How to Make a Lyric Video on iPhone (Step by Step)

To make a lyric video on iPhone, follow these steps:

1. Get an MP3, M4A or WAV of your song into the Files app.
2. Open LYRC in Safari.
3. Trim the hook to 60 seconds or less.
4. Let LYRC transcribe and time the words, then fix anything it misheard.
5. Fill the beat-synced cuts with footage and pick a lyric style.
6. Export a vertical 9:16 MP4 for Reels and TikTok.

Everything runs in the phone's browser, so you don't need a laptop or anything to install. Below I walk through each step with the settings that matter on a small screen. After that come the two mistakes that make phone-made lyric videos look rough: text too small to read and words that land off the beat.

I'm Andrew Loya. I make music, and I built LYRC because I was tired of re-typing and re-timing the same lyrics every time I wanted to post a song.

What do you need before you start?

You need three things on your phone.

The song file. If your engineer sent you a bounce, save it to Files. If it's on your laptop, AirDrop it to your iPhone and choose Save to Files. MP3, M4A and WAV all work. If the song is already out, you can skip the file entirely: find yourself on Spotify inside LYRC, pick the song, and LYRC fetches it.

The section you want to post. One lyric video is one song section of up to 60 seconds. For most songs that's the hook. A hook that works in 15 to 30 seconds is what people reuse as a TikTok sound or Reels audio, so shorter is often better.

Some footage, if you have it. Clips from your camera roll work well: you in the studio, driving, performing, your city at night. You can also use LYRC's stock library or AI b-roll, so this part is optional.

How to make a lyric video on iPhone, step by step

Step 1: Open LYRC in Safari and sign in

Go to lyrc.studio in Safari (or any browser on your phone) and create an account. LYRC works in your phone's browser.

Step 2: Upload the song and trim the section

Upload the file from Files and trim a section of up to 60 seconds.

Two tips for trimming on a phone:

• Start the section a beat before the first word of the hook. Starting right on the word can make the opening sound clipped.
• End on a natural break, like the end of a bar or the last word of a line. A section that cuts mid-word feels broken when it loops on Reels or TikTok.

Step 3: Sync the lyrics, then fix what it got wrong

LYRC transcribes the lyrics and times each word. You can choose Quick Sync or Studio-Grade.

When it finishes, play the section back and read along. Accuracy depends on the recording, and the usual misses are:

• Names
• Slang
• Ad-libs
• Words buried under a heavy mix

Fix any word it got wrong. If a word pops up early or late, adjust its timing.

Do this check with the phone's speaker or wired headphones. Bluetooth headphones can add a small delay on some setups, which can make perfectly timed words look late.

Step 4: Check the cut markers

LYRC finds the song's transients (the kicks, claps and points of emphasis) and places a cut marker on each one. Every marker is where the footage switches to a new clip.

Play it back once and watch the cuts. If a section feels too choppy, remove a few markers. If a big moment like a drop or a stop has no cut, add one. You can also nudge a marker that sits slightly off.

Step 5: Fill the video with footage

Tap Fill and LYRC puts a clip into every slot between the cut markers. You can pull clips from four places:

• LYRC stock. A built-in library, good for mood shots when you don't have footage.
• Your own uploads. Pick videos straight from your Photos. Your own footage makes the video feel like yours.
• A video link. Paste a YouTube, TikTok or Instagram link and LYRC splits the video into usable clips. This is on Creator and up. Using clips from films, shows or other people's videos can draw copyright claims or muted audio on some platforms. Your own footage, licensed stock and AI b-roll avoid that.
• AI b-roll. Generate clips when you need a specific look. This costs credits. More on that at the AI b-roll generator page.

Then shuffle until it feels right. Shuffle everything, or lock the clips you like and shuffle the rest. You can also swap a single clip. You can reframe a clip (zoom, pan) and scrub inside it on the timeline.

Step 6: Pick a lyric style that reads on a phone

Choose a lyric animation preset, or turn presets off and style the text yourself:

• Font and size
• Colors
• Outline, shadow and glow
• Animation

On a phone, the test is simple. Hold the phone at arm's length and play the video full screen. If you squint to read a line, the text is too small or too thin. Bold fonts with an outline or shadow hold up best over busy footage.

Step 7: Export 9:16 for Reels and TikTok

Check that the aspect ratio is 9:16. That's vertical, 1080x1920, the format for Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts. If you're making a version for YouTube's main player, switch to 16:9.

When you tap Export, LYRC renders an MP4 that you can download and post anywhere. On Creator and up, you can also post or schedule to Instagram, send it to your TikTok drafts, or post it to YouTube as a Short from LYRC.

For caption ideas and posting settings, see how to make a lyric video for Instagram Reels.

What are the most common mistakes on a phone?

Text too small. Your phone screen is the same size your fans watch on, which helps. Always check in full-screen preview before you export.

Words off the beat. This usually happens for one of two reasons:

• You skipped the sync review in Step 3.
• You checked timing through Bluetooth headphones.

Review every line on the phone speaker. A late word in the hook is the easiest mistake to spot, so check those lines twice.

Lyrics sitting where the app covers them. Reels and TikTok put captions, your username and buttons along the bottom and the right side. Keep the lyrics in the middle of the frame so nothing important sits under that overlay.

Trying to fit the whole song. One project is one section of up to 60 seconds. Pick the strongest part and make that great.

Exporting the wrong shape. A 16:9 video posted to Reels shows up as a small strip with black bars. For Reels, TikTok and Shorts, use 9:16.

How do you make the second video faster?

Once your first video of a section has its words and beat, LYRC saves the lyrics, timing, cut markers and style as a song template. Your next video from that template starts with all of it already in place.

To make another one, tap Fill again with new footage, shuffle, and export. That's how you post one song several times without redoing the setup.

When should you use a different tool?

LYRC makes short lyric videos of one song section. If you need any of these, a general editor like CapCut, Premiere or DaVinci fits better:

• A full-length YouTube lyric video of the entire song
• A long music video
• An edit that combines several songs

For a side-by-side look at the options, see the best lyric video makers roundup.

FAQ

Can I make a lyric video on iPhone without a computer? Yes. LYRC runs in your phone's browser, so you can upload, sync, edit and export all from the iPhone.

What file should I upload from my iPhone? MP3, M4A or WAV from the Files app. If the song is already released, you can pick it from Spotify inside LYRC instead.

How long should a lyric video be for TikTok and Reels? LYRC sections run up to 60 seconds. A hook that works in 15 to 30 seconds is the part people tend to reuse as a sound.

Why do my lyrics look late on playback? First, check that you're not listening through Bluetooth headphones, which can add delay. If the words are still late with the phone speaker, adjust the timing of those words in the sync review.

Can I use clips from movies or music videos? You can paste links, but clips from films, shows or other people's videos can draw copyright claims or muted audio on some platforms. Your own footage, stock or AI b-roll is the safer choice.

How LYRC does this

1. Upload your song (or pick it from Spotify) and trim a section of up to 60 seconds.
2. LYRC transcribes the lyrics and times each word. You review and fix names, slang and ad-libs.
3. Cut markers land on the kicks and claps, and you can add, remove or nudge any of them.
4. The section saves as a song template, so your next video starts with the words, timing and cuts already done.
5. Fill puts a clip in every slot from stock, your own footage, a YouTube or TikTok link, or AI b-roll.
6. Pick a lyric style, shuffle until it feels right, and export 9:16 for Reels and TikTok.

Your first video export is free when you sign up. It carries a small LYRC watermark. Paid plans start at $29/mo, and you can see current limits on the pricing page. Ready? Make your first video.