How to sync lyrics to a song

Last updated October 9, 2026

To sync lyrics to a song, play the track and mark the moment each line begins, then nudge any line that lands early or late. In Karaoke Sync® you do this by tapping one button per line while the song plays.

Karaoke Sync is a free app for iPhone and Android. One timing pass works for singing along, recording, and exporting LRC, SRT and other lyric files.

What you need

• The song: an audio file (MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC or AAC), a video with the music in it (MP4, MOV or M4V), or a YouTube link.
• The lyrics as text. Copy them from a lyrics website: the app's Find Lyrics buttons open LRCLib and Lyricsify (timed lyrics) or Genius (lyrics only).

How to sync lyrics, step by step

Step 1: Import the song

Open the Import tab. Choose Audio / Video and tap Select Audio File (or Select Video), or choose YouTube Video, paste the link and tap Create Project.

Step 2: Paste the lyrics

The lyrics importer opens by itself for a new project. Paste the lyrics, one line per line, and tap Import Lyrics.

Step 3: Open Timing and tap Start Timing

Tap Timing, then Start Timing. The song starts playing.

Step 4: Tap as each line starts

The moment you hear a line begin, tap Tap to Mark Line. The current playback time is saved to that line and the next line comes up.

Step 5: Save

When every line is timed, the button reads All lines timed! Tap Save. Then fine-tune any line that is a little early or late, as described next.

Fix the timing

• Nudge a line: in the project editor, tap the ... button next to a line, choose Adjust Timing, and move it earlier or later by 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0 second.
• Check a line closely: on the Timing screen, tap a line's ... button to open Fine-tune Timestamp. Preview plays just that line, Loop repeats it, ½× speed slows it down, and Previous line and Next line step through the song without closing the sheet.
• Shift the whole song: if every line is early or late by the same amount, open the Fine-tune sheet of a line without word timing, turn on Past lines or Future lines under Also adjust, and tap a +/- button. All those lines move at once, word timing included.

Sync lyrics word by word

Time the lines first, then tap Words in the Lines | Words selector on the Timing screen. The app spreads each timed line's words across a timeline for you, so you only drag the ones that are off. Each word has a knob at its left edge; the last word also has one at its right edge, which sets where the line ends. Undo reverts your last move, and the zoom buttons help with fast passages.

Word-timed lines fill in word by word as they are sung in Practice and Sing Mode, and they export as Enhanced LRC.

Tips

• Slow the song down for fast verses. The editor's playback speed goes from 0.5x to 1.5x. Time at 0.5x, then check the result at full speed.
• Don't aim for perfect on the first pass. Tap through the whole song, then fine-tune.
• Reuse a timed chorus. Tap a line's ... button, choose Select Lines, check the chorus lines and tap Copy. Then play the song to where the chorus comes back and choose Paste Lines Below on the line it follows. The pasted lines keep their timing relative to each other and start at the playback position.
• Already have timed lyrics? Paste lyrics in LRC format (lines like [00:15.50] Lyrics here) and the timestamps come in with them.

What to do with synced lyrics

• Sing along: Practice scrolls the lyrics with the current line highlighted, and Sing Mode records your voice over the music.
• Export a lyrics file: LRC or Enhanced LRC, SRT subtitles, CSV, or Smule format.
• Make a video: record a take and export it as a lyric video with your timed lyrics on screen.
• Learn more: the Timing Your Lyrics section of the full tutorial.

Sync your first song free on iPhone or Android.