Can I use copyrighted music in my YouTube videos?

Two different things can happen when you use music you do not have rights to. The common one is a Content ID claim: YouTube's system recognises the song and applies the rights holder's chosen policy, which might be to run ads and take the revenue, to track the views, or to block the video in some or all countries. A claim is not a penalty against your channel, but it can quietly remove the money or the audience from a video you worked hard on.

The serious one is a copyright strike, which happens when a rights holder submits a formal takedown request. The video is removed, and YouTube's rules allow three active strikes before a channel can be terminated. Strikes expire after ninety days if you complete the copyright training, but while active they can also restrict features. Crediting the artist in the description, using only a few seconds, or writing "no copyright intended" does not prevent either outcome; those are common myths.

The safe routes are simple. YouTube Studio's Audio Library offers free music and sound effects cleared for use on YouTube, and some can be used without credit. Paid libraries license music for online video, though you should read whether their licence covers monetised YouTube channels. For a business channel, music should sit quietly under the voice anyway; a well-known song competes with what you are saying. If you already have claimed videos, Studio often lets you trim or replace the song to release the claim.