Add text to an image
Put text anywhere on the image. An outline keeps it readable over a busy photo.
- Free
- Runs on your device
- No account
- No limits
How to add text to an image
- Drop an image in the box above and type your text.
- Drag the text where you want it, then set the size, colour and outline.
- Choose a format and download.
About adding text here
Text is drawn into the pixels at full size, so it stays sharp and travels with the file in every format.
The outline is what makes text readable over a photo. White text with a thin dark outline works on almost anything, which is why captions have looked that way for a century.
Like everything on this site, this tool runs in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
Common questions
Is the add text tool free?
Yes, properly free. No paid tier, no trial, no watermark on the result and nothing to sign up for. Put as many files through it as you like, as often as you like.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The add text tool runs inside your browser, on your own machine, so your files never go anywhere. Big ones are fine too, up to whatever your browser can hold.
How do I make text readable over a busy photo?
Turn on the outline. A dark outline around light text, or the reverse, keeps every letter separate from whatever is behind it, which is why subtitles have used the trick for decades. Beyond that, put the text over the quietest part of the picture and make it larger than feels necessary, since it will be seen small.
Will the text stay sharp in the downloaded file?
Yes. The preview is scaled to fit your screen, but the text is drawn into the image at its full resolution, so it comes out as crisp as the picture allows rather than looking like an enlarged screenshot. It's drawn in your device system font, with a bold option.
What people usually do next
- Watermark an image Text or logo, any corner or tiled across the image.
- Add a border to an image A clean border in any width and colour.