iOS 18 changed, or perhaps fixed, a long-standing rule when recording video on iPhones, making it much easier to add an impromptu soundtrack to whatever you capture.
Previously, the music you were playing on your iPhone would stop as soon as you opened the Video tab in the Camera app. To get around this, you could use the Quick Capture feature in the standard Photo mode, but this limited the settings you could use while recording. Now, the music will continue to play while recording video, giving you access to all your usual options like resolution, aspect ratio, stabilization mode, and the ability to switch sensors mid-recording.
If you’re not yet running the iOS 18 beta on your iPhone, our guide on how to download the iOS 18 beta will show you how to do that. If that’s not something you want to or can do on your current iPhone, check out our previous guide on how to add music to a video on iPhone . Otherwise, let’s move on to our video clip.
How to Add Music to iPhone Video in iOS 18
1. Prepare your music
(Image: © Tom's Guide)
Use any app of your choice to prepare a songlike Apple Music like I have here.
2. Open the Camera app and switch to video mode
(Image: © Tom's Guide)
Your app should open in Photo mode by default. Tap the video header near the bottom of the viewfinder, or swipe rightswitch.
3. Press play and record normally
(Image: © Tom's Guide)
You can quickly start your music by Using media controls in Control Centeror with the dynamic island if your iPhone has one. Once you drop the needle, press the shutter button and start your recording.
That’s it! You can then check your video in the new Photos app. Keep in mind that since your iPhone records audio from its own speakers, the sound won’t be as clear as if you had added the track with a proper video editing app. But for everyday use, it’s more than enough.
Now that you're running iOS 18, we have a few more things to recommend you try before everyone gets the final version in the fall of this year.
You can learn how to create custom routes in Apple Maps to make sure you don't get lost on your next walk, and set reminders in Calendar to remember to wake up early for your hike. If you'd rather make your iPhone look more the way you want it to, we have guides on how to customize Control Center and customize Lock screen controls, two features that saw huge changes in iOS 18.