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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteFor a YouTube Short, add a song from the Shorts Audio Library using YouTube’s Shorts creation tools, then keep within the duration shown for that track. A song’s popularity—or its presence in the Shorts library—does not give you permission to download it for a regular video, livestream, or another platform. For long-form videos and livestreams, use music whose license explicitly covers that format and your intended use.
What music can I use?
YouTube’s basic rule is that music must be in the public domain or used with the copyright owner’s permission. “Trending” describes popularity, not permission. A description credit or a label such as “free” does not establish that you have the necessary rights, and even music advertised as free may be flagged by Content ID. YouTube explains that a license gives someone legal permission to use content owned by someone else. YouTube copyright guidance and Creator Music FAQ explain the platform’s distinctions.
Start with the format you are making. Shorts, long-form uploads, and livestreams do not share one blanket music permission. Check the track’s permitted format, duration, territory, monetization terms, repeat-use limits, channel, and platform before publishing.
For a Short: add audio from the Shorts Audio Library
The Shorts Audio Library contains music from partners with Shorts-specific agreements. Adding a song through YouTube’s Shorts creation tools is the straightforward route for a Short; inserting a copyrighted song yourself from outside those tools may instead expose it to standard Content ID claims or a copyright removal request. YouTube says that use through the Shorts tools creates a special rights-holder claim for analytics. YouTube’s Shorts music guidance describes the library and its limits.
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- Open the Shorts creation tools in the YouTube app. Start or upload the Short using the in-product Shorts workflow.
- Choose a sound from the Shorts Audio Library. Availability can differ by track and territory because of rights clearances, ownership, and match policies.
- Check the displayed duration before selecting or editing. For a three-minute Short, YouTube says most library songs can be used for up to 90 seconds; some are limited to 60 or 30 seconds. The sound-selection screen shows the duration available for that specific track. These limits are not general copyright exceptions.
- Publish within the terms shown. Library availability for a Short does not grant a license to use the same recording in a long-form upload, livestream, other channel, or external platform.
For more than one minute but under three minutes, note the date-sensitive claim rule below and inspect the current notice in Studio. A track appearing in the Shorts tools still does not guarantee that every use will be available in every territory.
For regular videos and livestreams: use music licensed for that format
Do not assume a Shorts sound can be carried into a standard video or livestream. Creator Music licenses and revenue-sharing terms are for long-form videos, not Shorts or live streams. The Shorts Audio Library’s in-product permission likewise should not be treated as a general license for other formats.
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YouTube Audio Library
YouTube recommends its Audio Library for royalty-free music and sound effects. You can find, preview, and download its tracks in YouTube Studio at no charge. YouTube says its royalty-free Audio Library music will not receive a Content ID claim, and identifies Audio Library licenses as the exception to Creator Music’s one-video license rule: they can be used in multiple videos uploaded to YouTube. Read any attribution or other terms shown for the individual track. YouTube Audio Library guidance.
Creator Music
Creator Music is a separate catalog in YouTube Studio. Depending on the track, eligible creators may find no-cost licenses that allow full video monetization or tracks with revenue-sharing terms. Availability is currently documented for creators in the U.S. who are in the YouTube Partner Program; YouTube says expansion to YPP creators outside the U.S. is pending. Do not assume the catalog is available to you unless it appears in your account. Creator Music availability and licensing.
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Check each track’s details for supported regions and restrictions. Most Creator Music licenses are for one use in one YouTube video; they are not transferable to another platform or YouTube channel. The YouTube Audio Library is the stated multiple-upload exception. Creator Music tracks cannot be used in Shorts or livestreams. YouTube’s Help page says paid Creator Music licenses began phasing out in August 2026, with August 10, 2026 as the last day to buy and use them. Previously applied paid licenses remain valid until expiry; purchased licenses not used by that deadline are refunded. Check the live Studio catalog rather than assuming paid licenses are still offered. Creator Music usage terms.
Your own music or a third-party license
You can use music you created, or obtain a track from a third-party site offering royalty-free or paid music, provided the actual license grants the rights you need. Verify whether the license covers YouTube, the specific format, monetization, your territory, repeat uploads, and any other channel or platform where you plan to publish. “Royalty-free” does not by itself mean unrestricted.
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How to check a track’s terms before publishing
- Format: Does the permission cover a Short, a long-form video, or a livestream?
- How it is added: Must you use the Shorts creation tools, or does the license cover an imported audio file?
- Duration: Is there a per-track limit or an excerpt restriction?
- Territory: Which countries or regions are covered, and where may the video be unavailable?
- Monetization: Can you retain revenue, is it shared, or is monetization restricted?
- Repeat use and destination: Is the license for one video or multiple uploads? Does it cover another channel or platform?
For YouTube catalogs, inspect the individual track’s details in Studio or the Shorts selection screen. For outside music, read the license terms for the specific recording and retain a copy of the permission. YouTube does not publish a general number of seconds that is automatically legal to use; a short excerpt is not automatically safe.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can I use trending audio without a copyright claim?
No method guarantees that every upload will avoid an automated claim. Using the Shorts Audio Library through the creation tools is the intended route for its covered Short uses. For other formats, rely on a license that covers the use, or choose music from the YouTube Audio Library. A claim can still appear where you believe you have permission, so keep the applicable license or other evidence available.
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Claims, removal requests, and strikes are different. A Content ID claim may block a video, monetize it for a rights holder (sometimes sharing revenue), or track its viewership; the result may vary by territory. A claim alone usually is not a strike. A valid copyright removal request can remove the video and result in a copyright strike. YouTube’s Content ID claim guidance.
What happened to my blocked Short?
Open the video’s copyright details in YouTube Studio and check the claimant, claimed material, territories, and current restriction. YouTube’s updated guidance says that, beginning September 24, 2026, new Shorts longer than one minute but under three minutes with an active Content ID claim will no longer be automatically blocked and may remain playable. This is conditional: it does not grant permission or guarantee availability. An older English Help page still states the earlier automatic-blocking rule, so follow the live claim notice and current Studio outcome. YouTube’s Shorts claim guidance, Shorts audio guidance, and Content ID claim guidance.
Depending on the claim, you can leave a valid claim in place, remove the claimed material by muting, trimming, or replacing it with Audio Library audio, or dispute if you genuinely believe the claim is wrong and have the necessary rights. YouTube does not mediate disputes. An unsupported dispute may be followed by a removal request; if that request is valid, it results in a strike. Do not dispute solely because you credited the artist, found the track online, or used only a short excerpt.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your documentary channel also needs a YouTube stream that loops pre-recorded video 24/7, StreamNeo is a separate option for that job—not a music license or a way to clear trending audio. Upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; StreamNeo plays the uploaded video from the cloud.
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