Video content is now the most powerful form of communication on social media, marketing platforms, and business channels. But even great visuals often need one more crucial ingredient: text. Whether it’s subtitles, titles, annotations, callouts, or captions, text helps make your video easier to understand, more engaging, and visually appealing.

The good news?
You don’t need professional editing skills to add text to a video.
Modern tools, apps, and AI-powered editors make this process incredibly simple, even for beginners.

This guide will walk you through step-by-step instructions, beginner-friendly tools, and professional techniques that anyone can apply — no advanced editing knowledge required.

I’ll also briefly mention LongShort Clip, an easy online tool that makes adding text and turning long videos into shorts a fast, automated experience (plus you get 60 free credits).

Let’s begin.

1. Why Beginners Should Add Text to Their Videos

Before exploring tools and techniques, it helps to understand why adding text is important, especially for non-professional editors:

1. Accessibility

Text ensures people can watch your videos even without sound — important because most social media videos are played on mute.

2. Clarity

Sometimes background noise, accents, or fast talking can make dialogue hard to understand. Text solves that instantly.

3. Storytelling

Text helps guide your viewers through your message, highlight important points, and create a smooth narrative flow.

4. Better Engagement

Videos with captions and subtitles get more views, more likes, and longer watch times.

5. Professional Look

Even simple text overlays can make a basic video feel polished and intentional.

2. Types of Text You Can Add (Even as a Beginner)

You don’t need advanced skills to use these text styles:

A. Titles

Great for video intros or to introduce a topic.

B. Lower Thirds

Text placed at the lower area of the screen — perfect for names or quick facts.

C. Subtitles or Closed Captions

Text that follows spoken dialogue.

D. Callouts or Labels

Used to point out an object or add context.

E. On-screen Notes

Small reminders such as “Step 1,” “Tip,” or “Important.”

F. Animated Text

Text that slides, fades, or pops in — many tools now include built-in templates for beginners.

3. The Easiest Tools to Add Text to Video (No Skills Needed)

Here are simple beginner-friendly tools to help you add text effortlessly.

1. LongShort Clip (Best for long videos → short clips + text)

Perfect for beginners who want to take long videos (podcasts, tutorials, vlogs) and convert them into short, shareable clips with text overlays and captions — automatically.

Why it’s beginner-friendly:

No editing skills needed
Automatic scene detection
Simple text overlay options
Auto-caption generation
60 free credits to start

You just upload your video → let the tool process it → customize text → export.

2. CapCut (Mobile & Desktop)

Simple, intuitive, and full of trendy animated text. Perfect for social media creators.

3. Canva Video Editor (Web & Mobile)

Drag-and-drop simplicity. Lots of pre-made text templates that look professional.

4. InShot (Mobile)

Easy for beginners. Clean interface, lots of text styles, filters, and animations.

5. VEED.io (Web)

User-friendly online editor with auto-captions, subtitles, and text presets.

6. Adobe Premiere Rush (Mobile & Desktop)

A simplified version of Premiere Pro for beginners with ready-to-use text templates.

These tools eliminate complex timelines and technical jargon — perfect for beginners.

4. Step-by-Step: How to Add Text to Video (Beginner Version)

Here’s an easy, universal process anyone can follow — whether on mobile, desktop, or online editors.

STEP 1: Upload or Import Your Video

Open your chosen tool and upload your video from your computer or phone.

Most beginner-friendly apps have a big, clearly visible “Upload Video” or “Create New” button.

STEP 2: Find the Text Tool

Look for options like:

“Text”
“Add Title”
“Add Caption”
“Subtitle”
“Insert Text Overlay”

These buttons are usually located at the bottom or left sidebar.

STEP 3: Type Your Text

Write whatever you need:

Title
Subtitle
Key point
Quote
Step number
Callout

Keep your text short and clear.

STEP 4: Customize the Style (Made Simple)

Even without design skills, ALWAYS adjust these basics:

Font Style

Choose a clean, easy-to-read font.

Color

Use high-contrast colors: white, yellow, or bold colors.

Position

Common placements:

Center for titles
Bottom for captions
Top-left for callouts

Background or Outline

Use a simple shadow or outline so your text stands out.

STEP 5: Set Timing

Use the simple timeline to choose:

When your text appears
How long it stays
When it disappears

Make sure your text stays long enough for viewers to read comfortably.

STEP 6: Add Subtitles or Auto-Captions (Optional but Easy)

Many tools now automatically transcribe your video.
This turns spoken words → into onscreen text.

Auto-captioning is one of the easiest ways to add professional text without editing skills.

STEP 7: Add Simple Animations (Optional)

Animations like:

Fade in
Slide up
Bounce
Typewriter

Most apps include these with one tap.

STEP 8: Preview Your Video

Watch your video from start to finish.
Check:

Spelling
Text visibility
Timing

STEP 9: Export or Download

Choose your export settings (most apps auto-optimize).

Now you’re done — with zero professional experience needed.

5. Beginner Text Styles That Look Professional

Even without experience, you can make your text look high-quality by using simple text designs.

Here are beginner-friendly text styles:

1. Clean Lower Third

A small rectangle with your text inside.
Great for names, topics, or important points.

2. Highlighted Subtitle Box

Text with a semi-transparent background block.
Improves readability dramatically.

3. Bold Title Banner

A thick, bold title at the top or center of the screen.

4. Simple Fade Animation

Fade-ins make any video look smoother and more professional.

5. Minimal Outline Text

White text + black outline = clean and cinematic.

6. Typing Effect

The “typewriter” animation looks dynamic but is very easy to apply.

6. Mistakes Beginners Often Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Avoid these common errors:

❌ Text Too Small

People watch on phones — make it larger.

❌ Poor Color Choices

Low contrast = unreadable.

❌ Too Many Fonts

Stick to one or two fonts max.

❌ Putting Text at the Very Edge

Social platforms may crop it.

❌ Long Sentences

Break text into shorter lines.

❌ Overusing Animations

Keep effects simple and clean.

❌ Not Checking on Mobile

Always test your video on a smartphone before publishing.

7. Using AI Tools to Add Text Automatically (Beginners’ Advantage)

AI tools have made text editing extremely beginner-friendly.

AI can:

Generate subtitles
Highlight key phrases
Create engaging text layouts
Suggest fonts and colors
Auto-animate text
Detect scenes
Convert long videos into short clips with captions

Tools like LongShort Clip use AI to analyze your video and automatically add text to the most impactful sections.

This is a perfect solution for beginners who don’t want to manually edit.

8. When to Use Which Tool

Here’s a simple flow for beginners:

Use LongShort Clip when:

You have a long video
You want short clips with text
You want automatic AI captions
You want to edit fast with 60 free credits

Use CapCut when:

You want trendy social-video text
You’re making TikTok, Reels, or Shorts

Use Canva when:

You want text templates
You prefer drag-and-drop design

Use InShot when:

You want simple mobile editing

Use VEED.io when:

You need clean subtitles or branded fonts

9. Pro Tips for Beginners (That Look Advanced)

These tips instantly upgrade your video:

1. Give Text Breathing Space

Leave margins — don’t crowd the edges.

2. Match Text to Your Brand Colors

Consistency = professional look.

3. Add Light Shadow

Makes text readable on any background.

4. Use Left Alignment

More readable than centered text for subtitles.

5. Use Short, Impactful Phrases

Example:
Instead of “Here are some reasons why adding text to your video is important.”
Use:
Why Add Text?

More views
Better clarity
Higher retention

6. Focus on Mobile Audiences

Over 80% of viewers watch on phones.

7. Watch Your Video at 0.75x Speed

Helps you check timing more accurately.

10. The Easiest Workflow for Adding Text — Beginner Edition

Here’s the simplest possible workflow:

Upload video
Add subtitles or text
Use one clean font
Keep text short
Use white text with shadow
Add simple fade animation
Export

This 7-step formula produces professional-looking videos without skills.

11. How LongShort Clip Helps Beginners (Short Brand Mention)

If you’re working with long videos — like tutorials, interviews, educational videos, or vlogs — adding text manually can feel overwhelming.

LongShort Clip solves this by:

Automatically finding the best moments
Generating captions
Letting you add clean text overlays
Converting long videos into short clips
Offering 60 free credits to get started

This makes it a great option for beginners who want fast, polished results without learning advanced editing.

Conclusion

Adding text to a video is no longer a task reserved for professional editors. Thanks to beginner-friendly apps, AI-powered tools, and simple workflows, anyone can create polished, engaging videos in minutes.

You don’t need advanced skills, expensive software, or hours of editing knowledge.
With the right tools — and the beginner techniques in this guide — you can create videos that look clean, professional, and platform-ready.

Whether you’re a content creator, entrepreneur, educator, or hobbyist, you now have everything you need to add text to video without professional editing skills.

Add Text to Video