Meta Sound Collection is Meta's free library of audio tracks and sound effects that you can download and use in videos you create and share on Facebook and Instagram. The catch is in the terms: the royalty-free licence covers commercial and non-commercial use, but only in content on Meta's own products, so you can't take those tracks to YouTube, TikTok or your website.
You'll also see it called the Facebook Sound Collection, and Meta's own page uses both names. Below is what's in it, how to get to it, what the licence lets you do and why it isn't the same thing as adding a song from the music library inside a reel or story.
What Meta Sound Collection is
Meta describes it as thousands of high-quality audio tracks and sound effects from all over the world, built for video creators who want to add depth, mood and emotion with sound. Every track is free to use in any video you create and share on Facebook and Instagram.
| Question | Answer from Meta's own pages |
|---|---|
| What's in it? | Audio tracks and sound effects |
| Is it free? | Yes, free to use in videos you share on Facebook and Instagram |
| Can I use it in ads or brand videos? | The terms allow commercial or non-commercial use, on Meta products only |
| Can I use it on YouTube or my own site? | No. You can't use the audio separately from Meta's products |
| Do I need an account? | Yes. The page asks you to log in or sign up first |
How to get to it
- Go to facebook.com/sound/collection in a browser.
- Log in with your Facebook account when the page asks you to.
- Accept the Sound Collection Terms when you're prompted, because the licence only starts once you've agreed to them.
- Browse or search the tracks and sound effects, then download the ones you want.
- Add the downloaded audio to your video in your editing app before you upload it to Facebook or Instagram.
If you're putting a reel together on your phone, the quicker route is the in-app audio library. My guide to making a reel on Facebook covers that side.
What the licence lets you do
This is the part that decides whether you can use a track. The Sound Collection Terms are an agreement between you and Meta Platforms, Inc. and Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, and here's what they say in plain English:
- Royalty-free and non-exclusive. Meta grants you a licence to use the Sound Collection audio without paying royalties, and other creators can use the same tracks.
- Commercial use is allowed. The licence covers commercial or non-commercial purposes, so a business video or a brand reel is fine.
- Meta products only. You can use the audio in content you create, upload and distribute on Meta's products, including when that content is embedded on another site through a link to Meta.
- No separate use. You may not perform, distribute, make available or otherwise use the audio apart from Meta's products.
- Terms can change. Meta can update the terms and audit how you use the collection, and carrying on using it counts as accepting the changes.
So a track from Sound Collection inside a Facebook video that you then embed on your blog is covered, because the video still plays through Facebook. The same track exported into a YouTube upload or a podcast isn't.
Sound Collection vs music you add in the app
Adding a popular song to a reel, story or post through the in-app music picker is a different thing. That music comes from Meta's agreements with rights holders, and Meta's music guidelines set limits on it.
| Sound Collection | Music added in the app | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it comes from | Meta's own free library | Licensed music from rights holders |
| Licence | Royalty-free, commercial or non-commercial, Meta products only | Covered by Meta's music agreements |
| What can change | Meta can update the Sound Collection Terms | Can be muted or blocked if rights change |
| Best for | Background music and effects for your own edits | Trending songs in reels and stories |
Meta's music guidelines say the more full-length recorded tracks a video has, the more likely it'll be limited, shorter clips are recommended, and recorded audio shouldn't be the main purpose of a video. If Meta loses the rights to a song you've used, a reel using it gets blocked from view and a story or text post is muted or blocked. If that's happened to you, this fix for reels with no sound walks through what to check.
When to use it
- Brand and product videos you'll run as Facebook or Instagram ads.
- Talking-head videos that need quiet background music under your voice.
- Sound effects for transitions, reveals and countdowns.
- Any video where you'd rather not risk a trending song being muted later.
For a song that plays with a Facebook post rather than a video, adding music to a Facebook post uses the in-app picker instead.
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My verdict
Sound Collection is a useful free tool for creators, and it's ideal for business videos because commercial use is allowed. Just treat it as Facebook and Instagram music only. If you post the same video on YouTube, TikTok or your website, edit a version with audio you're licensed to use there, because Meta's terms don't stretch that far.
Music licensing on YouTube works differently, as our explainer on YouTube Content ID explains.
Frequently asked questions
What is Meta Sound Collection?
It's Meta's free library of audio tracks and sound effects that you can download and use in videos you create and share on Facebook and Instagram.
Is Meta Sound Collection free for commercial use?
Yes. The Sound Collection Terms grant a royalty-free licence for commercial or non-commercial purposes, but only in content on Meta's products.
Can I use Facebook Sound Collection music on YouTube?
No. The terms say you may not use the Sound Collection audio separately from Meta's products, so it's for Facebook and Instagram videos only.
Do I need to log in to use Sound Collection?
Yes. The Sound Collection page asks you to log in or sign up before you can browse and download tracks.
Is Sound Collection the same as the music library in reels?
No. Music you add in the app comes from Meta's agreements with rights holders and can be muted or blocked if rights change, while Sound Collection is Meta's own royalty-free library.
