How to Add Text in iMovie (Titles, Fonts and Timing)

Text on a video does a lot of heavy lifting: it tells people what they're watching, carries the message when the sound's off and gives your brand a consistent look. iMovie calls on-screen text titles, which confuses people looking for a Text button. Once you know that, it's quick.

How to add text in iMovie on a Mac, step by step

1. Open your movie in iMovie so the timeline shows.
2. Select Titles above the browser.
3. Skim the title thumbnails to see how each one moves, or search for a style by name.
4. Drag the title onto the timeline, above or on top of the clip you want it over.
5. Select the title in the timeline so it shows in the viewer.
6. Double-click the placeholder text in the viewer and type your own.
7. Use the font controls above the viewer to change the font, colour, size, style and alignment.
8. Click the Apply button above the viewer.

You can also position the playhead where you want the text and double-click a title in the browser. iMovie drops it in at the playhead.

Where you can put text

Put the title	When to use it
Over a video clip	Captions, names, key points on top of footage
Over a solid colour background	Opening titles and chapter cards
Over an Apple graphic or animated background	Intros and end screens with a bit more movement

How to control how long the text stays on screen

Apple's guide has a neat detail here. When you drag a title over a clip, where you drop it matters. Drop it in the first or last third of the clip and iMovie fits the title to that third. Drop it in the middle and the title covers the whole clip. After that, drag the ends of the title bar in the timeline to make it longer or shorter.

How to edit text you've already added

1. Double-click the title in the timeline.
2. Type the new text. If the title has more than one line or field, press Tab to move to the next.
3. Change the font, size, alignment, colour or style with the title controls. B, I and O give you bold, italic and outline.
4. Click Apply.

To swap to a different style without retyping, put the playhead on the title, select Titles and double-click the new style. Apple says the new title keeps the original's duration.

The catch: some titles won't let you change the font

This catches people out, especially with the fancier animated titles. Apple notes that you can't change the font in certain theme-styled titles and some animated titles, and some title settings may be greyed out. If the font menu won't respond, it isn't broken; that style simply locks it. Pick a simpler title style, such as a standard lower third or centred title, if you need your brand font.

Theme titles are also tied to themes. If a style you saw in a tutorial isn't there, it may only appear once you apply that theme to your movie.

Using more fonts

The font menu shows a selection, but you aren't limited to it. Choose Show Fonts at the bottom of the font menu to open the macOS Fonts window and pick from every font installed on your Mac. Install your brand font on your Mac first and it'll be available here.

Tips for text people can read

• Keep it short: a few words per title, not sentences.
• Use white or yellow text with an outline over busy footage.
• Leave titles on screen long enough to read twice.
• Use the same font and position for every caption in a video.
• Check the text on a phone screen, where most people will watch.

Adding text in iMovie on iPhone or iPad

The idea is the same on an iPhone or iPad: tap the clip, find the titles option in the editing tools, choose a style and type your text. The phone app has fewer title styles and font controls than the Mac version, so for branded videos with specific fonts, the Mac is easier.

Exporting your video with text

When you're done, choose File, then Share, then File to export. Titles are baked into the video, so they'll show wherever you post it. If your video still needs polishing, my guide to making effective short videos has more ideas.

Captions vs titles

They're for short, styled text, such as a name, a heading or a key point. If you want captions for every word someone says, typing them as titles one by one is slow going. For talking-head videos, it's often quicker to add a few key phrases as titles and leave full captions to the platform you post on, many of which can generate them automatically. Either way, check the spelling of names and brand terms before you publish.

My verdict

In iMovie, text means titles. Select Titles, drag a style onto your clip, double-click to type, style it with the controls above the viewer and click Apply. Choose simple title styles when you need your own font, because some animated and theme titles lock it. For tutorials that combine text with screen footage, my picks for screen recording software will help you capture what you need.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the text tool in iMovie?

iMovie calls text titles. Select Titles above the browser to see the styles.

How do I change the font in iMovie?

Double-click the title, then use the font controls above the viewer. Choose Show Fonts for every font on your Mac.

Why can't I change the font on my iMovie title?

Some theme-styled and animated titles don't allow font changes. Use a simpler title style.

How do I make text stay longer in iMovie?

Drag the ends of the title bar in the timeline to lengthen it.

Can I put text on a plain background in iMovie?

Yes. Place the title over a solid colour background or an Apple graphic background.

How do I delete text in iMovie?

Select the title bar in the timeline and press Delete.