Ready to up your After Effects game with dynamic text elements? Get the scoop on how to use text layers effectively, and the best tips for incorporating text.
In this handy guide, we’re sharing shared how to add text in After Effects, so you can drop titles, subtitles, and other text-based effects right into your movie.
Using Text Layers
Text layers are the predominant method for text manipulation in After Effects, facilitating the easy insertion of animated credits and titles into your composition. They are synthetic layers, meaning they exist independently of a footage source, and are vector-based, allowing you to enlarge the text to virtually any size without losing quality. While After Effects still does not have a Layers panel like Photoshop, adjustments to text layers can be performed in the Composition panel.
Tips for Incorporating Text in Video
As you decide on a text style for a specific sequence, bear the following tips in mind:
- When overlaying text on live-action video, ensure it has a contrasting border around its edges to maintain legibility throughout the sequence.
- Avoid thin text, especially horizontal elements, as they can easily blend into the background. When unsure, use a stroke or bold font.
- Always preview your video on multiple devices (TV, laptop, tablet, smartphone), enabling you to assess how the text appears and decide on any last-minute changes.
How to Add Text in After Effects in 2023
After Effects continues to offer two main styles of text: point text and paragraph text. Point text is designed for instances where you only need a word or phrase, while paragraph text is more suitable for longer passages. Here’s how to create text layers using both styles in the current version of After Effects:
Point Text
- Open your current After Effects project and select “Layer” > “New” > “Text” to create a new text layer. You should see a Horizontal Type marker in the middle of the Composition panel.
- Type your text, and hit Enter if you want to start a new line. You can also press Ctrl+V (or Command+V on a Mac) to paste text from other sources.
- Once you’re satisfied with the text, press Ctrl+Enter (Command+Enter on Mac) to exit text-editing mode, or simply select another tool from the toolbar.
Paragraph Text
- In your current After Effects project, select either the Horizontal Type or Vertical Type tool based on your desired text appearance. Then, click and drag on the Composition to create a bounding box for your text.
- Begin typing in the bounding box to add new text, and press Enter to start a new paragraph. Pressing Shift+Enter will start a new line without the paragraph indentation. When your text exceeds the bounding box dimensions, an overflow icon that looks like a tiny four-square grid will appear on the box.
- Finally, to exit text-editing mode, either press Ctrl+Enter (Command+Enter on Mac) or click on another After Effects tool.
Cover image via Overearth
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