How to make a podcast intro and outro

A short, consistent intro tells listeners they are in the right place, and an outro gives the episode a clean finish. You can cut both from a music track you are licensed to use in a few minutes.

How long should an intro be?

Most podcast intros run about 10 to 30 seconds. Listeners hear it every episode, so shorter wears better. Outros can be slightly longer, often 15 to 45 seconds, because they play under your sign-off and call to action.

Cut the intro

Open the music in the audio cutter.
Choose a start point on a strong beat or the beginning of a phrase.
Set the end 10 to 30 seconds later, ideally at the end of a musical phrase.
Add a fade in of 0.5 to 1 second, and a fade out of 2 to 4 seconds so the music can sit under your first words.
Export as WAV if you will edit the episode in other software, or MP3 at 192 kbps or higher if you are ready to use it.

Cut the outro

Use the same steps with a different section of the track, or the same section for a consistent sound. A longer fade out of 4 to 8 seconds makes a gentle ending.

Match the volume to your voice

Music is usually mastered much louder than a spoken recording. If your intro makes listeners reach for the volume, reduce it to around 50 to 70% with the volume changer and compare it with your voice recording. Apple's podcast guidelines recommend a loudness of about −16 LUFS for the finished episode. Measuring LUFS needs editing software such as Audacity, but matching the intro to your voice by ear gets you most of the way.

Put it together

For a simple episode, the audio joiner can place the intro, your recording and the outro in order. It joins end to end and cannot play music under speech. For music under your voice, use a multitrack editor.

Music rights

Only use music you have permission to use. Commercial songs usually require a licence for podcasts and videos even if you only use a few seconds. Royalty-free libraries, music you commissioned and Creative Commons tracks with suitable terms are the safe options. Check whether the licence requires credit in your show notes.

Reviewed October 2026 · How we write our guides · Suggest a correction