How to Check Copyright Video Before Uploading on Facebook: Complete Guide 2026

Facebook uses AI-powered detection systems to scan every video you upload. If your content matches copyrighted material in their database, the video gets blocked, muted, or taken down. Repeat offenders lose monetization access and can have their pages restricted or deleted.

This guide covers the exact tools and methods to check your video for copyright issues before you hit publish.

How Facebook Detects Copyright

Facebook’s Rights Manager system scans audio and visual elements of uploaded videos against a database of copyrighted works. The scan happens during the upload process, not after the video is posted. According to Meta’s Intellectual Property Transparency Report, the platform processes millions of copyright takedown requests each year.

When Rights Manager finds a match, one of these things happens:

• Video blocked from public viewing entirely
• Audio muted where the copyrighted segment appears
• Monetization removed from the video
• Copyright strike added to your account
• DMCA takedown notice filed against your page

Three or more strikes can lead to page restrictions or permanent deletion.

Copyright Checking Tools Compared

Here’s how the main copyright checking tools stack up against each other:

Use Meta’s Built-In Copyright Check

In 2025, Meta added a copyright check tool directly inside the Reels composer on both Facebook and Instagram. This is the fastest way to catch issues before your content goes live.

How to use it

1. Open the Facebook Reels composer and add your video
2. Tap the “Copyright Check” option in the tools menu
3. Wait for the scan to finish (usually under a minute)
4. If copyrighted content is found, you get a 1-hour window to fix the issue before the Reel goes live

This tool checks both audio tracks and video clips against Meta’s copyright database. It’s available to all creators, not just verified accounts.

The limitation: it only works for Reels. Standard video uploads to your feed or page don’t have this pre-check option yet.

Check Music Copyright Before Upload

Music is the number one reason videos get flagged on Facebook. Here are three methods to verify your audio is clean.

Facebook Sound Collection

Go to Creator Studio, then Music, then Sound Collection. Every track here is pre-licensed for use on Facebook. Filter by “Commercial Use” if you plan to monetize. Download the track and use it in your video editor before uploading.

The library has thousands of tracks and sound effects. It’s not as large as YouTube’s Audio Library, but everything in it is guaranteed safe for Facebook.

Shazam or ACRCloud

Play your video’s audio through Shazam to identify any copyrighted songs. If Shazam identifies the track, it’s almost certainly copyrighted and will trigger Facebook’s detection.

For creators who need to check multiple tracks, ACRCloud offers batch processing through its API. The free tier handles basic lookups.

YouTube Private Upload Test

Upload your video as “Private” or “Unlisted” on YouTube. YouTube’s Content ID system will scan it within minutes. Check the video’s copyright status in YouTube Studio under the “Checks” tab.

If YouTube flags it, Facebook’s Rights Manager will almost certainly flag it too. Both platforms use similarly large copyright databases. This cross-platform test catches most issues before they reach Facebook.

Check Video and Image Copyright

Music isn’t the only risk. Visual content triggers copyright claims too.

Original footage

Record your own content using tools like ScreenApp’s screen recording or your phone’s camera. Original footage is always safe. For tutorials, demos, or educational content, screen recording tools let you create copyright-free material with your own narration.

Stock footage and images

Use footage from royalty-free libraries like Pexels, Pixabay, or Unsplash. Always check the license terms; some require attribution.

For images, run a reverse image search to verify the source before including images in your video. If the image appears on a stock photo site with a paid license, don’t use it without purchasing the license.

Movie and TV clips

Any clip from movies, TV shows, or streaming platforms will get flagged. This includes short clips, screenshots, and modified versions. There’s no safe duration for copyrighted film or television content on Facebook.

Fair Use on Facebook

Fair use doesn’t protect you from automated detection. Facebook’s system flags content based on matching, not legal context. Even if your use qualifies as fair use (commentary, education, parody), the video can still be blocked or muted automatically.

If you believe your content qualifies as fair use, you can appeal after a takedown. But the appeal process takes time, and your content stays down while it’s reviewed. For most creators, it’s easier to avoid copyrighted material entirely.

Pre-Upload Copyright Checklist

Run through this list before every upload:

• All music is from Facebook Sound Collection, royalty-free libraries, or original recordings
• Video clips are self-recorded or properly licensed
• Images are from free stock sites with correct licensing, or original
• No movie, TV, or streaming platform clips included
• Content tested with at least one copyright detection tool (Reels Copyright Check, Shazam, or YouTube private upload)
• Attribution added where required by the content license

What To Do After a Copyright Strike

If you do receive a copyright claim on Facebook:

1. Review the claim in your Page’s support inbox or Creator Studio notifications
2. Check if it’s valid by comparing the flagged segment with the claimed content
3. Remove the content if the claim is legitimate, or edit and re-upload without the flagged portion
4. File an appeal if you own the rights or believe fair use applies. Provide documentation (license receipts, proof of ownership, or a fair use justification)
5. Track your strikes since three active violations can restrict your page

Appeals typically take 5-10 business days. During that time, the content stays removed.

Create Original Content Instead

The safest approach is to create original material. Tools like ScreenApp’s video recording let you capture screen recordings, webcam footage, and audio narration without any copyright risk. You can also use ScreenApp’s AI video summarizer to repurpose your own long-form content into shorter clips for Facebook.

For more on creating video content, see our guides on screen recording software, Windows screen recording, and TikTok copyright checking.

FAQ

How long can I use copyrighted music on Facebook?

There is no safe duration. Facebook’s Rights Manager detects clips as short as 3 seconds. The scan happens during upload, so even a brief snippet of a copyrighted song will get caught. Use Facebook Sound Collection or royalty-free music instead.

Does giving credit to the artist prevent a copyright strike?

No. Credit or attribution does not grant you a license to use copyrighted material. You still need explicit permission or a license from the copyright holder. Some Creative Commons tracks do require attribution, but that’s separate from commercial music licensing.

Is Facebook’s copyright detection as strict as YouTube’s?

Yes. Facebook’s Rights Manager and YouTube’s Content ID use comparable databases and AI matching technology. In many cases, if YouTube flags a video, Facebook will too. Testing with a private YouTube upload is a good way to predict Facebook’s response.

Can I monetize videos with Facebook Sound Collection music?

Some Sound Collection tracks allow commercial use, but not all of them. Check the license tag on each track before using it in monetized content. Tracks labeled “Commercial Use” are safe for monetized videos.

What is Meta’s Reels Copyright Check?

It’s a built-in tool in the Facebook and Instagram Reels composer that scans your video for copyrighted audio and visual content before you publish. If it finds a match, you get one hour to fix the issue. It’s free and available to all creators.

Can I use 10 seconds of a copyrighted song on Facebook?

No. There is no “10-second rule” or any safe clip length for copyrighted music. Facebook’s detection system matches audio fingerprints regardless of duration. Even very short clips will trigger a claim.

How do I check if a video I found online is copyrighted?

Assume it is. Nearly all professionally produced video content (music videos, movie clips, news footage, sports highlights) is copyrighted. If you didn’t record it yourself or purchase a license, don’t upload it. For images, use a reverse image search to trace the original source.

What happens if I get three copyright strikes on Facebook?

Three active copyright strikes can result in page restrictions, loss of monetization features, reduced distribution of your content, and in some cases, permanent page deletion. Strikes expire over time, but repeated violations escalate the consequences.