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Updated 2026-06-28

How to Add Text to a Video on iPhone

By the iPhone Captions editorial team · Updated 2026-06-28

There are two kinds of on-screen text: titles you type (a name, a hook, a label) and captions of what's spoken. iPhone handles the first with built-in apps and the second with a captioning app. Here's both.

How do I put text on a video on iPhone?

For a few typed titles, use iMovie or Clips — add a Title/Text element, type it, and place it on the timeline. For text of what's said in the video (subtitles), use a captioning app that transcribes the speech, like Subly, since iMovie won't transcribe. The Photos app can't add text to video at all.

Typed titles: iMovie or Clips

  1. Open iMovie and start a project. Add your clip to the timeline.
  2. Tap the clip, then Titles (the T). Pick a style, type your text, and choose where it sits.
  3. Position by time. Each title shows for the clip it's on; split the clip to control timing.
  4. Export. Share to save a new video with the text baked in.

Great for a handful of titles. But you type and time every line by hand, so it's slow for full subtitles.

Spoken-word text: caption it automatically

If the text you want is everything being said, don't type it — transcribe it. A captioning app turns the speech into timed captions in seconds, which you then style and burn in.

Rule of thumb: a few labels → iMovie or Clips titles. Captions of dialogue → a captioning app.

Frequently asked questions

Can I add text to a video in the Photos app?
No. Photos can trim and tweak video but can't overlay text. Use iMovie or Clips for titles, or a captioning app for subtitles.
Does iMovie add text to video?
Yes — iMovie adds manual Title elements you type and position. It won't transcribe speech, so for full subtitles use a captioning app.
What's the fastest way to caption everything that's said?
Auto-transcribe in a captioning app like Subly, fix a few words, then export. Typing it all as titles in iMovie is far slower.

Related guides

Captions in iMovieAdd captions in iMovie on iPhone using Titles — the exact stAdd subtitles on iPhoneAdd subtitles to a video on iPhone three ways — the free CliAuto-generate subtitlesAuto-generate subtitles from speech on iPhone — how automati

Written for iPhone users. App features and iOS steps can change between versions — check the latest before you rely on them. How we test & our sources →