> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.tella.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add text to your video

> Add editable text layers to a Tella video, then customize their style, position, timing, transitions, and layer order.

Text layers let you place a title, label, caption, emoji, or callout directly on top of your recording.

## Add text

1. Open your video in the editor.
2. Move the playhead to where you want the text to appear.
3. Open **Effects** in the sidebar.
4. Find **Text** and click the plus button.
5. Type your text directly on the canvas.

The new text layer starts at the playhead and appears on the timeline. To change its text later, double-click it on the canvas.

## Position and resize it

* Drag the text box on the canvas to move it.
* Drag its corners to resize the text box.

## Change the style

Select the text layer in the **Text** section of the Effects sidebar. Its controls open below the row, where you can change the **color**, **font**, and **size**. Fonts that support it also include **weight** and **width** controls.

## Set when it appears

In the timeline:

* Drag the start or end of the text segment to change its duration.
* Drag the segment left or right to move it earlier or later.
* Or select the text layer in the Effects sidebar and enter precise **start** and **end** timestamps.

You can add several text layers and overlap them freely.

## Animate the text in and out

By default, text appears and disappears with a hard cut. Select the text layer, then use **Transition** to choose **Smooth** if you want it to fade in and out.

## Duplicate, reorder, or remove text layers

* Open the text layer's three-dots menu in the sidebar and select **Duplicate** to copy it. The copy keeps the same text, style, position, size, timing, and transition. It is selected and initially sits directly over the original, so you can move or edit it immediately.
* Right-click a text layer on the canvas and choose **Send to front** or **Send to back** to place it above or below other text, image, and video overlays.
* Open the text layer's three-dots menu in the sidebar and select **Delete** to remove it.

## Add text as a graphic

For a designed title card, logo lockup, or other graphic that you already created elsewhere, you can add the text as an image:

1. Create your text as an image in a design tool, or [generate media with AI](/docs/help/editing/use-media#generate-media-with-ai).
2. In the **Effects** sidebar, click **Add overlay** and choose or upload the image.
3. Move and resize it on the canvas, then adjust its timing in the timeline.

Image overlays are not editable as text. See [Overlays](/docs/help/editing/overlays) for more details.

## Show a full title card with Media

Use [Media (B-roll)](/docs/help/editing/use-media) when you want a title card or graphic to become the main content of a layout section instead of floating above the recording. Your camera can remain visible in a bubble while the title card fills the rest of the canvas.

## Other ways to add words

* **Subtitles** — automatic captions that you can style and edit. See [Style subtitles](/docs/help/editing/style-subtitles) and [Edit with the transcript](/docs/help/editing/edit-the-transcript-of-a-tella-video).
* **Chapters** — label sections so viewers can navigate your video. See [Chapters](/docs/help/editing/chapters).
* **Your logo** — add a persistent logo with [custom branding](/docs/help/editing/add-your-logo-to-videos).