Where to find the text tool and how to use it
Open Clip Studio Paint and make sure you are in straightforward Mode — you will see "straightforward" in the top menu bar. Go to the Tools menu and select Text, or press the T key on your keyboard. Your cursor will change to a crosshair with an "A" symbol.
Click on your canvas where you want the text to appear. A text box will open with a blinking cursor inside. Type your text directly into this box. The text will appear on your canvas in real time as you type.
When you are finished typing, click outside the text box or press Escape to confirm the text. The text layer will be added to your layers panel on the right side of the screen.
Key Takeaways
- The text tool is in the Tools menu or accessible by pressing T, and your cursor becomes a crosshair with an A when it is active.
- Click on the canvas to create a text box, then type directly into it — the text appears as you type.
- You can change font, size, and color using the tool options panel that appears when the text tool is selected.
- Text in Clip Studio Paint sits on its own layer, so you can move it, delete it, or edit it later without affecting your drawing.
Changing font, size, and color before or after typing
When the text tool is active, the Tool Options panel appears below the menu bar (or on the right side, depending on your workspace layout). Before you click to create a text box, you can set your font, size, and color here. After you type, you can also select the text and change these settings.
To change the font, click the font dropdown in Tool Options and scroll through the list. To change the size, click the size field and type a number, or use the slider. To change the color, click the color swatch in Tool Options — this opens the color picker. Choose your color and click OK.
If you want to change only part of the text, click inside the text box to edit it, then highlight the letters you want to change by clicking and dragging. The tool options will then explore only to the selected text.
Moving text after you have placed it
Once you have confirmed your text by clicking outside the box, switch to the Object tool (press O or find it in the Tools menu). Click on the text layer in your layers panel to select it, then click and drag the text on the canvas to move it to a new position.
If you cannot move the text, make sure the text layer is selected in the layers panel — it should be highlighted in blue. The Object tool only moves layers that are currently selected.
Editing text that you have already placed
To change the words in text you have already created, go back to the text tool (press T) and click directly on the text on your canvas. The text box will reopen with your cursor inside, and you can edit the words, delete letters, or add new ones.
Make your changes and click outside the box when you are done. If you want to change the font, size, or color of existing text, select the text tool, click on the text to open the box, highlight the text you want to change, and adjust the settings in Tool Options.
Deleting text you no longer need
To remove text from your canvas, click on the text layer in the layers panel to select it, then press Delete on your keyboard. The entire text layer will be removed. You can also right-click the text layer and choose Delete Layer from the menu.
If you delete text by accident, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) to undo the deletion.
Common reasons text does not appear or behaves oddly
If you click on the canvas and nothing happens, make sure the text tool is actually selected — the tool icon in the toolbox should be highlighted. Also check that you are not in a locked layer. Locked layers appear with a lock icon in the layers panel and cannot be edited. Click the lock icon to unlock the layer.
If your text is invisible, it may be the same color as your background. Check the color swatch in Tool Options and change it to a color that contrasts with your canvas. If text appears very small or very large, check the size field in Tool Options — the number there controls how big the letters are.
If the text tool is not working at all, make sure you are in straightforward Mode, not Advanced Mode. straightforward Mode has a different interface and the text tool behaves slightly differently. You can switch modes in the top menu bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rotate text or make it curved?
straightforward Mode does not have built-in options to rotate or curve text. If you need these features, you would need to switch to Advanced Mode. In straightforward Mode, text stays horizontal and straight.
What happens if I want to change the text but keep the same layer?
Click the text tool, then click on the text on your canvas to reopen the text box. Edit the words inside, and the layer will update automatically. You do not need to create a new layer — the same layer holds the new text.
How do I make text bold or italic?
In the Tool Options panel, look for the font style dropdown — it usually shows options like Regular, Bold, Italic, or Bold Italic, depending on what the font supports. Select the style you want before you type, or select existing text and change the style afterward.
Can I add text to multiple layers?
Yes. Each time you use the text tool and click on a blank area of the canvas, a new text layer is created. You can have as many text layers as you need, and each one appears separately in the layers panel.
What if the text tool is grayed out in the menu?
A grayed-out tool usually means you are in a mode or state where that tool is not available. Check that you have a layer selected in the layers panel and that the layer is not locked. If you are in Advanced Mode, switch back to straightforward Mode.