Feature tutorial
How to Add Text to Screen Recordings on Mac
Create clearer product demos, tutorials, and walkthrough videos by adding text overlays, callouts, and short notes directly to your screen recording.
Add a label that helps the viewer follow the action.
Use text for a short title, a control name, or a result the viewer should notice. Captions transcribe speech; a text overlay explains the picture. Start with one clear message and keep the product interface visible.
Open the recording and find the moment
Move the playhead to the action you want to explain. Trim mistakes first so the label is timed against the version you intend to keep.
Add a text overlay
Open the editor's Text controls and add the label. Write a short phrase that contributes information instead of repeating every word of the narration.
Style and position the label
Adjust the typography, color, and placement. Leave space around the text, keep it away from the cursor target, and check the contrast over both light and dark parts of the clip.
Set the timing and review the export
Set the text segment to appear before the relevant action and stay long enough to read. Scrub its beginning and end, preview the full sequence, and check the exported file at its final playback size.
Check the result before sharing.
The label is difficult to read
Increase text size or shorten the sentence. Check the composition at the size of the destination player; a readable editor canvas can become a tiny phone video. Use a contrasting treatment instead of relying on color alone.
The label hides an important control
Reposition it or show it earlier. Follow the complete zoom move before choosing a location because a control can move beneath a stationary label.
You need an animated title
Use the free Motion Editor for a scene with animated text, shapes, and multiple layers. Save it into the video editor when it belongs alongside the recording.