The fastest way to add text in Premiere Pro

Open the Text tool from the toolbar on the left side of your screen — it looks like a capital A. Click directly on your video in the Program Monitor (the preview window in the center), and a text box appears where you clicked. Type your message, then click outside the text box when you're done. The text sits on its own layer in your timeline and moves with your video.

If you want more control over where text appears and how long it stays on screen, use the Legacy Title tool instead. Go to File > New > Legacy Title, which opens a dedicated text editor. This older tool gives you pixel-perfect placement and lets you save text styles you use repeatedly. Most editors use the regular Text tool for quick captions and the Legacy Title tool for opening credits or graphics that need exact positioning.

Key Takeaways

  • Click the Text tool (the A icon) in the left toolbar, then click on your video to create a text box and start typing.
  • Adjust font, size, color, and alignment in the Essential Graphics panel on the right side of your screen while the text is selected.
  • Drag the edges of the text box in your timeline to control how long the text stays visible — the longer the box, the longer the text appears.
  • Use the Legacy Title tool (File > New > Legacy Title) when you need exact positioning or want to save text styles for future projects.
  • Text layers stack in your timeline just like video and audio — put them above your video footage so they appear on top.

Formatting text so it reads on screen

Once you've typed your text, the Essential Graphics panel appears on the right side of your workspace. This is where you change everything about how your text looks. Select your text box in the timeline or in the Program Monitor, then adjust the font by clicking the dropdown menu under "Font Family." Premiere Pro includes standard fonts like Arial and Helvetica, but you can also read and install custom fonts from sites like Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts.

Change the text size by clicking the number next to "Font Size" — start with 48 or larger so viewers can read it from a distance. Adjust the color by clicking the color box next to "Fill" and choosing from the color picker. If your text is hard to read against your video background, add a drop shadow or outline: scroll down in the Essential Graphics panel and click "Shadow" or "Stroke," then adjust the opacity and distance until the text stands out.

Controlling how long text stays on your video

Text duration is controlled by the length of the text layer in your timeline. When you create a text box, Premiere Pro gives it a default length of about 5 seconds. To make it longer or shorter, click and drag the right edge of the text layer in the timeline. Drag it right to keep the text on screen longer, or drag it left to remove it sooner.

If you want text to appear at a specific moment and disappear at another, position the playhead (the vertical line in your timeline) where you want the text to start, then create the text box. The text will begin at that exact frame. To make it disappear at a precise moment, drag the right edge of the text layer to that frame. You can also use keyframes to fade text in and out: select the text layer, then click the stopwatch icon next to "Opacity" in the Essential Graphics panel to create fade effects.

Positioning text exactly where you want it

Click and drag your text box directly in the Program Monitor to move it around your video. The text follows your cursor and snaps to the center of the frame if you drag it there — useful for centered titles. If you need more precision, use the Position controls in the Essential Graphics panel. You'll see X and Y coordinates; type exact numbers to place text at a specific pixel location.

For text that needs to move across the screen (like a scrolling credit or a name that slides in from the side), use keyframes. Select your text layer, click the stopwatch next to "Position" in the Essential Graphics panel at the frame where you want the text to start, then move the playhead to where you want it to end and drag the text to its final position. Premiere Pro automatically creates the motion between those two points.

Aligning multiple text boxes and matching styles

If you're adding several text elements — like a speaker's name and their title — select all the text layers you want to align by holding Shift and clicking each one. Then use the alignment buttons in the Essential Graphics panel to line them up. You can align them to the left, center, right, or distribute them evenly across the screen.

To reuse the same text style across multiple clips, create your text with the formatting you want, then right-click the text layer and select "Save as Graphic." This saves the style as a preset you can drag onto other text boxes in future projects. Open the Graphics panel (Window > Graphics) and find your saved style under "My Graphics." Drag it onto a new text layer to explore the same font, size, color, and effects when ready.

Fixing common text problems

If your text looks blurry or pixelated, you're likely using a font size that's too small or the resolution of your project doesn't match your export settings. Check your project settings by going to File > Project Settings and confirming the frame size matches your intended output (1920 × 1080 for HD, 3840 × 2160 for 4K). Increase the font size to at least 36 points for text that needs to be readable on a phone or small screen.

If text disappears when you play your timeline, the text layer is probably shorter than the video beneath it. Extend the text layer by dragging its right edge in the timeline. If text appears behind your video instead of on top, click and drag the text layer above the video layer in your timeline — layers stack from bottom to top, so higher layers appear in front.

If you can't see the text box handles to resize it, zoom in on the Program Monitor by scrolling your mouse wheel or using the zoom slider at the bottom of the preview window. If the text color blends with your background, add a stroke (outline) or shadow from the Essential Graphics panel, or change the fill color to something with more contrast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I animate text to fade in and out?

Yes. Select your text layer, then click the stopwatch icon next to "Opacity" in the Essential Graphics panel at the frame where you want the fade to start. Move the playhead forward and change the opacity value to 0 to create a fade-out, or to 100 to create a fade-in. Premiere Pro creates the transition automatically between those two keyframes.

How do I add a background box behind my text?

Create a new adjustment layer or shape layer above your text in the timeline. Use the rectangle tool to draw a shape, then adjust its color and opacity in the Essential Graphics panel. Position it behind your text layer so the text appears on top. Alternatively, use the "Background" option in the Essential Graphics panel if your text layer supports it.

What's the difference between the Text tool and Legacy Title?

The Text tool is faster for quick captions and works directly on your timeline. Legacy Title opens a separate editor and gives you more precise control over positioning and lets you save styles. Use Text tool for most work; use Legacy Title when you need pixel-perfect placement or are creating opening credits.

Can I import text from a document or spreadsheet?

No, but you can copy and paste text from any document into Premiere Pro's text box. Open your document, select and copy the text, then click in Premiere Pro's text box and paste. The text keeps its basic formatting, though you'll need to adjust font and size in the Essential Graphics panel.

How do I make text follow a curved path?

Premiere Pro's standard text tool doesn't support curved text paths. For curved or complex text effects, create the text in Adobe After Effects (which does support text on paths), render it as a video file, and import that file into your Premiere Pro timeline as a video clip.