in Your Videos
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What makes music “copyright-safe” for YouTube
- “Safe” music is music that is in the public domain or music that you have received permission to use from the copyright owner.
- YouTube’s Content ID is a system that checks videos for music that may have copyright restrictions.
- Even if you find music online that’s labeled "free," Content ID might still flag it. This could lead to visibility and earning restrictions.
- Content ID doesn't take into account your written descriptions of "free" music. For example, if you write "Blue Jay by Jane Doe - free song" in your video description, Content ID may still flag your video if the music isn’t copyright-safe.
- Content ID also doesn't know if you bought the rights to the music on other websites or offline.
We recommend
Find and use copyright-safe music
- Use the YouTube Audio Library:
- Royalty-free music that’s easy to find in YouTube Studio.
- Provides 100% copyright-safe music and sound effects.
- Includes a wide variety of genres, moods, and song lengths.
- Alternatives:
- You can use original music that you create.
- Source from Creator Music, a catalog of music in YouTube Studio that can be used in monetized videos in certain regions.
- Source from third-party websites that offer royalty-free or paid music, but always check music licenses before you choose. Licenses will usually specify where and how you’re allowed to use the music.
Music that's safe to use in a Short that's less than 60 seconds may not be safe to use in a longer video. For longer videos, stick to safe resources, like the YouTube Audio Library or Creator Music.
Next: check out community guidelines tips