Instagram replace audio lets creators keep viral posts' engagement: Here’s how

Instagram is solving a problem that has frustrated creators for years: the locked soundtrack. From this week onwards, creators have the option to swap the music of their feed posts and carousels while retaining likes, comments, and shares. It is a simple functionality, but its impact on how creators handle their evergreen content is massive.

Up until this point, any change made to a post’s audio resulted in just one thing: delete and upload. This would result in the post being pushed down into oblivion with no algorithmic traction at all. For casual users, it was just a hassle. But for creators, it was a waste of time and effort.

How does Instagram's new audio swap feature work?

The new Replace Audio feature eliminates that trade-off. Open the post, tap the three-dot menu, select Edit, choose Audio, and pick a replacement track. Users select the relevant portion of the new song before saving. The post's original position, comments, and shares are all preserved.

There is no limit to how many times creators can change their tracks. This was clarified by Jimmy O'Keefe, the creator product marketing lead at Instagram, who stated that changing audio does not give any algorithmic advantage.

This shows that Instagram neither rewards nor punishes its users for making edits. Instead, the post stays there, with just a different soundtrack attached to it.

An evergreen post about a dance challenge can keep changing the soundtrack according to what’s trending. The sponsored posts can change their soundtracks according to a shift in brand guidelines. A travel video captured to match summer vibes could be made to fit an autumn one.