How to Add Text in OpenShot: Static, Animated & More

Why text matters in video content

Text overlays make video content more understandable, accessible, and effective. In a time when audiences have short attention spans and competition for engagement is fierce, thoughtfully designed text can communicate essential messages concisely and powerfully.

• Engagement: The on-screen text grabs attention in the first seconds of playback and also supports oral content so viewers can better remember it. This is especially relevant on websites like YouTube, where on-screen text can add value to viewer engagement and comprehension.
• Accessibility: Subtitles and captions make your videos accessible to viewers with hearing impairments, language difficulties, or viewing without audio. Studies by Wistia and 3Play Media indicate that captioned videos typically experience higher viewing times and user engagement.
• Brand consistency: Overall consistency in fonts, color schemes, and text positions makes a brand more identifiable. A recognizable visual identity in all your videos improves brand recall and gives a more professional look.
• Trends: As vertical video formats such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts gain popularity, dynamic text is a staple. These apps autoplay videos silently and automatically; bold animated text overlays are necessary to make your message heard in a silent viewing experience.

When strategically implemented, text overlays enhance the visuals of your content and increase engagement, accessibility, and brand influence, whether you're editing using OpenShot to add text or a more streamlined editor like CapCut desktop.

How to add text using the OpenShot video editor

Putting text in OpenShot is a simple process to add professional-looking titles, captions, and animated effects. Static and dynamic text is available as and when required by any project using the adaptable tools from OpenShot. The following is a simple tutorial on how to add text to a video in OpenShot:

STEP 1
1. Getting started with OpenShot

Import your media files by dragging them into the project files pane. Organize your clips on the timeline, separating video and audio tracks for better control. To add text, go to the top menu and select "Title" → "Title," or simply press Ctrl + T.

STEP 2
1. Creating static text overlays in OpenShot

Choosing a template

OpenShot comes with a variety of built-in SVG templates for quick text additions. You can also add custom SVG title templates by placing them in the following directory: ~/.openshot_qt/title_templates/

Basic title editor workflow

To add text in the OpenShot video editor, launch the "Title Editor" from the Title menu. Input your desired text, and adjust properties like font, size, color, and background opacity. After customizing, click "Save."

The new title clip will appear in your Project Files. Drag the title clip onto a track above your video to overlay it.

STEP 3
1. Animated text

3D animated titles via Blender

For advanced animated text, OpenShot integrates with Blender. To use this feature:

Install Blender version 2.90 or higher. In OpenShot, go to "Edit" → "Preferences" → "Animated Titles," and specify the path to your Blender executable. Then go to "Title" → "Animated Title" to access various 3D text animation templates.

Select the text clip on the timeline. Use keyframes to animate position, scale, rotation, and opacity directly. This approach allows for frame-by-frame control over how the text appears, moves, or fades—ideal for subtle, professional effects.

STEP 4
1. Export your video with text

Click the "Export Video" button in the top right corner. Choose the desired resolution, format, and quality settings. Click "Export Video" to render your final output with all text overlays applied.

While OpenShot is a proficient editor to insert static and animated text, it usually necessitates extra tools such as Blender or Inkscape to achieve fancier effects, a smoother and more all-in-one option with up-to-date text templates and motion presets is available in CapCut desktop, appealing to users seeking a streamlined option.

CapCut desktop: Add text to a video with easy methods

CapCut desktop video editor is an AI-assisted video editor that makes adding text to videos easy. It was created with content makers in mind and is loaded with custom text templates, dynamic fonts, filters and animation effects. One of its most notable features is the Auto captions tool. Through the power of speech recognition, it automatically creates subtitles in seconds to make your content more accessible and audience-friendly. In addition to text overlays, CapCut also allows you to enhance videos using animations, film-inspired filters, audio effects, background music, and even popular visual effects.

Suppose you're seeking a quicker and more visually dynamic alternative to OpenShot. In that case, CapCut Desktop is a great option, particularly for users seeking up-to-date effects without the hassle of additional software.

Key features

• Pre-made text templates: CapCut provides many preset text templates, saving time for design.
• Auto captions: You can generate accurate, time-synced subtitles using auto captions quickly.
• Text animations and effects: Enhance your text message with dynamic motion presets, animated typography, and text effects.
• Auto lyrics: It's easy to generate lyrics automatically, perfectly synced with your music tracks.

How to add text to videos using CapCut: Easy methods

STEP 1
1. Add media

Begin by loading the media files into CapCut. Click on "Import" or simply drag and drop the video clips on the timeline to arrange the groundwork of your editing work. This is the initial preparation of your video before adding the text overlays.

STEP 2
1. Insert text and edit

Method 1: Add text manually

Click on the "Text" option in the toolbar at the top of the screen. You can click "Add text" to create a custom caption. Once you've typed your desired text, you can fully personalize it. Customize the text's font, size, color, and position to match your video's tone. To animate the text, set keyframes to adjust its motion, opacity, or scale over time, allowing you to create dynamic effects.

Method 2: Add text automatically

You can use CapCut's Auto Captions feature for a faster and more effortless solution. Click on "Captions" from the above toolbar. Choose the spoken language and click on "Generate". This tool automatically generates captions based on the spoken words in your video. Once the captions are created, they will perfectly sync with your video timeline, saving you time while ensuring accuracy.

STEP 3
1. Export the video with text

Once you're satisfied with the text in your video, it's time to export your project. Click on the "Export" button and choose the desired output settings. You can select a high-quality resolution suitable for uploading to social media platforms or save the video directly to your device. Click "Export" again to finish the process.

Brief comparison of OpenShot and CapCut

How to make text in video best: Tips offered

• Readability best practices

The text should also be readily readable on any screen size, from desktop to smartphone. Employ high-contrast color schemes like white or yellow text on dark backgrounds to guarantee visibility in any lighting. Use clean, sans-serif typefaces like Montserrat or Open Sans instead of overly stylized or script fonts. Bold weights are easier to read, particularly in action-oriented or highly graphic scenes.

• Positioning

Where you set text on the screen has a huge impact on its effectiveness. Don't set text too close to edges because it will probably get cropped on some devices or types of systems. Placements centered or to the lower third are often the most readable and audience-friendly.

• Timing

The text stays on screen long enough to be read comfortably by the average audience. 3 to 5 seconds is a good guideline for short sentences. More time might be used for lengthy sentences, but remember, viewers also have short attention spans, conciseness in addition to clarity is essential. Vary the length according to the message's importance and the speed of the visuals. You can easily adjust the text timing in CapCut by dragging the text layer length.

• Consistency in style

Uniformity in font choice, size, color, and placement builds visual harmony and supports brand recognition. If you're producing content regularly, use a defined style guide, which includes consistent font hierarchy, animation patterns, and text backgrounds. Avoid mixing too many styles in a single video, which can appear unpolished and distracting.

• Use of animation and effects

Animations should enhance, not overpower. Subtle transitions like fade-in, slide-up, or typewriter effects can draw attention without disrupting the viewing experience. Use motion deliberately—reserve bold or dynamic effects for titles, key messages, or call-to-actions. Overusing text effects can reduce professionalism and dilute impact. CapCut provides many text animations and effects, you can easily edit them in videos.

Conclusion

Adding text to videos using OpenShot plays a vital part in enhancing narratives, supporting messages, and influencing viewers to engage more. In OpenShot, it is possible to produce static text overlays via built-in SVG templates or custom design work and animate text using timeline keyframes or advanced 3D titles using Blender. In a matter of simple steps, it is possible to add text, make it customary to your requirements, and place it exactly where you get the best effect. For a more intuitive option, however, the desktop version of CapCut has a vast collection of available text presets, advanced visual effects, and smart capabilities such as Auto Captions and Auto Lyrics to make adding text quicker and smarter. Start enhancing your videos today with CapCut by adding creative text overlays!

FAQs

1
1. Does OpenShot support exporting text files?

No, OpenShot does not support directly exporting standalone text files like SRT or TXT. If you need automatic text generation or subtitle export, CapCut is a better option. It offers Auto captions and allows easy export of subtitle files in both SRT and TXT formats.

2
1. Can fonts be customized within OpenShot?

Yes, it is possible to customize fonts using OpenShot's Title Editor. You can modify font typeface, size, color, background opacity, and more. CapCut's desktop version offers more stylish fonts and effects, and more flexibility in creatively using animated text and templates.

3
1. How much does OpenShot Video Editor cost?

OpenShot is a free and open-source video editor, available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Similarly, CapCut desktop is also free to use, with added AI-powered features and richer design tools for text and video enhancements.