In this post, we are going to talk about what is an LRC file and how you can create LRC files in Windows 11/10. LRC is a short form for LyRiCs; it is a standard file format that stores lyrics and lets you synchronize lyrics with audio. When an audio song is played, the modern media players display lyrics using the LRC file. These files are like subtitle files only but are specifically used for song lyrics.
An LRC file is text-based, so you can view it in Notepad in Windows 11/10. Now, how to create an LRC file? Here, I am going to mention some methods to create an LRC file on your Windows 11/10 PC. Let us check out the methods now!
How to create an LRC file in Windows 11/10?
Here are the methods to create an LRC file in Windows 11/10:
- Use Notepad to make an LRC file.
- Generate an LRC file using a free software.
- Use an online service to create an LRC file.
Let us check out these methods and step-by-step procedures!
1] Use Notepad to make an LRC file
Using Notepad, you can view as well as create an LRC file on a Windows 11/10 PC. Follow the steps below to do so:
- Open Notepad.
- Enter song information.
- Add lyrics.
- Enter timestamps for each lyric line.
- Save the file with the .lrc file extension.
Let’s discuss these steps in detail!
Firstly, open the Notepad application on your Windows 11/10 PC.
Start by entering the song information at the top of the lyrics. You can include the name of the song, artist, and album. You will need to enclose this information ina special code as mentioned below:
- For song title, add
[ti:Song Name]. For example,[ti:Shape of You]. - To Add artist name, write
[ar:Artist Name]. For example,[ar:Selena Gomez]. - Album name can be added as
[al:Album], e.g.,[al:Promises]. - Similarly, you can add more information like
[by:Your Name],[au:Author], etc.
After adding song information, you need to enter song lyrics. Type the lyrics manually or copy and paste from some other source.
Next, you need to synchronize the lyrics with the exact timing in the actual song. You just have to write the start timing right before the lyrics. For example, if the lyrics appear at 04 seconds, type [00:04:00] alongside the lyrics. If you want to display songs for a longer time, you can add multiple time frames like [00:04:00][00:25:00].
I recommend that you open and listen to the song on an audio player to accurately synchronize the lyrics’ timing.
See the screenshot below for example:
When you are done writing lyrics with timestamps, you need to save the file with the .lrc file extension. Click on the File > Save As option and then select Save as type as All Types. Now, type filename with the .lrc extension and click on the Save option. This will save the LRC file.
You can now use the LRC with media players and karaoke programs that let you import lyrics.
Read: How to save Notepad file in HTML and PDF format.
2] Generate an LRC file using a free software
You can also use dedicated free software to create LRC files in Windows 11/10. Here, I am going to mention two free software that let you generate LRC files that include:
- Subtitle Edit
- Gaupol
Let us discuss these software in detail!
1] Subtitle Edit
Subtitle Edit, as its name suggests, is primarily used for making subtitle files like SRT, SUB, TXT, XML, ASS, STP, ZEG, AQT, etc. You can also create an LRC file in it. It even allows you to open the media file right in the software to properly synchronize the lyrics with the audio. There are some handy features available in this freeware that include Auto Translate, Encoding type, Spell Check, Find Double Words, Find Double Lines, etc. These tools further help you create an LRC or subtitle file. It is very easy to use LRC maker software.
Let’s check out the steps for creating an LRC file in Subtitle Edit:
- Download and install Subtitle Edit.
- Launch Subtitle Edit.
- Add the lyrics text.
- Mention start time, end time, and duration.
- Save the LRC file.
Firstly, download and install Subtitle Edit from here. You can even download a portable package and run the software whenever needed.
After installation, launch the program and you will see a dedicated panel to insert lyrics. In the Text field, write your lyrics. And, in the respective start time, end time, and duration, enter the timing of lyrics that you added. Repeat this process for all lyrics in separate lines.
You can import an audio or video file while writing the lyrics.
By right-clicking on the text, you can format the appearance of lyrics using options like font name, bold, italic, karaoke effect, typewriter effect, etc.
From the Spell check menu, you check for spelling errors in lyrics to make sure you have typed the correct lyrics.
At last, to save the LRC file, go to the File menu and click on the Save as option. Then, select the output file format as LRC and press the Save button.
It is a nice subtitle and LRC file generator for Windows 11/10.
See: How to Create or Edit subtitles on YouTube.
2] Gaupol
Gaupol is another handy software that allows you to create LRC files in Windows 11/10. Besides LRC files, it can be used for standard video subtitle files including SRT, SUB, ASS, XML, TXT, etc. Here are the steps to follow to create LRC files using Gaupol:
Download and install Gaupol and then launch it on your PC. Now, go to the File menu and click on the New option.
You will now see different columns, including line number, start, end, duration, and text. Start entering data inthe corresponding fields. Enter the lyrics in the Text column and add the start time, end time, and duration of lyrics in the respective columns.
From the Text menu, you can format a lyric line as dialogue. Plus, you can find more text editing options here like italic, find and replace, case, etc.
Some additional handy tools that you may use as per your requirement are Split Subtitles, Merge Subtitles, Check Spelling, Correct Texts, Shift Positions, Transform Positions, Adjust Durations, and more.
Finally, to save the lyrics file, go to the File menu and press the Save as option. Set the output format to LRC, select encoding and newlines format, provide a filename, and press the Save button.
You can download this handy LRC file generator freeware from here.
Also read: How to display two subtitles simultaneously in VLC.
3] Use an online service to create an LRC file
Another method to create an LRC file using a free online service. Here, I am going to use this free web service called lrcgenerator.com. It is a dedicated service that generates LRC files quickly and easily. Let’s check out how.
Launch your web browser and open the lrcgenerator.com website. On its website, you will see the metadata and lyrics sections.
In the above section, you can enter the information of the song, including title, author, album, article, name, and language. Then, type your lyrics with corresponding timestamps. It also lets you load lyrics from a locally saved Text file.
After writing the lyrics, you can click on the Export button to save it as an LRC file. You can also save lyrics in a PDF document file.
This online LRC generator provides a handy Synchronize to music feature. Click on it, open an audio file, and then synchronize the lyrics with the song.
That’s it! Hope this guide helps you create an LRC file in Windows 11/10.
Now read: Show or hide Lyrics, Captions, and Subtitles for videos.
