How to Shazam a Video: 6 Ways to Name the Song on Your Phone or Computer

You're scrolling through a video, the background music is perfect, and nobody in the caption says what it is. Shazam is the obvious answer, but there's a catch: Shazam normally listens through your microphone, and the video is playing on the same phone you'd use to Shazam it.

The good news is that there are several ways around this. Some work on the device that's playing the video, some need a second device, and some don't need Shazam at all. This guide covers each method, when it works best and when it won't.

Quick answer

• iPhone or iPad: add Music Recognition to Control Center, start the video, then tap the Shazam button. It can identify music playing on the device itself.
• Android: turn on Pop-up Shazam in the Shazam app. A floating button appears over other apps, so you can identify the song without leaving the video.
• Computer: use the Shazam browser extension for Chrome, or Music Recognition on a Mac.
• Saved video or video link: Shazam can't open files or links. Paste the link or upload the file to a song finder by video instead.

1. Shazam a video on iPhone with Control Center

Recent versions of iOS include Shazam in Control Center, so you don't have to switch apps.

1. Open Settings → Control Center (or long-press Control Center on newer iOS versions and tap Add a Control).
2. Add Music Recognition.
3. Play the video in TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Safari or any other app.
4. Swipe down to open Control Center and tap the Shazam icon.
5. Wait for the notification with the song title and artist.

This works for audio playing on the iPhone, even with headphones connected. Keep the video playing during the whole listening window. If the song only appears for a few seconds, scrub back to the clearest part, where the music is loudest and nobody is talking.

2. Shazam a video on Android with Pop-up Shazam

On Android, the Shazam app can show a floating button over other apps.

1. Open the Shazam app and go to Settings.
2. Turn on Pop-up Shazam and allow the app to display over other apps.
3. Open the video and start playing it.
4. Tap the floating Shazam button.

Many Android phones also let you search for a song with the Google app or Google Assistant. On supported devices, Circle to Search has a music button that listens to what's playing. Each method listens to the audio while the video plays, so the same rule applies: pick a section where the music is clear.

3. Shazam a video on a computer

If you're watching on a laptop or desktop:

• Chrome: install the official Shazam extension, play the video in a tab and click the extension icon. It listens to the tab's audio, so room noise doesn't matter.
• Mac: add Music Recognition to Control Center in System Settings and click it while the video plays.
• Any computer: play the video out loud and Shazam it with your phone. It's low-tech, but it works if the speakers are clear.

4. Use a second device

The oldest trick still works. Play the video on one device and open Shazam on another. A few tips help:

• Turn the volume up and hold the phone close to the speaker.
• Skip parts with voiceover, sound effects or crowd noise.
• Try two or three different sections if the first one fails.

This is also the easiest method when the video is on a TV, a smart display or someone else's phone.

5. Identify the song from the video link

Shazam can't do anything with a link you copied. If you have the link to a TikTok, YouTube video or Short, Instagram Reel, Facebook video or X post, you can paste it straight into SongFromVideo and get the song title and artist without playing the video out loud.

That helps when:

• The music is quiet under someone talking.
• You're somewhere you can't play sound.
• The video is long and you'd rather not hold your phone up to a speaker.

Each platform has its own quirks for copying links. The TikTok song finder, YouTube song finder, Instagram song finder, Facebook song finder and Twitter song finder pages explain where to find the share link on each platform.

6. Identify the song from a saved video

Shazam can't open a video from your camera roll either. If you've saved a clip, screen-recorded something or received a video in a chat, you have two options:

• Play it out loud and Shazam it from a second device.
• Upload the video or audio file to SongFromVideo and find the song from the video directly.

Screen recordings are worth a quick check first. Some apps block their sound from screen recordings, and a phone on silent can record a silent clip. Play the file once to make sure the music is there.

Why Shazam can't identify some videos

Shazam matches what it hears against a catalog of released recordings. It struggles when the audio doesn't match the original track:

• Sped-up, slowed or pitch-shifted edits. Common on TikTok and Reels.
• Voiceover or talking over the music. The song is there, but it's buried.
• Remixes, mashups and covers that aren't released as separate recordings.
• "Original sound" or "Original audio" that a creator recorded themselves.
• Production music made for videos, which often isn't in consumer catalogs.
• Very short clips where the music lasts only a second or two.

A link or file search hits the same limits, because every recognition service needs a released recording to match against. If no method finds it, check the video description and comments, look at the sound or audio label on TikTok and Instagram, or ask a community like r/whatsongisthis. If the song has no lyrics, see our guide on how to find a song without lyrics.

Which method should you use?

Situation	Best method
Watching on iPhone	Control Center Music Recognition
Watching on Android	Pop-up Shazam or Circle to Search
Watching in a desktop browser	Shazam Chrome extension
You have the video link	Paste the link into a song finder
You saved the video	Upload the file
Video on a TV or another device	Shazam from your phone

FAQ

Can Shazam identify a song from a video on my phone?

Yes. On iPhone, Music Recognition in Control Center can identify music playing on the device. On Android, Pop-up Shazam does the same thing from a floating button.

Can I Shazam a video with headphones on?

On iPhone with Control Center Music Recognition, and on Android with Pop-up Shazam, yes. If you're Shazamming from a second device, the audio needs to play out loud.

Can Shazam identify a song from a video link?

No. Shazam only listens to audio as it plays. To identify a song from a link, paste it into a song finder that accepts video links.

Why does Shazam say "no result" for a TikTok?

Usually because the audio was edited, sped up or mixed with talking, or because it's an original sound that was never released. Try a section where the music is clearest, or check the sound page on TikTok.

Want to skip the second device? Paste a video link or upload a file and find the song in the video.