The fastest way to add text in Premiere Pro

Open the Text tool from the Tools panel 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) at the spot where you want the text to appear. Start typing. That's the basic move.

Premiere Pro creates a text layer automatically and places it above your video on the timeline. The text appears in a default white sans-serif font, centered on the point where you clicked. You can move it, resize it, and change its appearance without touching the video underneath.

If you want more control before you start typing, go to File > New > Title instead. This opens the Title panel, where you can design text in isolation and see exactly how it will look. When you're done, close the Title panel and your text appears as a layer on the timeline, ready to trim or move like any other clip.

Key Takeaways

  • Click the Text tool (the A icon) in the Tools panel, then click on your video where you want text to appear and start typing.
  • Text appears as its own layer on the timeline, separate from your video, so you can edit or delete it without affecting the footage.
  • Use the Essential Graphics panel to change font, size, color, and alignment without leaving the main editing window.
  • Keyframe your text position, scale, or opacity to make it fade in, move across the screen, or shrink over time.

Changing font, size, and color in the Essential Graphics panel

Once you've typed your text, the Essential Graphics panel appears on the right side of your screen. This is where you control how the text looks. Click on your text layer in the timeline to make sure it's selected, then use the panel to adjust it.

The font dropdown shows your system fonts — scroll through or type a name to search. Font size is the number field next to it; drag the slider or type a number directly. For color, click the color swatch (usually white by default) and a color picker opens. You can also add a stroke (an outline around the letters) or a shadow by clicking the plus icon next to those options.

Alignment buttons let you left-align, center, or right-align your text. If you want the text to sit on multiple lines, drag the edge of the text box in the Program Monitor to make it narrower, and the text will wrap automatically.

Moving and resizing text on your video

Click your text layer in the timeline to select it. In the Program Monitor, you'll see a bounding box around the text with handles at the corners and edges. Drag the text itself to move it anywhere on the screen. Drag a corner handle to resize it while keeping the proportions locked; drag an edge handle to stretch it in one direction.

If you need precise positioning, use the Position fields in the Essential Graphics panel. These show X and Y coordinates — change the numbers to move the text to an exact spot. This is useful when you're matching text position across multiple clips or centering something perfectly.

Making text fade in, move, or change over time with keyframes

Keyframes let you animate your text — make it fade in at the start, slide across the screen, or shrink to nothing. Select your text layer and look at the timeline. You'll see a row of properties: Position, Scale, Opacity, and others.

Click the stopwatch icon next to Opacity to start keyframing. The playhead (the vertical line showing where you are in the timeline) marks the current frame. Move the playhead to where you want the animation to start, set the opacity to 0 (invisible), then move the playhead forward a few frames and set opacity to 100 (fully visible). Premiere Pro draws a smooth fade between those two points.

The same method works for Position (to move text across the screen) and Scale (to grow or shrink it). Set a keyframe at the start position, move the playhead forward, change the position or scale, and Premiere Pro animates the change. You can see the animation play in real time by pressing the spacebar.

Copying text formatting to other text layers

If you've spent time styling one piece of text and want another text layer to match, use the Format Painter. Select the text layer with the formatting you want to copy, then click the Format Painter icon in the Essential Graphics panel (it looks like a paintbrush). Click on the text layer you want to change, and the formatting copies over when ready.

This saves time when you're adding multiple titles, lower thirds, or credits with the same look. You can also save a text style as a preset by right-clicking a formatted text layer and choosing Save as Preset, then explore that preset to new text layers later.

Adjusting text for readability on different backgrounds

Text that's hard to read ruins a video. If your text is white and your background is also light, add a stroke or shadow to make it stand out. In the Essential Graphics panel, click the plus icon next to Stroke and set it to a dark color — black or dark gray works on almost any background. Adjust the stroke width (usually 2 to 4 pixels is enough) until the text is clearly readable.

Alternatively, add a shadow by clicking the plus icon next to Shadow. A soft shadow behind the text makes it readable even over busy footage. You can also place text over a semi-transparent shape — add a solid color adjustment layer below your text layer, lower its opacity to 40 or 50 percent, and the text will sit on a readable background without blocking the video entirely.

Exporting your video with text included

Your text is part of the timeline, so it exports automatically when you render your sequence. Go to File > Export > Media (or press Ctrl+M on Windows, Cmd+M on Mac). Choose your format — H.264 is standard for web and social media — and click Export. Premiere Pro renders the video with your text baked in.

Make sure your text layer is not disabled (the eye icon next to it should be visible) and that it's not locked. If you want to keep the text editable for later, save your Premiere Pro project file (.prproj) separately from the exported video. The project file preserves all your text layers and formatting so you can edit them later if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import text from a script or document?

Premiere Pro doesn't have a built-in script import tool, but you can copy text from a document and paste it into a text layer. Open your script in a text editor or Word, copy the line you need, select your text layer in Premiere Pro, and paste. The text appears in your default font, so you'll need to format it afterward.

Why does my text look blurry or pixelated?

This usually means the text is too small for your video resolution or the font is too thin. Increase the font size or switch to a bolder font weight. If the text is already large, check that your sequence settings match your video resolution — go to Sequence > Sequence Settings and confirm the width and height are correct.

How do I make text follow a curved path instead of staying straight?

Premiere Pro's built-in text tool doesn't support curved text paths. You can animate text to follow a curved motion path by keyframing its position, or you can create curved text in a program like Photoshop or After Effects, export it as an image, and place that image on your timeline.

Can I add subtitles or captions automatically?

Premiere Pro has a caption feature that can generate captions from your audio, but it requires speech recognition and works best with clear dialogue. Go to File > Captions > Create Captions and follow the prompts. You'll still need to review and edit the captions for accuracy, and you can adjust their appearance in the Essential Graphics panel.

What's the difference between adding text in Premiere Pro and using the Title tool?

The Text tool is faster for straightforward text — click and type. The Title tool (File > New > Title) opens a dedicated panel where you can design text with more precision before it goes on your timeline. For most projects, the Text tool is enough. Use the Title tool if you're creating complex title sequences or need to see the full design before committing it to the timeline.