How to Add Animated Text & Titles to a Video

The first second of a video is the most valuable real estate you have. A title that tells viewers what they’re watching — and animates in with a little motion — is the difference between a scroll-past and a watch. Here’s how to add animated text and titles to a video on your phone.

Text is its own layer

The key idea: a title isn’t “on” your video, it’s a separate layer stacked above it on the timeline. That means you control exactly when it appears, how long it stays, and how it animates — independently of your footage. (New to layers and the timeline? Start with the mobile video editor guide.)

Step 1 — Add and place the text

1. Add a text layer

   Tap the T (text) tool in the bottom toolbar. A text box appears on the canvas as a new layer.

2. Type and position

   Type your headline, then drag it where you want it. Pinch to resize. Keep titles in the upper or middle third — the bottom is often covered by platform UI.

3. Style it for readability

   Pick a bold sans-serif font, set a color that contrasts the footage, and add a shadow or a solid backdrop so it stays legible over bright or busy clips.

Style, fonts and animation live in these tabs

Step 2 — Animate it in

Static text pops in; animated text arrives. Open the Behaviour tab, tap Starting, and pick an entrance:

Pick an entrance — Fade, Slide, Scale, Bounce and more

Animation	Feel	Best for
Fade	Soft, neutral	Almost anything
Typewriter	Deliberate, retro	Quotes, storytelling
Word-by-word	Punchy, modern	Captions, hype
Scale / pop	Energetic	Hooks, reveals
Slide	Clean, directional	Lower-thirds

Match the animation to the mood. A calm vlog wants a fade; a fast promo wants word-by-word or a scale pop. Set the speed so the animation finishes before the viewer needs to read the line.

Step 3 — Time it on the timeline

Drag the text layer left or right to set when it appears, and resize it to control how long it stays. A title usually lands in the first 1–2 seconds and holds for 2–4. Captions track the speech.

Take it further

• Style depth — shadows, strokes, gradients and shade backdrops give titles a designed edge.
• Kinetic typography — fully animated, moving text sequences for music and hype videos.
• Video-in-text — fill the letters of a word with your footage for a striking title effect.

These richer text effects are part of the broader video effects toolkit — text animation is one of the six effect families.

Where to go next

• See text in a full edit: Make Your First Video.
• Pair titles with color: Filters & LUTs.
• All the effect families: video effects guide.

A good title is small craft with big payoff. Add it, style it for readability, animate it with intention — and win the first second every time.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I add text to a video on my phone?

Tap the text tool in the bottom toolbar, type your headline, then drag it where you want it on the canvas. It becomes its own layer above your video, so you can position it in time and style it independently. Pick a font, color and an entrance animation, and you're done.

How do I make text appear word by word?

Choose a word-by-word or typewriter entrance animation. The text reveals one word (or letter) at a time, which draws the eye and is perfect for captions synced to speech. Set the speed so it finishes before the line needs to be read.

What font should I use for video titles?

Use a bold, high-contrast sans-serif for titles — it stays readable at small sizes and on busy footage. Add a subtle shadow or a solid backdrop behind the text if your footage is bright. One or two fonts per video, maximum.