Add text to an image

Making text readable on a photo

Text is easiest to read where the picture is calm: a patch of sky, a plain wall, a shadow. Look at the photo before you choose a position, and pick the spot with the least detail behind it.

• White text with the outline on works on most photos.
• Dark text suits bright, pale backgrounds such as snow or a white table.
• Around 5 to 10% is enough for a caption. Save large sizes for one or two words.
• Text on the left spots is aligned left, on the right spots aligned right, and centered in the middle column.

Things people add text to

• Captions and dates on holiday or family photos before printing or sharing.
• Labels such as “Before” and “After”, or step numbers on screenshots for a guide.
• A price, size or product name on a quick product photo.
• A title over a picture for a blog post or event announcement.

For a picture with top and bottom text in the classic style, the meme generator is quicker. To put your name across photos to discourage copying, use watermark image.