Copyright-Free YouTube Content — How to Find It
By Sardar Ali Khan · Last updated 2026-05-03
Disclaimer. This page is general legal information, not legal advice. Licence terms vary by creator and can change. Always verify the specific licence on each video before downloading or using it.
Quick answer. "Copyright-free" on YouTube usually means one of two things: the content is released under a Creative Commons licence (you can use it, with conditions), or it's genuinely in the public domain (no restrictions at all). Most "copyright-free" music channels use custom licences that allow free use on YouTube but not elsewhere. Understanding the actual licence is the only way to know what you can do.
The three categories of freely usable YouTube content
1. Creative Commons licensed content
YouTube lets uploaders mark their videos as Creative Commons (CC) at upload time. This is the largest category of legally downloadable content on YouTube.
How to filter: In YouTube search, click Filters → Features → Creative Commons. This surfaces videos whose uploaders have applied a CC licence.
Important caveat: the filter relies on the uploader tagging correctly. Some creators apply CC tags to videos containing copyrighted music — which doesn't actually make the video CC-licensed. Always check the video description for the specific licence text.
2. Public domain content
Works in the public domain have no copyright restrictions. In the United States:
- Works published before 1928 are in the public domain.
- US federal government works are always in the public domain (created by government employees in their official capacity).
- Works the creator explicitly released into the public domain (CC0 dedication).
Note: the composition and the recording are separate copyrights. A Beethoven symphony composed in the 1800s is public domain; a 2020 recording of it is not. NASA's photos and footage are public domain; a YouTube channel's compilation of NASA footage may have its own editorial copyright.
3. YouTube Audio Library
YouTube's Audio Library (accessible at studio.youtube.com → Audio Library) offers music and sound effects licensed for use in YouTube content. Most tracks are free with attribution; some are free with no conditions.
These tracks are not Creative Commons — they're licensed to YouTube for use in YouTube videos. Using them outside YouTube (in a podcast distributed elsewhere, in a commercial, in an app) may require separate licensing from the rights holders.
Creative Commons licences explained
| Licence | Allowed | Required | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| CC BY | Download, use, modify, redistribute, commercial use | Credit the creator | Nothing further |
| CC BY-SA | Download, use, modify, redistribute, commercial use | Credit + same licence on derivatives | Licensing derivatives under different terms |
| CC BY-NC | Download, use, modify, redistribute | Credit + non-commercial only | Commercial use |
| CC BY-ND | Download, use, redistribute unchanged | Credit + no modifications | Modifications, derivatives |
| CC0 (Public Domain) | Everything — no restrictions | Nothing (credit appreciated) | Nothing |
Most YouTube CC content uses CC BY 3.0 — download, use, modify, and redistribute freely as long as you credit the creator. Check the specific licence version linked in the video description; conditions occasionally differ between 3.0 and 4.0.
What "NoCopyrightSounds" and similar channels actually mean
Channels like NoCopyrightSounds (NCS) are widely misunderstood. Despite the name:
- The artists retain full copyright to their work.
- NCS distributes the music under a custom licence that allows free use in YouTube and Twitch content with attribution.
- Using NCS tracks in podcasts, commercial videos, apps, physical media, or broadcast TV typically requires a paid sync licence from NCS directly.
- The tracks are not Creative Commons and not public domain.
Always read the licence page linked in the channel description or individual video description. The rules vary by track and have changed over time.
How to give proper attribution for CC content
For CC BY content, the standard attribution format is:
"[Title]" by [Creator], licensed under CC BY 3.0 — [link to original video or creator's page]
Place this attribution in the video description, podcast show notes, or wherever the content is published. For audio-only work where description attribution isn't visible, a brief spoken credit or credit card satisfies most CC BY licences.
Good sources for legally downloadable content
Beyond YouTube's own CC filter, several platforms specialise in freely usable music:
- Free Music Archive (freemusicarchive.org): A large catalogue of CC-licensed music across all genres, clearly tagged by licence type.
- ccMixter (ccmixter.org): Community music platform for CC-licensed remixes and originals.
- Musopen (musopen.org): Public domain classical music recordings, released under a specific programme to fund copyright-free recordings of public domain compositions.
- Pixabay (pixabay.com/music): Free music with a Pixabay licence allowing commercial use without attribution.
- Incompetech (incompetech.filmmusic.io): Kevin MacLeod's library of royalty-free instrumental music, largely CC BY licensed.
Downloading CC content — the right approach
If a video is genuinely CC-licensed:
- Verify the specific CC licence in the video description or channel notes.
- Note the creator's name and the licence type for attribution.
- Download using any method — there's no copyright infringement involved in downloading CC content. The video still violates YouTube's Terms of Service to download via third-party tools, but there's no copyright violation.
- Use the content within the bounds of the licence — which for CC BY is almost anything, provided you credit.
Frequently asked questions
What does Creative Commons actually allow me to do?
It depends on the specific licence. CC BY (Attribution) lets you download, modify, redistribute, and use commercially — you just have to credit the original creator. CC BY-SA adds a share-alike requirement (derivatives must use the same licence). CC BY-NC restricts commercial use. CC BY-ND prohibits modifications. Always check the specific licence on the video.
Is NoCopyrightSounds actually copyright-free?
The name is misleading. NoCopyrightSounds tracks are NOT in the public domain. They are released under a custom licence that allows free use with attribution in YouTube videos — but the artists retain copyright. Using NCS tracks outside YouTube (in a podcast, a TV ad, a commercial app) may require a paid licence. Always read the licence for each track.
How do I find Creative Commons music on YouTube?
Filter YouTube search results: after searching, click Filters → Features → Creative Commons. This shows videos the uploader marked as CC-licensed at upload. Note: the filter relies on the uploader tagging correctly — always verify the licence in the video description.
What is the YouTube Audio Library?
YouTube's Audio Library (studio.youtube.com → Audio Library) is a collection of music and sound effects that YouTube licenses for use in YouTube videos. Most tracks are free to use with attribution; some are completely free. These tracks are not Creative Commons — they're licensed from rights holders by YouTube for use specifically in YouTube content. Using them outside YouTube may require separate licensing.
What is the public domain, and how do I know if a work is in it?
Works enter the public domain when copyright expires. In the US, works published before 1928 are in the public domain. Works published 1928–1977 depend on whether copyright was renewed and other factors. US government works (produced by federal agencies) are always in the public domain. Recordings have separate rules from compositions — a pre-1928 song composition may be public domain while a specific recording of it remains under copyright.