Free Add Text to Image
Text on a picture has one job: be read
Quote cards, thumbnails, announcements, memes, sale banners and cover images all depend on the same thing: words placed on a photo that people can read in a second, on a small screen, while scrolling. This free editor adds text to your image in the browser. Add a picture, type a headline, and optionally a second line, then drag the text where you want it and style it with a font, size, colour, outline and background box. Download the result as PNG, JPG or WebP at the original size of your picture. Nothing is uploaded.
Step by step
- Drop your picture on the box, or click to choose it.
- Type your words in Text 1. Add a second line, such as a subtitle, in Text 2 if you need one.
- Use the Drag moves menu to choose which text you are positioning, then drag on the picture to move it.
- Choose a font, set the size with the slider and pick the text colour.
- Adjust the outline colour and width, and switch on the background box if the words are hard to read.
- Choose PNG, JPG or WebP and click Download image.
Making text readable on any photo
This is where most text images fail. A photo is a mix of light and dark areas, and text that is clear on one part vanishes on another. Three tools in the editor solve it.
- The outline. A dark outline around white letters, or the reverse, keeps every letter readable on busy backgrounds. It is the classic meme look for a reason.
- The background box. A solid or semi-transparent colour behind the text, with its own opacity setting. It is the most dependable fix on a very busy photo.
- A calm area. Drag the text over the quietest part of the picture, such as sky, a wall or a blurred background.
Check the pair of text and background colours with the colour contrast checker.
The five fonts and when to use them
| Font | Good for |
|---|---|
| Clean sans | Modern headlines, captions, announcements |
| Impact style | Memes and loud, bold thumbnails |
| Serif | Quotes and a more traditional, editorial look |
| Monospace | Code snippets and a technical feel |
| Handwriting | Casual, friendly notes |
Bold is on by default and can be switched off. Use no more than two lines of text, with the headline clearly bigger than the supporting line. If you cannot read it at thumbnail size, it is too small or too long.
Fonts and non-Latin text
The editor draws text with the fonts installed on your own device. For scripts such as Bengali, Hindi or Arabic, your device chooses a font that has those letters, and the result depends on what is installed. Always check the preview before you download, and if a letter looks wrong or shows as a box, try a different font option or another device.
Export settings and size
The picture is saved at its original size, so a big photo gives a big file. The preview on screen is smaller, but the download is full size, up to a long side of 8,000 pixels. PNG keeps text edges sharpest and is best for graphics and screenshots. JPG gives smaller files for photographs at high quality, and WebP is smallest and good for websites. For social platforms, set the right size first with the social media image resizer, then add the text, so it is positioned in the final frame.
Two lines that work together
The two text boxes are made for a headline and a supporting line. Put the main message in Text 1 at a large size, and a smaller detail in Text 2, such as a date, a place or a website, and position them one above the other with the Drag moves menu. A strong layout has the headline in the upper or lower third, with the supporting line close beneath it, and plenty of calm space around both. Keep both in the same font so the image feels designed, not assembled.
Do not hide important information in an image
Search engines and screen readers cannot read text that is only part of a picture, so keep key information, such as prices, dates and contact details, also in normal page text. Always add meaningful alternative text to the image when you publish it. For protecting your work with a mark rather than a message, see add watermark to image.
FAQ
Add the picture, type your text, drag it into place, style it and click Download image. No sign-up is needed.
Yes. There are two text boxes, Text 1 and Text 2, which you position separately.
Add an outline, switch on the background box, or drag the text over a calm area of the picture.
Yes, if your device has a font for Bengali. Check the preview before you download.
No. Everything happens in your browser.
Not in this editor. You can set the size with the slider and move each text block by dragging.
The original size of your picture, up to a long side of 8,000 pixels.