# How to make a YouTube intro > Pick a 16:9 intro template, replace the name, logo and colours, add a two-second sound sting, keep the whole thing under five seconds, and export it once as an MP4 to drop at the start of every upload. - Page: https://cutluma.com/guides/how-to-make-a-youtube-intro - By the CutLuma team · Published 2026-10-10 · Updated 2026-10-10 · 4 min read - Try it: https://cutluma.com/templates/for/youtube (Browse intro templates) ## Step by step 1. **Choose a 16:9 template** — Open the [YouTube intro templates](https://cutluma.com/tools/youtube-intro-maker). Logo reveals and kinetic titles are the usual picks; choose one that matches the pace of your channel. 2. **Swap in your branding** — Type the channel name, drop your logo onto the logo frame (a transparent PNG looks cleanest) and set your two or three brand colours. 3. **Add a sound** — Pick a short sting from the stock library, or a one-second whoosh and a chord. Keep it under the length of the animation. 4. **Trim to 3–5 seconds** — Drag the end of the clips so the animation ends as soon as the name is readable. Anything longer gets skipped. 5. **Export and reuse** — Export MP4 at 1920×1080. Save the project; drop the file at the start of every future edit, or use the end card version as an outro. ## Why short wins YouTube shows how many viewers leave in the first 30 seconds, and a long intro is the most common reason. An intro that runs ten or fifteen seconds with a full song asks people to wait before anything happens, and many will not. Three to five seconds is enough to show a name and a mark and set a mood. Many channels now put the intro after a cold open: ten to twenty seconds of the actual content or a teaser first, then the short bumper, then the body. If you do that, the intro becomes a breath between the hook and the video rather than a wall in front of it. Either way, the same rule applies: the moment the channel name is readable, cut. ## Size, frame rate and quality YouTube is a 16:9 platform, so the intro should be 1920×1080 or, if your videos are 4K, 3840×2160. Match the frame rate of your main footage, usually 30 or 24 fps, so the join does not stutter; 60 fps is available on the paid plans for gaming channels. Free exports are 1080p with a small badge in the corner; paid plans remove it and unlock 4K on Pro. If you also post Shorts, change the canvas to 9:16 before exporting a second version. The templates re-flow for the tall frame, so the same design works in both places. The [sizes cheat sheet](https://cutluma.com/guides/social-media-video-sizes) lists every size YouTube accepts. ## Logo, colours and type Use a logo file with a transparent background so the mark sits on the template colours without a box around it. If you only have a JPG on white, run it through [remove background from image](https://cutluma.com/tools/remove-background-from-image) first. Keep to two or three colours; a dark background with one bright accent reads well at every size, including the small thumbnail in the subscription feed. - **One font, two weights.** A bold name and a light tagline is plenty. - **Big type.** The name should be readable on a phone; think 10% of the frame height. - **Match the motion to the music.** Line up the logo landing with the hit of the sting. - **Leave air at the end.** Half a second of the finished logo before the cut. ## Make a matching outro The same template makes a good end card. Duplicate the project, change the headline to a call to action such as "Subscribe" or "Watch next", and extend the final frame to 10–20 seconds so YouTube has room to show its end-screen elements over it. Keep the lower right quarter free for the subscribe button and the video suggestion, and let the music fade out rather than stop. Export it once and it joins the intro in your library, ready to drop at the end of every edit. ## FAQ **How long should a YouTube intro be?** Three to five seconds. Longer intros are where viewers drop off. **Can I make a YouTube intro for free?** Yes. The templates, editor and 1080p export are free. Free exports carry a small badge; paid plans remove it. **What size is a YouTube intro?** 1920×1080 (16:9). Use 3840×2160 if your channel uploads in 4K. **Can I use copyrighted music in an intro?** Avoid it: a short clip of a commercial track can still trigger a claim. Use a royalty-free sting from the stock library or your own recording. ## Tools used in this guide - [YouTube intro maker](https://cutluma.com/tools/youtube-intro-maker) — Make a 3–5 second YouTube intro from animated templates: swap in your channel name, logo and colours, add a sound and export in 16:9. Free, in your browser. - [Add text to video](https://cutluma.com/tools/add-text-to-video) — Put titles, lower thirds and animated text on any video. 134 fonts, 10 animated presets and a gallery of text effects, drag to position. Free, no credit card. - [Add music to video](https://cutluma.com/tools/add-music-to-video) — Add a song or voiceover to any video. Adjust volume, fade in and out, keep or mute the original sound. Free in your browser. - [Background remover](https://cutluma.com/tools/remove-background-from-image) — Click the product, pet or person you want to keep and the background disappears. Free, in your browser, ready for your video. - [Add logo or watermark](https://cutluma.com/tools/add-logo-watermark-to-video) — Place your logo or a watermark on a video: drop a PNG, scale it, set the opacity and corner, and export. Stays on for the whole video or part of it. Free.