How to Make an Intro for YouTube

Overview

A YouTube channel intro is like a signature. It makes the channel stand out from the crowd and conveys the channel’s nature in just a few seconds. Having a great intro should be the first step for every video content creator. This is a comprehensive guide on how to make an intro for your YouTube channel and use that intro to brand your videos.

Create a New Intro Template

First, click New project. Now you’re ready to roll!
Open the Intro videos tab. There are some presets you can use for your intro, or you may choose to make one from scratch. In this case, drag and drop the New intro preset onto the timeline at the bottom of the program window.
Now click the Edit this intro icon. This will open the intro editing mode.

Upload the Background Image for Your Intro

Let’s start with the background. Open the My files tab, click Add Media Files, and locate the image or video you’ve chosen for your intro. In our case, we’ll use a still image – they’re a lot easier for beginners to use.
When the file has been added, don’t forget to remove the default image. Click the picture on the timeline and hit Delete.

Choose the Music for Your Intro

If the music file you want to use is saved to your computer, click Add Media Files again and add the music the same way as you added the background.
If you haven’t yet decided what music to use, you can choose something from the program’s built-in collection. Click Music and select one of the options. Add it to the Audio Track via drag-and-drop.
If the audio is too long for an intro (for example, if you want to just use a mall section of a song), you will have to cut it. Select the music on the audio track, locate the place where you want to make a cut and click Split.
Now click on the piece of the audio you don’t need and hit Delete. Repeat the process as many times as you need to remove all the unwanted parts of the audio. If the music happens to be somewhere in the middle of the timeline, drag it to the start of the Audio Track.
If the audio has been cut, it may sound rough at the end. If you want to make the ending smoother, it’s worth considering adding a fade-out effect to the audio. Double-click on the audio to open the Tools panel. Find the Fade out slider and set it to 1 second. This is enough for a short video like an intro. Of course, you can choose the fade-out length yourself. Just think about what will work best for your intro.
Also, make sure that your background matches the music on the timeline. Adjust the length of your background by dragging the right edge of the image on the Video track.

Add a Caption

Let’s add the name of your channel. Open the Titles tab and select one of the many presets included in the program. To add a title to the video, drag and drop the preset onto the Titles Track and adjust it to the length of the intro by dragging the edges on the timeline.
Double-click the title on the timeline to edit the wording. You can enter the text you need, change the color, font, and size of the characters, even speed up or slow down the animation. To accept the changes, click Apply.

Overlay Filters (Optional)

Your intro is pretty much ready. You can save the clip and call it a day now, or you can take it to the next level! For example, adding filters will change the atmosphere of the intro, and adjustments to the background image to use a different color scheme will add another dimension to your video.
Click Filters, select one of the many options in the program and drag it onto the background photo or video on the track.

Save the Intro for Later Use

It’s time to save your intro. Click Apply and return to exit the intro editing mode.
You’ll see your newly created intro on the timeline. Click the Floppy Disc icon in the top left corner of the intro and enter a name in the pop-up window. When you click OK, your intro will appear with the other templates in the Intro videos tab. It is ready for you to use and edit any time you want.
If you decide to make changes to the intro, create a new project, add your intro to the timeline, and click the Edit this intro icon (as shown in Step 1). This will re-open the intro editing mode. After the editing is done, don’t forget to save the changes as described above.

Upload the Video with the Intro to YouTube (Optional)

Now you can use this custom intro in your YouTube videos. Simply drag and drop the intro onto the timeline and go on with your montage.
When the video is complete, click the Export button. Of course, you can save the video in MP4 format, but there’s a better option. The software lets you upload the video to YouTube directly. Click Upload online, sign in to your YouTube account, enter the data for the video (title, description, tags, etc.), and hit Upload. When the process is complete, your video will be on YouTube gaining views and likes!