How to Create a Karaoke Video

Creating a karaoke video means taking a song, attaching timed lyrics to it, and presenting them in a layout singers can follow in real time. Karadeo gives you four karaoke templates: Classic, Scrollable, Single Line, and Duet, each built for a different display style. You upload your audio, add your lyrics, and export an MP4 ready to share or play at your next karaoke night.

This guide walks through the full process from picking a template to exporting your finished video.

What is a karaoke video?

A karaoke video is an audio track paired with lyrics that highlight in time with the music so singers can follow along. The lyrics are synchronized: each word or line has a timestamp that tells the player when to activate it. Without the timing, you just have text on screen. With it, the words light up exactly as the vocalist reaches them.

There are two timing levels:

• Word-level timing: each individual word has its own timestamp. The highlight moves through the line word by word as the singer reaches it.
• Line-level timing: one start time per line. The full line appears at once and stays visible until the next line begins.

Most karaoke videos use word-level timing because it's easier for singers to track their position in real time. For a deeper look at how these two approaches differ, see Word-Level vs Line-Level Karaoke Timing. Karadeo's AI sync generates word-level timestamps automatically from your audio, or you can import an existing LRC file.

Karaoke templates — choose your layout

Karadeo offers four karaoke templates, each with a different layout for displaying lyrics on screen. The template you choose determines how lines appear, how many are visible at once, and how the active line is highlighted.

Classic karaoke template

The Classic template displays four lines of lyrics at a time, matching the layout of a traditional karaoke machine. The active word highlights as the song plays, with smooth transitions when one block of four lines ends and the next begins. An animated count-in circle appears before each new section so singers know exactly when to start.

This is the most familiar layout for karaoke. If you're making a video for a karaoke night, a party, or any situation where people are reading from a screen and singing along, Classic is the natural starting point.

Scrollable karaoke template

The Scrollable template keeps the active line centered on screen while the rest of the lyrics scroll vertically past it. Past lines fade above, upcoming lines appear below, and the active line stays in focus throughout the song. The effect is fluid and continuous, with no hard section jumps the way there are in Classic.

Scrollable works well for music video-style lyric videos, online releases, and any context where the video will be watched rather than performed to. The centered active line is easy to follow, and the constant motion keeps the video engaging.

Single Line karaoke template

The Single Line template shows one line at a time, centered on screen. Each line fades in when its cue begins and clears before the next one appears. Nothing competes for attention. Just the current lyric, full width, with the word highlight moving across it.

This is the cleanest, most minimal layout. It works well for presentations, performance backdrops, or any situation where readability matters more than context. The large single-line display is also easier to read from a distance.

Duet karaoke template

The Duet template alternates lyrics between left and right positions on screen: odd lines appear on the left, even lines on the right. This creates a call-and-response layout that maps naturally to two singers performing together. Each singer follows their side of the screen.

The split layout also works for songs with distinct verse and chorus sections that you want to visually separate. Assign verse lines to one side and chorus lines to the other, and the structure of the song becomes visible in the layout.

All four templates support custom backgrounds: upload an image or video, choose a solid color, or layer multiple elements. Fonts, text colors, highlight colors, and stroke styles are all adjustable in the editor.

How to create a karaoke video step by step

Step 1: Choose a template

Go to Karadeo Templates and pick the layout that fits your use case. If you're making a video for singing along, start with Classic. If you want a music-video style release, try Scrollable. For maximum readability, use Single Line. For two singers, use Duet.

Click any template to preview it, then click Create from template to open the editor with that layout pre-applied. No account or download needed to get started.

Step 2: Upload your audio

Upload your audio or video file. Karadeo supports MP3, WAV, M4A, OGG, MP4, and other common formats. If you upload a video, the audio track is extracted automatically.

After uploading, Karadeo separates the vocals from the instrumental. This vocal track is what the AI sync uses as its timing reference: it listens to the vocals and maps each word to its position in the audio. If you already have a separate instrumental track, you can swap it in after syncing.

Step 3: Add and sync your lyrics

There are three ways to add lyrics:

• Import an LRC file: if you already have an LRC or other karaoke file format with word-level timestamps, import it directly. All timing is preserved and fully editable on the timeline.
• Paste lyrics and AI sync: paste your lyrics as plain text. Karadeo's AI reads the vocal track and attaches a timestamp to every word automatically. This is the fastest path to a finished, accurate karaoke video.
• Add manually: type each line directly and drag them into position on the timeline by hand.

Paste lyrics and AI sync is the best option for most songs. You get accurate word-level timing without any manual tapping, and AI sync typically finishes in 10–30 seconds.

Step 4: Customize and export

Once your lyrics are synced, press play and watch each line highlight in your chosen template. Drag the edge of any lyrics block on the timeline to adjust when a line appears or disappears. For word-level fine-tuning, expand any block to reveal individual word tracks.

When the timing looks right, adjust fonts, colors, and your background to match the song. Karadeo renders the lyrics directly in your chosen template and exports an MP4 in your selected aspect ratio: 16:9 for YouTube or Apple Music, or 9:16 for TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts.

Frequently asked questions

Which karaoke template should I choose?

Classic is the right starting point for most karaoke use cases: 4 lines at a time, word-by-word highlighting, exactly what people expect from karaoke. Scrollable is better for a music-video style release where the video flows continuously without section jumps. Single Line is the cleanest option for presentations or large-screen displays. Duet is built for two singers, with lyrics alternating left and right so each person follows their side.

Do I need to download any software?

No. Karadeo is fully online. Open a template in your browser, upload your audio, add your lyrics, and export with nothing to install.

What file format do I need for the lyrics?

You can import an LRC file with existing timestamps, paste plain text and use AI sync to generate word-level timing automatically, or type and time lyrics manually on the timeline. See the full karaoke lyrics file formats guide for details.

Can I use my own background image or video?

Yes. All four karaoke templates support custom backgrounds. Upload an image or video, or use a solid color, all configurable in the editor.

How long does it take to make a karaoke video?

Most karaoke videos take 5 to 15 minutes from upload to export, depending on the length of the song and how much manual timing adjustment you need. AI sync finishes in 10–30 seconds for a full song.

What aspect ratios are supported?

Karadeo exports in 16:9 for YouTube and Apple Music, and 9:16 for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Toggle the aspect ratio at the top of the templates page before choosing.

Is Karadeo free to use?

Yes. Karadeo is free to use. A watermark is added to free exports. Upgrade to remove the watermark and download in full HD.

Can I make a duet karaoke video for two singers?

Yes. The Duet template alternates lyrics between left and right positions, with odd lines on the left and even lines on the right, creating a call-and-response layout for two singers performing together.

Conclusion

The template you choose shapes how your karaoke video feels as much as the visual style does. Classic gives singers the familiar 4-line layout they already know. Scrollable turns a karaoke track into a flowing music video. Single Line strips everything back to one line at a time. Duet splits the screen for two singers. All four are built the same way: upload your audio, add your lyrics, and export.

Start at Karadeo Templates, pick the layout that fits your song, and click Create from template. Paste your lyrics, run AI sync, and export. Your karaoke video is ready.