The fastest way to add text in Premiere Pro

Open Premiere Pro and load your sequence. Go to the menu bar and click File > New > Title (or Legacy Title for older projects). A new window opens where you type your text directly into the canvas. When you finish, close that window and the text appears as a new clip in your timeline — drag it onto your video track above the footage you want it to cover.

That is the standard path. If you want text that moves or changes, or if you want to skip the separate title window, Premiere Pro also lets you add text directly to the timeline using the Type tool, but the title window gives you more control and is easier to learn first.

Key Takeaways

  • Create text by going to File > New > Title, type in the window that opens, then close it to place the text clip in your timeline.
  • Drag the text clip onto a track above your video, then adjust its length by dragging the edges so it appears for as long as you need it.
  • Change the font, size, color, and alignment by selecting the text and using the Character panel on the right side of the screen.
  • Position text anywhere on screen by clicking and dragging it in the preview window, or by using the Position controls in the Effect Controls panel.
  • Save your title as a template if you plan to use the same style again — right-click the title clip and choose Save as Title Template.

Creating a new title and typing your text

Click File in the menu bar at the top. A dropdown appears. Click New, then click Title. A new window opens with a blank canvas and a blinking cursor in the center. Type your text here — it appears on the canvas as you type.

If you are working with an older Premiere Pro project, you may see Legacy Title instead of Title. Use whichever one matches your project; Premiere Pro will tell you if you choose wrong. For new projects, use Title.

Once you finish typing, close the title window by clicking the X button in the top right corner. Premiere Pro asks you to name the title — give it a descriptive name like "Opening Credits" or "Scene 2 Subtitle" so you can find it later. Click OK. The title now appears in your Project panel as a clip you can use.

Placing text on your timeline and adjusting its duration

Find your new title clip in the Project panel (usually on the left side of the screen). Drag it onto the timeline above your video footage. Drop it on the Video 2 track or higher — text needs to sit above video to be visible. The text clip appears as a colored bar on the timeline.

By default, the text lasts five seconds. To change how long it stays on screen, position your cursor at the right edge of the text clip on the timeline until a resize arrow appears, then drag left to shorten it or right to lengthen it. Drag the left edge to change where it starts. The text will appear and disappear at exactly the points you set.

If you want the text to appear at a specific moment in your video, click and drag the entire text clip left or right on the timeline until it lines up with the frame where you want it to start.

Changing font, size, color, and alignment

Double-click the text clip on the timeline to open it for editing. The title window reappears with your text selected. On the right side of the screen, you should see the Character panel. If it is not visible, click Window > Character in the menu bar.

In the Character panel, you can change the font by clicking the dropdown that shows the current font name. Scroll through the list and click the one you want. Adjust the size by clicking the number next to "Font Size" and typing a new size, or by clicking the up and down arrows. Change the color by clicking the color swatch (usually a colored square) and picking a new color from the palette that appears.

To align your text left, center, or right, look for the alignment buttons in the Character panel — they look like lines stacked on top of each other. Click the one you want. Center alignment is usually the default and works well for most titles.

Moving text to a different position on screen

While the title window is open, click directly on your text in the canvas and drag it anywhere you want it to appear. The text follows your cursor. This is the quickest way to reposition it.

If you need more precise control, close the title window and look at the timeline. Click the text clip to select it, then look at the Effect Controls panel on the left (or click Window > Effect Controls if you do not see it). Find the Position setting and you can adjust the exact pixel location. This method is slower but useful if you need text in a very specific spot.

Adding effects and animations to text

Select your text clip on the timeline. In the Effect Controls panel, click the dropdown next to Video Effects and browse the available effects. Common choices are Blur (to soften the text), Drop Shadow (to make it stand out), or Glow (to add a light effect around the edges).

To make text fade in or out, use the Opacity control in the Effect Controls panel. Click the stopwatch icon next to Opacity to start keyframing. At the first frame of your text clip, set opacity to 0 (invisible). Move the playhead forward a few frames and set opacity to 100 (fully visible). The text will fade in smoothly between those two points. Reverse the process to fade out.

For more complex animations like text sliding across the screen, you can keyframe the Position setting the same way — set a starting position at the first frame and an ending position at a later frame, and Premiere Pro animates the movement between them.

Saving and reusing text styles

If you create a title with formatting you like and plan to use it again, you can save it as a template. Right-click the title clip in the Project panel and select Save as Title Template. Give it a name and click OK. The template is now saved.

To use a saved template, go to File > New > Title and look for a Templates button or dropdown in the title window. Select your saved template and it opens with all the formatting already applied — you just change the text and close the window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my text look blurry or pixelated?

Text in Premiere Pro is usually sharp, but it can appear soft if your sequence settings do not match your footage resolution. Check that your sequence is set to the same resolution as your video (usually 1920x1080 for HD). You can also try increasing the text size — very small text sometimes looks unclear. If the text is still blurry after export, make sure you are exporting at the same resolution as your sequence.

Can I add text directly to the timeline without opening the title window?

Yes. Select the Type tool from the toolbar on the left (it looks like the letter A), then click directly on your video in the preview window where you want text to appear. A text box opens and you can type. This method is faster for quick captions but gives you less control over formatting than the title window.

How do I make text appear and disappear at exact times?

Adjust the length of the text clip on the timeline by dragging its edges — the left edge controls when it starts, the right edge controls when it ends. You can also use opacity keyframes: set opacity to 0 at the start, 100 in the middle, and 0 at the end to make text fade in and out at precise moments.

What if I want different text on different parts of my video?

Create a separate title for each piece of text. Go to File > New > Title each time, type the new text, close the window, and drag each title clip onto the timeline at the point where you want it to appear. You can overlap them, place them end-to-end, or space them out however you need.

Can I import text from a document or script?

You can copy text from any document (Word, Google Docs, a text file) and paste it directly into the title window. Open your document, select and copy the text, then open a new title in Premiere Pro and paste it in. The formatting from your document may not carry over, so you will need to reformat it in Premiere Pro.