CapCut how-to
How to add text in CapCut (mobile and desktop)
Short answer
On mobile, tap Text in the bottom toolbar, then Add text, type, and tap the check mark; style it with Style (font, colour, stroke) and Animation. On desktop, open the Text tab at the top left, drag Default text onto the timeline above your video, and edit it in the panel on the right. Drag the text clip's edges to set how long it stays on screen.
Checked against: CapCut mobile (iOS, Android), desktop (Windows, Mac) and web, October 2026. Button names match CapCut's guides and the top independent guides; layouts move between builds.
Method 1: Mobile app
Open Text
With your project open, tap Text in the bottom toolbar.
Add text
Tap Add text, type your words and tap the check mark.
Style it
Use Style for font, colour, outline and background, and Animation for in, out or loop effects.
Time it
Drag the ends of the text clip on the timeline to set when it appears and disappears.
Method 2: Desktop
Open the Text tab
Click Text in the top-left media area.
Add Default text
Drag Default text (or a text template) onto a track above your video, then type in the preview.
Edit in the right panel
Change font, size, colour, stroke and animation in the panel on the right.
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Keep text where apps don't cover it (1080 × 1920)
| Edge | Leave clear | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Top | about 250 px | Account name, Following/For You tabs |
| Bottom | about 650 px | Caption, sound and progress bar |
| Right | about 120 to 190 px | Like, comment, share buttons |
If it doesn't work
| What you see | Fix |
|---|---|
| Text added but not visible | CapCut's help: the text layer may be hidden below other clips. Drag it to a higher layer, move the playhead into its range, and check colour and opacity. |
| Text disappears too early | Drag the end of the text clip to the length you need. |
| Text hidden behind TikTok buttons after posting | Move it inside the safe area above; check with a safe-zone overlay. |
Questions people ask
How do I add text to a CapCut template?
Templates let you edit only the text fields the creator made editable. For full control, open the result as a project and add text normally.
How do I add text that follows a person?
Use keyframes on the text's Position, or tracking where your version offers it.
How do I put text behind a person?
Duplicate the clip as an overlay, remove its background, and place the text between the two layers.
More CapCut guides
Sources and how we checked
- CapCut Help: Why is my text not appearing? (checked 2026-10-05)
CapCut's help covers text that doesn't appear; the add-text steps follow the current app and the independent guides ranking for this query.
Reviewed October 5, 2026 by the Koldflux team. Each step is compared with CapCut's own documentation (linked above) and with the top search results for this task; where they disagree, the maker's documentation wins. Steps without a source link follow the menu names that several current guides agree on.