Quick answer: To use Suno AI, sign up at suno.com, click Create, and either describe the song you want in one sentence (Simple mode) or switch to Custom mode to write your own lyrics and a Style prompt such as “upbeat indie pop, female vocals, bright guitars”. Click Create and Suno makes two versions. Pick the best one, then extend it, edit it, make a cover or download it (downloads need a paid plan).
Suno turns words into full songs — vocals, instruments and all — in under a minute. It’s easy to start, but getting songs you actually love takes a few simple skills. This guide walks you through everything, from your first click to a finished track you can share.
What you need before you start
- A free Suno account (sign up with Google, Apple, Microsoft or email on the official site).
- A rough idea: a genre, a mood, or a story you want to tell.
- Optional: your own lyrics. Suno can also write lyrics for you.
The free plan gives you 50 credits a day — enough for about 10 songs — on the v6-mini model. Paid plans unlock Suno’s best models (v6 and v6-wild), downloads and commercial rights. See our full Suno pricing guide for details.
Step 1: Open the Create page
Log in on the web or in the mobile app and click Create. You’ll see two ways to make a song:
| Mode | What you do | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | Type a short song description | Beginners and quick ideas |
| Custom | Write lyrics, a style prompt and a title separately | More control over words and sound |
Step 2 (Simple mode): describe your song
Type one or two sentences, for example: “A cheerful acoustic song about a road trip with friends, warm male vocals, summer vibe.” Include the genre, mood, vocal type and topic. Toggle Instrumental if you don’t want vocals. Click Create, and Suno writes lyrics and music for you.
Step 2 (Custom mode): lyrics, style and title
Custom mode gives you much more control. It has three main fields:
- Lyrics: paste your own words or use the built-in lyric writer. Add section tags like [Verse], [Chorus] and [Bridge] so Suno knows the song structure. Our Suno lyrics guide shows the exact format.
- Style of music: describe the sound — genre, era, mood, instruments, vocal type and tempo. For example: “90s R&B, smooth female vocals, Rhodes piano, slow groove, 80 bpm”. Short, clear descriptors work best. See our Suno prompts guide for examples.
- Title: name your song.
Below the lyrics you’ll find optional sliders such as Weirdness (how experimental the result is) and Style Influence (how closely Suno follows your style text). Leave them in the middle for your first tries.
Step 3: Choose a model
Suno’s current models are the v6 family. Free users get v6-mini. Pro and Premier users can choose v6 (the most balanced and polished) or v6-wild (more creative and surprising). Read Suno v6 explained to see which suits your song.
Step 4: Create and compare the two versions
Click Create. Each generation usually returns two different takes. Listen to both on headphones. Pay attention to the vocal, the chorus and whether the style matches your idea. If neither is right, adjust the style prompt or lyrics rather than just pressing Create again — small changes in wording make a big difference.
Step 5: Improve your song
Once you have a good take, Suno gives you tools to refine it:
- Extend: continue the song from a chosen point to make it longer or add a new section — see how to extend a song in Suno.
- Cover: keep the melody and lyrics but change the style, for example from pop to jazz — see Suno cover explained.
- Edit and replace sections: fix a single line or section without regenerating the whole song.
- Stems: split vocals and instruments on paid plans — see Suno stems.
- Studio: Premier users can arrange, mix and add MIDI in Suno Studio — see Suno Studio guide.
Step 6: Save, share or download
Your songs are saved in your Library. You can share a link or publish a song on Suno. Downloads depend on your plan: the free plan has no song downloads, while Pro and Premier include monthly download allowances in MP3 and WAV. Learn more in how to download Suno songs.
Tips for better songs
- Be specific but brief. Four to eight style descriptors usually beat a long paragraph.
- Don’t mix too many genres. “Country trap” works; “country trap jazz metal” confuses the model.
- Write singable lyrics. Short lines and simple rhymes are easier for Suno to sing clearly.
- Use section tags. They shape the structure and help the chorus land.
- Avoid real artist names in style prompts — describe the sound instead. Suno may block names, and descriptions give more reliable results.
- Iterate. Make small changes and compare.
Can you use Suno songs commercially?
Songs made on a paid plan come with commercial use rights under Suno’s terms; songs made on the free plan are for personal, non-commercial use. Rules have changed over time, so read Suno commercial use explained before releasing music.
A real-world example
A small café owner wanted a short, cosy song for her shop’s social videos. In Custom mode she wrote two short verses about morning coffee and a simple chorus, then used the style prompt “cozy acoustic folk, soft female vocals, fingerpicked guitar, light percussion, warm and relaxed”. The first two takes were close but too slow, so she added “medium tempo”. The third generation was the one. She extended it with an outro, downloaded it on her Pro plan and now uses it in every video. Total time: about 25 minutes.
Common beginner mistakes
- Writing a whole paragraph in the style field.
- Forgetting section tags, so the song has no clear chorus.
- Using very long lyric lines that Suno rushes or cuts.
- Expecting free-plan songs to be downloadable or usable commercially.
- Giving up after one or two generations.
What to learn next
Once you’re comfortable making songs, the fastest way to improve is to learn prompting and song structure. Start with our Suno meta tags cheat sheet, then explore style prompts and the Weirdness and Style Influence sliders. If you want songs without vocals, read how to make instrumentals in Suno. And if something goes wrong, our Suno troubleshooting guide covers the most common errors. You can find Suno’s own help articles on the official Suno help center.
FAQ
Is Suno AI free to use?
Yes. The free plan gives 50 credits a day, but songs can’t be downloaded and can’t be used commercially. See is Suno free?
How long does Suno take to make a song?
Usually under a minute for two versions.
Can Suno write lyrics for me?
Yes, in Simple mode or with the lyric writer in Custom mode.
How long can a Suno song be?
Current models can generate long songs, and you can extend them further with the Extend tool.
SunoMusicAI Guide is an independent website and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Suno, Inc. Features, prices and policies change often, so always check Suno’s official website for the latest details.
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