Abstarct: Abstract This study investigates the free vibration of a cantilever beam considering initial twist effects and axial loading. The twist angle was assumed zero at the clamped end and maximum at the free end, with its variation along the span modeled by a polynomial distribution to better reflect real structural conditions. The governing equations were derived baxsed on the classical Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, which is well-suited for slender beams due to its accuracy in neglecting shear deformation while keeping the formulation simpler than higher-order models such as Timoshenko theory. Hamilton’s principle was employed to obtain the equations of motion by accounting for strain energy, kinetic energy, and the work of external forces. Then, the Galerkin method was applied for solving the equations of motion, offering superior boundary-condition compatibility and accuracy in approximating vibration modes compared to the Ritz method. The resulting eigenvalue problem provided the natural frequencies of the beam under pretwist and axial load. Numerical results were validated against reference data, confirming the accuracy of the proposed model. Parametric studies revealed that compressive axial forces reduces the natural frequencies and approach buckling instability, while tensile axial forces increase them. Moreover, initial twist significantly alters the dynamic response, with higher twist levels or gradients producing notable shifts in the natural frequencies. Overall, the combination of Euler–Bernoulli theory, Hamilton’s principle, and the Galerkin method provides an efficient and accurate frxamework for analyzing twisted, axially loaded cantilever beams. The proposed approach balances computational simplicity with reliability, making it suitable for engineering design under complex loading conditions.