YouTube has introduced a new music feature for still-image posts within its Shorts feed, enabling creators to pair image carousels with 15-second audio clips.
The addition brings YouTube‘s short-form offering closer to similar features on TikTok and Instagram Reels. When creating an image post, users will now see a “sounds” option. This allows them to select from licensed music, royalty-free tracks, or generate custom audio using Dream Track, YouTube’s AI music tool. The image posts then appear directly in the Shorts feed, which previously only displayed video content. YouTube began testing image carousel support in the Shorts feed late last year.
In a statement, YouTube said:
“We know you’re looking for new, meaningful ways to connect with your audience and share your creativity without needing to upload a full video every single time. We recently shared that image posts, including carousels, can now appear in the Shorts feed to help your audience connect with you in a new place. Now, we’re excited to expand our music options to help you tell your story in even more dynamic ways! Whether you want to share a quick behind-the-scenes look or tell a deep visual story, you can create these image posts directly in the YouTube mobile app.”
