How to Add Text to a Video (Titles and Captions)

To add text to a video, open Add Text to Video, add the video, type your text, and drag it where you want it on the preview. Choose the font, size and colour, add an outline, shadow or caption bar so it stays readable, and decide whether it shows the whole time or for part of the video. Press Add text to video and download the MP4.

Add text step by step

1. Open Add Text to Video.
2. Add the video — MP4, MOV or WebM — or paste a direct link to one.
3. Type in the Text box. The preview shows it on the video right away.
4. Style it: Font (Sans, Serif, Meme, Handwritten, Typewriter), Size, Colour, and Outline, Shadow or Caption bar.
5. Position it: choose Top, Middle or Bottom, or drag it anywhere on the video.
6. Under Show it, choose The whole time, or For part of the video and set From and To — type the times or press Use current position while the video is paused at the right moment.
7. Need more? Press Add another text (up to six) — each has its own style, position and timing.
8. Press Add text to video, check the result, and download the MP4.

Making text readable on any background

Video backgrounds change constantly, so plain text that's readable in one scene can vanish in the next. Use one of these:

• Shadow — subtle, works for most light text.
• Outline — bold and meme-like; readable on anything.
• Caption bar — a translucent band behind the text, like TV subtitles. The most readable option for longer captions.

White or yellow text with a shadow is the classic choice.

Ideas for timed text

• A title for the first three seconds, then gone.
• A caption for each scene — "Day 1: Kyoto", "Day 2: Osaka" — each timed to its scene.
• A call to action at the end: "Follow for part 2".
• Names and roles under each speaker in an interview.

Pause on the moment the scene changes and press Use current position — it's quicker and more precise than typing times.

Where to put text on social videos

Apps cover parts of the screen with buttons, usernames and captions:

• TikTok, Reels and Shorts: avoid the bottom fifth and the right edge.
• YouTube: the bottom can be covered by the progress bar when paused.
• Stories: keep clear of the top (profile name) and bottom (reply box).

Make the video the right shape first with Crop Video, then add text, so it's placed in the final frame.

Text size

Size is relative to the video, so text looks the same on a phone clip and a 4K video. For titles, go big; for captions, a size you can read on a phone at arm's length.

Privacy and quality

The text is drawn in your browser and burned into the video with ffmpeg (WebAssembly). The video is re-encoded as an MP4 (H.264 and AAC) at high quality and the sound is kept. Nothing is uploaded, and there's no watermark.

Frequently asked questions

Can I edit the text later?

The text becomes part of the picture. Keep your original video, so you can add different text again any time.

Can I shorten the video as well?

Yes — trim it first with the Video Cutter, then add the text, so your timings match the final clip.

Can I add a logo instead?

Yes — Add Watermark to Video places a logo or your name in a corner on every frame.

Can I add text to only part of a video?

Yes — choose For part of the video and set the start and end. Text can also show from a time to the end, or from the start to a time, by leaving one box empty.