If you remember a line from a song but not its title, start with the words you trust most. A short, distinctive phrase often works better than a long line with several guessed words. If you remember only the tune, switch to a melody search instead.
Match the search to what you remember
| What you have | Best starting point |
|---|---|
| A few reliable words | Search the phrase with the word lyrics. |
| An exact, unusual line | Try quotation marks around that phrase. |
| Only the melody | Try the Google app’s song-search humming feature. |
| A recording playing nearby | Use a music-recognition tool such as Shazam. |
Search lyrics in small pieces
- Type the words you remember and add lyrics, song or the likely language.
- If the phrase is exact, try quotation marks. If you get no useful match, remove them.
- Try a shorter phrase or another spelling if the words were hard to hear.
- Add a clue such as the likely singer, decade or musical style only when you are reasonably sure.
You can also search lyrics inside Apple Music. Apple’s music search guide describes finding a song from its lyrics. Catalog coverage varies, so a missing result does not prove that the song is unavailable everywhere.
If you have a tune or a recording
In the Google app, tap the microphone and choose Search a song where available. Hum, whistle, sing or play the melody, then compare the suggested matches. Google’s song-identification instructions explain this route.
For a recording, Apple’s Shazam instructions provide another option. A live performance, cover, slowed-down edit or noisy clip may be harder to identify than the original studio recording.
Check the match before saving it
Listen to an official preview and compare the part you remember. Check the artist and version, not just the title: different songs can share a title, and a remix can sound very different from the album track.
Once you have found it, a music service is a better place to save the track than a random download button on a lyrics page. Our YouTube Music desktop-app guide explains one way to keep a listening library accessible on a PC. You do not need to install a special browser extension simply to search for a lyric.
Frequently asked questions
What if I remember the words incorrectly?
Remove quotation marks, shorten the phrase and try alternate words or spellings.
Can I find a song just by humming?
The Google app offers a song-search feature that can suggest matches from humming, whistling or singing where available.
Will Shazam identify every cover or remix?
No. Recordings that differ from the catalog version or contain noise may not produce a useful match.
Do I need to download a lyrics-search app?
No. Begin with a browser search or the music and recognition tools already available on your device.