LRC Synchronized Lyrics Creation Guide: Timestamp Syntax and Player Compatibility

Standard LRC lyrics mark the playback time of each lyric line with the [mm:ss.xx] format, where mm represents minutes, with a value range from 00 to 99, ss represents seconds, with a value range from 00 to 59, and xx represents centiseconds, that is, hundredths of a second.

Centisecond-level time accuracy meets the synchronized scrolling requirements of the vast majority of local music players. Some players support omitting the centisecond part and only retaining the [mm:ss] format, but this syntax has lower compatibility than the standard format with centiseconds.

For repeated lyric paragraphs such as choruses, the effect can be achieved by adding multiple timestamp tags in one line, without rewriting the corresponding lyrics. The specific syntax is adding multiple timestamp tags sequentially before the corresponding lyrics, in the format [mm:ss.xx][mm:ss.xx]Repeated lyric content.

This mechanism is a general extension rule of the LRC format. All mainstream players including NetEase Cloud Music, QQ Music, foobar2000, and AIMP support this syntax, which can reduce redundant content in LRC files.

The vast majority of local music players follow the same-name same-directory matching rule, which requires the base file name of the LRC file to be exactly the same as the base file name of the corresponding audio file, and both files to be stored in the same folder.

Common audio formats include MP3, FLAC, AAC. The corresponding file extension for LRC files is .lrc, and the extension must be lowercase. Some players do not recognize lyric files with the uppercase .LRC extension.

Local players primarily read external independent LRC files. Most LRC files exported from streaming platforms conform to standard syntax and can be used directly in local players.

foobar2000 does not read LRC lyrics embedded in audio files by default. Users need to install the foo_uie_lyrics component to enable reading and display of embedded lyrics.

Podcasts and audiobook content often come with SRT format subtitles. These can be converted to LRC lyrics via an SRT to LRC converter to enable scrolling playback positioning in local players.

The converted LRC file matches the corresponding audio file following the same-name same-directory rule. Users can position to specific paragraphs they want to listen to during playback, improving the controllability of audio content playback.