Facebook text overlay allows users to add text over photos or videos when creating Facebook posts. This feature allows you to add captions, titles, or other text elements directly onto your visual content.
How does Facebook text overlay work?
When creating a new Facebook post, if you upload a photo or video, you will see text overlay options. Along the bottom of the content, there are options to add text, adjust text color and placement, and customize the text box.
You can click on the “Add Text” option to open up a text box layered directly on top of your image or video. You can then customize the font, size, color, and placement of the text box. The text will display directly on top of your visual content, creating an overlay effect.
Text overlays are especially popular for adding captions, headlines, subtitles, watermarks, or other text elements directly onto visual content before sharing it on Facebook. This creates a combined visual and textual post.
Where can you find the Facebook text overlay option?
The text overlay option is available whenever you upload a photo or video when creating a new Facebook post. The options appear along the bottom of the content after you upload it. On desktop, the options will appear horizontally along the bottom. On mobile, tap the icon with three dots at the bottom to open text formatting options.
Along the bottom or in the menu, look for the “Add Text” button. Tapping or clicking this will open up a text box you can position atop your image or video.
How to use Facebook text overlay
Using Facebook’s built-in text overlay option is easy:
- Upload a photo or video when creating a new Facebook post
- Click or tap the “Add Text” button
- A text box will appear on top of your content
- Customize the text, font, color, size, and placement as desired
- Click off the text box or tap “Done” to finalize the overlay text
- Optionally add any other post content (such as a caption)
- Post as normal to share the content with added text overlay
The text box can be moved by clicking and dragging. You can rotate the text box by clicking the rotation icon. Font, size, and color can be customized using the options at the top of the text box toolbar.
Be creative with text overlay positioning and formatting to make eye-catching Facebook posts!
Tips for using Facebook text overlay
- Place text in areas of high contrast for best visibility
- Use brief, compelling headlines or captions to capture attention
- Make sure font colors contrast well with the background image/video
- Consider text box shape, opacity, borders and other customizations
- Use text overlay to convey the theme or message of your visual content
- Add watermarks, logos or branding with the text overlay tool
Facebook text overlay vs. natively uploading text images
Facebook’s built-in text overlay tool offers some advantages over uploading images with text already added:
- Text can be easily changed and customized before posting
- No photo editing required ahead of time
- Text has higher resolution since it’s overlaid automatically
- Works for both photos and videos
However, natively editing the text onto images ahead of time allows for more advanced effects and layouts. So text overlay is best for simple titling, captions, or watermarks added directly in the Facebook post editor.
Facebook text overlay templates and generators
While Facebook doesn’t offer specific text overlay templates, many third-party apps and tools exist to help create overlays:
- Adobe Spark – Offers templates with integrated text overlay options
- Canva – Design tool with templates and ability to add text to images
- Over – App to create text, logo, and graphic overlays
- Fotor – Photo editor with text collage templates
- PicMonkey – Templates and graphics with built-in text options
These tools make it easy to design custom overlays with graphics, logos, stylized text, and more. You can then download the resulting images and upload them along with your photos/videos when creating Facebook posts.
Examples of Facebook text overlay
Text overlay on Facebook is commonly used for:
- Captions
- Quotes/testimonials
- Announcements
- Titles
- Subtitles
- Watermarks
- Logo graphics
- Calls-to-action
- Feature/product highlights
For example, an inspirational photo may have an inspiring quote overlaid. A brand could overlay a new product announcement over a product video clip. Captions can provide context for any photo.
Benefits of using Facebook text overlay
Benefits of using Facebook’s built-in text overlay tool include:
- Easily add text without editing images ahead of time
- Works for both photos and videos
- Full control over text style, color, font, placement
- Integrated directly into Facebook editor
- Free to use (part of native Facebook tools)
Text overlays help increase engagement as they grab attention and convey additional information at a glance. Overlays add context and messaging onto visual content.
Drawbacks of Facebook text overlay
Potential downsides to using the text overlay tool include:
- Limited text box customization options
- Can be difficult to position/resize perfectly
- Only works on desktop and mobile app, not Creator Studio
- Relies on contrast for visibility – text may get buried
More complex text designs and formatting may require a third-party editing tool. Native editing allows more precision placement and scaling. The built-in tool also lacks certain overlay effects like shadows, outlines, rotation, etc.
Conclusion
Facebook’s text overlay feature provides an easy way to add text directly onto photos and videos when creating posts. It allows users to customize text, color, font, and placement without needing any advanced photo editing skills or tools. While it lacks some complexity available in third-party solutions, the built-in text overlay tool is extremely convenient for simple titling, captions, watermarks, announcements, and more. Used creatively, text overlays can capture attention and convey more information and context through Facebook visual posts.