Titles and text

Add text and titles in the browser timeline

Text is not a sticker placed after the edit. A title belongs on its own layer, in a size that survives a phone screen and with an animation that supports the cut. The browser studio keeps the text editable from the first draft to the final delivery file.

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Simple titles on the timeline, Fusion when the type has to move
Editable text, fonts, colour and safe areas
Separate title and caption layers for vertical delivery

Abstract three-dimensional typographic forms made of light above a dark timeline

The right layer

Start with a title, move to Fusion when the design needs it

For a name, a location or a lower third, a text layer on the timeline is usually enough: set the font, size, alignment and colour, then trim the clip to the moment it belongs. When the title has to follow a camera move, build a composite or animate several elements, the Fusion page gives the type a node graph instead of a single inspector.

Use a simple title for names, dates and lower thirds
Use Fusion for animated type, masks and multi-layer graphics
Keep the text on its own track so the picture can change underneath
Duplicate the title clip when a second card needs the same style

Readability

Design for the smallest screen in the delivery list

A title that reads on a studio monitor can disappear on a phone. Set the size against a 9:16 crop, keep the important words inside the safe area and check contrast against the brightest and darkest frames beneath the text. A soft shadow or a subtle plate is usually more durable than a thin font over busy footage.

Preview the title in the vertical version before locking the style
Keep names and calls to action inside the central safe area
Use weight and contrast before adding an outline
Check the title against every shot it crosses, not one still

Animation

Keyframes should support the cut, not compete with it

A short position or opacity move is often enough. Keyframe the start and end, set the interpolation so the motion settles rather than snaps, and leave the text still long enough to read. Typewriter effects and animated lower thirds are useful for social edits, but they should not make the viewer wait for the information.

Keyframe position, scale and opacity on the text layer
Hold the finished title for at least a comfortable read
Use a mask or a wipe when the type has to reveal with the picture
Check the animation at playback speed, not only frame by frame

Reuse

Keep titles editable and captions separate

Bake text into a render only when the picture is truly locked. A title clip can be copied to another sequence, restyled and shortened after review. Captions should live on their own track: they have different readability rules, different timing and a delivery format that may travel beside the picture instead of burning in.

Keep a title-only track for names, locations and calls to action
Use the subtitles workflow for spoken captions and SRT delivery
Duplicate and restyle title clips instead of rebuilding from scratch
Render a version with titles and keep a clean master if the client needs it

At a glance

Text at a glance

A simple title and a designed title are different jobs. Pick the lighter tool that fits.

Simple titleTimeline text layer with font, size, colour and alignment

Designed titleFusion page for multi-layer type and animation

AnimationKeyframes for position, scale, opacity and reveal

VerticalSafe areas checked against a 9:16 crop

CaptionsSeparate subtitle track for spoken dialogue and SRT

DeliveryBurn in or keep a clean master, depending on the platform

Help

Frequently asked questions

Titles and text questions that come up before a first render.

Do I need Fusion to add text in DaVinci Resolve online?

No. A simple title can go on the timeline from the Edit page. Fusion is the better place for animated, masked or multi-layer type that needs a node graph.

Can I use my own fonts?

Use the fonts exposed by the studio and check the licence before a commercial delivery. A font that looks right on the desktop may need a web licensed copy for a browser project, so verify the terms rather than assuming a local file is allowed.

How do I animate text without making it hard to read?

Animate one property at a time, keep the move short and hold the settled title long enough to read. A small position or opacity change usually works better than a busy typewriter effect on every card.

Can I change a title after rendering?

Keep the project and re-render the version. A rendered file is a delivery master, not an editable title. If the client may ask for changes, retain the timeline and the clean master.

Why does my text look soft on a phone?

Check the project resolution, the scale of the text layer and the delivery codec. Scaling a title up after it was designed for a smaller frame, or over-compressing the export, will soften the edges before the phone does.

Are captions the same as titles?

No. Titles are design elements; captions transcribe dialogue and need their own timing, reading speed and delivery format. The subtitles page covers the caption workflow separately.

Keep reading

Where this fits in the workflow

The studio is one project with several pages. These are the pages that usually come before and after this one.

Ready when you are

Put the next title on the timeline

Build the card in the browser, check it in the vertical version and keep the text editable until the picture locks.

See the Fusion page

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