How adding text to an image works
The tool opens your photo in the browser, draws your text on top of it and saves a new copy at the original size. Your file stays as it was, and because everything runs on your own device, nothing is uploaded.
Text lives in layers. The first layer is ready when you open a photo; press Add text for a second and third one, such as a headline, a caption and a small credit in a corner. Pick a layer in the list or tap its text on the preview, and every setting below applies to that layer only. Duplicate copies the selected layer with all its settings, which is handy when several labels should look alike.
Fonts on your device
The font list mixes two kinds of fonts:
- Fonts that come with this page: Geist and Geist Mono, two open source typefaces the site already loads. They look the same on every phone and computer.
- Fonts from your device: Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS, Georgia, Times New Roman, Courier New, Arial Black, the system interface font and a bold condensed style. Each choice names a short list of similar fonts, and your browser uses the first one your device has. The hint under the menu tells you which one that is, so you know what the saved picture will show.
Handwriting style uses whatever your browser sets as its cursive font, so it varies a lot between devices. Not every font has every weight; when a weight is missing, the browser shows the nearest one or makes the letters bolder on its own.
Make text readable on any photo
Text on a photo has to stand out against light and dark parts of the picture at once. Three settings help, alone or together:
| Setting | What it does | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Outline | A line around every letter, its width a share of the font size | Bold captions, white text on busy scenes |
| Shadow | A soft shadow under the letters | A calm look on photos with some contrast |
| Background box | A box behind the text, with its own color, opacity and padding | Small text, credits, quotes on detailed photos |
All sizes in the tool are measured against the image width: a text size of 8 means the letters are 8 percent of the width, whether the photo is 1,000 or 6,000 pixels wide. Outline width, shadow softness and box padding are shares of the font size, so a layer keeps its look when you make it bigger or smaller.
Place, turn and fade the text
Drag a text on the preview with the mouse or a finger to put it anywhere. For exact spots, use the nine position buttons: a top corner, the center, the bottom edge and so on. The Margin slider sets the distance from the edges, and the tool keeps the whole layer inside that margin even when it is turned. A layer placed this way stays anchored to its spot while you edit the text, so a credit line in the bottom right corner grows to the left instead of running off the picture.
Rotation turns the layer around its center in steps of one degree, and Opacity fades it from fully visible down to a light touch. Line spacing changes the distance between lines of a text with several lines, from tight at 0.8 to airy at 2.5. Undo and Redo keep track of every change, including moves, so you can try things freely.
Full resolution, format and quality
The saved picture has the same width and height as your original. With Save as set to Original, a JPG stays a JPG, a PNG stays a PNG and a WebP stays a WebP. GIF and BMP files are saved as PNG, HEIC photos from an iPhone and AVIF files as JPG. PNG is lossless; JPG and WebP are compressed again at the quality you set, 92 by default. If an image is larger than your browser can draw in one piece, it is saved at the largest size possible and the tool tells you so.
Phone photos open upright, using the orientation the camera saved, and the new file has that turn built into its pixels. The saved copy carries no EXIF data, so camera details and the GPS location are not copied; the EXIF viewer shows what an original file contains. For a quick meme with classic top and bottom text, use the meme generator, and to mark many photos with the same text at once, add a watermark.
How to use the add text to image tool
- 1Drop a photo on the box, choose it from your device or paste it.
- 2Type your text, then set the font, weight, size, color and line spacing.
- 3Add an outline, a shadow or a background box, and set rotation and opacity if you like.
- 4Drag the text into place or pick one of the nine spots, and add more text layers as needed.
- 5Choose the format and press Download image.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add text to a photo?
Drop the photo on the box, type your text and pick a font, size and color. Drag the text where you want it on the preview or choose one of nine spots, then press Download. The photo is saved at its full size with the text on it, and your original stays untouched.
Can I add more than one text?
Yes. Press Add text for every new layer, for example a title, a date and a small credit line. Each layer has its own font, size, color, outline, shadow, background box, rotation and opacity. Pick a layer in the list or tap it on the preview to edit it.
How do I make text readable on a busy photo?
Turn on an outline in a contrasting color, add a soft shadow, or put a background box behind the text and lower its opacity until the photo still shows through. White text with a dark outline or a dark box reads well on almost any picture.
Does the image lose quality or size?
The picture keeps its full number of pixels and, by default, its format: a JPG stays a JPG, a PNG stays a PNG and a WebP stays a WebP. PNG is saved without loss. JPG and WebP are compressed again at the quality you set, 92 out of 100 by default.
Can I undo a change?
Yes. Undo and Redo step back and forward through your edits, including moves on the preview. On a computer, Ctrl+Z or Command+Z undoes and Ctrl+Shift+Z or Command+Shift+Z redoes while you are not typing in a text field.
Why does a font look different on another device?
Most fonts in the list come from your own device, so a phone without Verdana, for example, shows the next font in line. The hint under the font menu tells you which font your device uses. Geist and Geist Mono load with this page and look the same everywhere.
Are my photos uploaded?
No. Your browser opens the photo, draws the text and saves the new file on your device. Nothing is sent to a server, and the saved copy carries no camera details or GPS location from the original.