YouTube Audio Library
Thousands of music tracks and sound effects you can monetize without ever seeing a copyright claim.
Free music and sound effects inside YouTube Studio — pre-cleared for monetized videos, some with attribution.
- Pricing
- Free for any YouTube channel
- Platforms
- Web (inside YouTube Studio)
- Category
- Audio & Music
- Last reviewed
- September 21, 2026
What is YouTube Audio Library?
The YouTube Audio Library, inside YouTube Studio, is the safest free music source on the platform: every track is pre-cleared by YouTube for use in your videos, including monetized ones, without copyright claims from the library itself. It offers thousands of music tracks across every genre and mood, plus a solid library of sound effects — whooshes, crowds, UI clicks, ambience.
The one rule to learn: some tracks require attribution (pasting a credit line into your description), and the library filters and labels these clearly. Attribution-free tracks exist in every genre, so you can simply filter for them. Downloads are plain MP3/WAV files you can use in any editor, and tracks may also be used outside YouTube per the library's terms.
Quality varies — you will hear the same ten ukulele tracks on half of small YouTube — but with patience the library contains genuine gems, and filter combinations (genre + mood + instrument + duration) narrow thousands to a shortlist in seconds. For new channels it removes the single scariest problem in content: music licensing.
Key features
- Thousands of pre-cleared music tracks, all genres
- Sound effects library (whooshes, foley, ambience)
- Filters: genre, mood, instrument, duration, attribution
- Direct MP3/WAV downloads, usable in any editor
- Safe for monetized content — no library claims
- Free with any YouTube channel
Free plan & limits
Entirely free. Attribution-required tracks are clearly labeled; copy the credit text into your description and you're compliant.
Who is it best for?
New and growing channels that need legal background music and SFX with zero budget and zero licensing risk.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a copyright claim using Audio Library music?
Not from the library itself — tracks are pre-cleared, including for monetization. Claims usually mean someone used a lookalike track from elsewhere; library music is the safe baseline.
What does "attribution required" mean?
Some tracks ask you to copy a provided credit line (artist, track, license) into your video description. The filter lets you show only attribution-free tracks.
Can I use the music outside YouTube?
Yes — per the Audio Library terms, downloaded tracks can be used in your videos on other platforms too, respecting attribution rules.