Add and Customize Text Layers

A text layer is on-screen text you add and style yourself, separate from your captions. Give each one its own font, color, background, and layout to match your look.

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Create text layers

From the Elements panel in the right-hand sidebar, choose one of the three fully customizable text options:

• Text – for body text
• Subtitle – for secondary titles
• Title – for primary titles

You can also highlight part of your script and use the selection toolbar to add a text layer. Descript adds a new scene and places a text layer that matches your selection.

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Customize fonts, color, and layout

Select a text layer in the scene editor. Use the toolbar or Properties panel to adjust font, size, alignment, colors, borders, background, and position.

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Set text layer type

The Type setting controls what content a text layer displays. By default, text layers are set to Freeform, which lets you type whatever you want. Other options will display dynamic information that updates automatically. To change a text layer type:

1. Select the text layer
2. In the hover menu, click the ellipsis button at the far right. The Properties panel will open in the right-hand sidebar.
3. Choose a type:
   • Freeform: Type your own text manually
   • Captions: Displays synced captions from your script
   • Speaker: Displays the active speaker’s name
   • Composition name: Displays the composition name
   • Marker: Displays the current or most recent marker
   • Timer: Counts up or down from the beginning, end, or last marker

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Add a background to text

Enhance readability or emphasize key messages by adding a background to your text layer. Options include:

• Bounding box: Resize the text area manually in the scene editor. Toggle between fixed and auto sizing under Size and position.
• Border radius: Soften the corners of the background.
• Background color: Pick a color for contrast or brand alignment.
• Hug lines: Wrap the background tightly around each line of text.
• Box: Display the full text inside a fixed-width background box.

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Add emojis to text

• Create a text layer, then paste an emoji (like 🎉, 👍, or 💡) into the text box

Tip: Emojis follow the same style settings as text. Resize, color, and align them using the Properties panel.