> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://finalcuthub.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# How to Add Text and Titles in Final Cut Pro
- URL: https://finalcuthub.com/final-cut-pro-text-and-titles/
- Published: 2026-10-27T15:07:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-27T15:06:59.000Z
- Author: George Hoffman
- Tags: Editing

To add text in Final Cut Pro, put the playhead where the text should start and press Control-T, or choose Edit > Connect Title > Basic Title. A plain title clip connects above your video. Double-click the text in the viewer, type, and press Command-Return when you're done. For styled or animated text, open the Titles and Generators sidebar with Option-Command-1, double-click a title, and change its font, size, and color in the Text inspector (Command-4).

Final Cut has no separate text tool. Every piece of text is a title, a clip Final Cut generates itself with no media file behind it, and [Apple's introduction to titles](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/intro-to-titles-ver4e3354c/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) explains that a title connected above another clip uses that clip as its background. Below: the fast route, the built-in titles, styling and saved presets, timing and fades, fixing names across a project, text behind a person, when to use captions instead, and what to check when a title won't show up.

## The fastest way: Control-T and your own default title

Control-T connects the default title, and Control-Shift-T connects the default lower third, at the skimmer or playhead. Out of the box those are Basic Title and Basic Lower Third, plain text with no effects or animation. You can make any title the default: open the Titles and Generators sidebar, Control-click a title in the browser, and choose Make Default Title or Make Default Lower Third. After that, the item under Edit > Connect Title shows that title's name, as [Apple's page on the default title](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/add-the-default-title-verb4800ac09/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) notes.

I'd set the lower third you use for names as the default before you start an interview edit, because every Control-Shift-T after that drops in your styled version instead of a plain one you have to restyle.

## Browse the built-in titles

Open the sidebar with the Titles and Generators button in the top-left corner of the window, or choose Window > Go To > Titles and Generators. Click Titles to see every title in the browser, or click the Titles disclosure triangle to show the categories and pick one. [Apple's guide to adding titles](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/add-titles-ver4e3251c/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) describes three ways to place one:

- **Double-click a title** to connect it at the playhead, superimposed over the clip below.
- **Drag it to the edit point between two clips** to insert it into the primary storyline, which suits a full-screen title card.
- **Drag it onto a clip and choose Replace** to swap that clip for the title.

A connected title moves with the clip it's attached to, so text over footage stays put when you trim or rearrange the story. The [guide to the magnetic timeline and connected clips](https://finalcuthub.com/final-cut-pro-magnetic-timeline/) explains how that link works. If a title you expect isn't in the browser, use the Filter pop-up menu at the top of the browser to check other locations.

![Final Cut Pro window layout: the Titles and Generators sidebar opened with Option-Command-1, a title selected in the browser, its text in the viewer, and the title clip connected above the video starting at the playhead after a double-click or Control-T.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ac/57/ac5779c6-4ac7-45d8-83b8-afdad2b814a0/content/images/2026/10/final-cut-pro-text-and-titles-inline-0-14304d5c963dca15.webp)

Double-click a title in the browser, or press Control-T, and the title connects above your video at the playhead.

## Type and edit the text

Select the title clip, move the playhead over it, and either double-click the text in the viewer or select it in the Text inspector. Many titles have more than one text object. Step between them with the Previous Text Layer and Next Text Layer buttons in the viewer or the inspector, or with Option-Tab and Option-Shift-Tab. Press Command-Return to stop editing.

To change several text objects at once, Command-click them in the viewer or drag across them, then adjust the Text inspector. While you're typing, letter keys go into the text, so the usual playback keys change: Control-Space bar plays and pauses, and Control-I and Control-O set a range. The [Final Cut Pro keyboard shortcuts guide](https://finalcuthub.com/final-cut-pro-keyboard-shortcuts/) lists the rest of these text-field variants.

## Change the font, size, color, and shadow

The Text inspector holds the type controls, grouped into sections that [Apple's page on adjusting titles](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/adjust-titles-ver4e32ca5/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) describes:

__Sections of the Final Cut Pro Text inspector and what each one controls.__
| Section                        | What it controls                                                                                           |
| ------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Preset pop-up (top, unlabeled) | Built-in 2D Styles and 3D Styles, plus the commands that save your own presets                             |
| Basic                          | Font, font style, size, alignment, vertical alignment, line spacing, tracking, kerning, baseline, All Caps |
| 3D Text                        | Turns the text into 3D; Face and Outline give way to Lighting and Material                                 |
| Face                           | Fill type, color, opacity, blur                                                                            |
| Outline                        | Fill type, color, opacity, blur, width                                                                     |
| Glow                           | Fill type, color, opacity, blur, radius                                                                    |
| Drop Shadow                    | Fill type, color, opacity, distance, angle                                                                 |

The Size slider stops at 288 points. For bigger text, drag over the number or click it and type a value, as [Apple's list of Text inspector controls](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/text-inspector-controls-ver842700521/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) points out. Settings that belong to one particular title, such as its scale, position, color, or animation timing, sit behind the Title button at the top of the inspector, and some titles let you keyframe them there.

3D text is one checkbox away. Select 3D Text in the Text inspector and [Apple's 3D text page](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/convert-text-to-3d-text-ver86c8e10f8/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) says the Face and Outline sections are replaced by Lighting and Material. Clear the checkbox to go back to flat text.

Once a look works, save it. Open the preset pop-up and choose Save Format Attributes (font, size, alignment, tracking, line spacing), Save Appearance Attributes (color, outline, glow, shadow), or Save All Format and Appearance Attributes, then name it in the Save Preset to Library window. To restyle a whole project, open the timeline index, click Clips at the top and Titles at the bottom, select the titles, and choose your preset. [Apple's page on preset text styles](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/apply-preset-text-styles-verc5832fb0c/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) gives the folder where the presets live: \~/Library/Containers/Final Cut Pro/Data/Library/Application Support/Motion/Library/Text Styles/. Include it in your backup.

I'd save one All Format and Appearance preset per channel or client, because applying it to every title from the timeline index takes seconds, while matching fonts and shadows by eye drifts from one video to the next.

![Text inspector sections from top to bottom: preset pop-up with 2D and 3D styles, Basic with font, size, and spacing, the 3D Text checkbox, Face, Outline, Glow, and Drop Shadow, with a Save Preset choice of format, appearance, or all applied to every title.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ac/57/ac5779c6-4ac7-45d8-83b8-afdad2b814a0/content/images/2026/10/final-cut-pro-text-and-titles-inline-1-fd750e3a8d0b3426.webp)

Style one title in the Text inspector, save it as a preset, and apply it to every title from the timeline index.

## Position, timing, and fades

**Position.** With the title selected and the playhead over it, drag the text in the viewer. To see safe margins, click the View pop-up menu in the upper-right corner of the viewer and choose Show Title/Action Zones. [Apple's page on viewer overlays](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/use-overlays-in-the-viewer-verded6d49d7/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) defines the title-safe area as the inner 80 percent of the frame and action-safe as 90 percent, and the overlay never shows up in your export. I'd keep text inside the title-safe box even for web video, because closed captions are drawn over everything in the frame, titles included, and the margin keeps the two from colliding.

**Duration.** Drag either edge of the title clip in the timeline, or select it, press Control-D, and type a duration. In some animated titles the animation follows the clip length, so [Apple's page on positioning and animating titles](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/position-animate-titles-final-cut-pro-mac-verc2633b096/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) suggests extending the Scrolling title to slow its scroll.

**Fades.** Select the title clip and press Command-T to add the default transition, a Cross Dissolve, at both ends. Because the title is a connected clip, Final Cut first wraps it in its own storyline, which [Apple's page on storylines](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/add-storylines-ver8e3f1748/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) describes. For a fade you control frame by frame, open the Video inspector and keyframe Opacity in the Compositing section; the Blend Mode pop-up menu in the same section changes how the text mixes with the picture underneath.

**Deeper changes in Motion.** Control-click a title in the browser and choose Open a copy in Motion to change its design or animation. In Motion, choose File > Save As, name the new title, assign a category, and click Publish; plain File > Save adds "copy" to the original name. [Apple's page on modifying titles in Motion](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/modify-titles-in-motion-ver1934c6b94/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) adds a licensing catch: both apps must be current, compatible, and either both part of Apple Creator Studio or both one-time purchases.

## Fix names across every lower third

When a name or job title appears in a dozen lower thirds, change it once. Choose Edit > Find and Replace Title Text, type the old and new text, set "Search in" to All Titles In Project, select Match case or Whole words if you need them, and click Replace All. To undo, click in the viewer to make it active and press Command-Z. Selected Title is handy for long credits, but if several titles are selected, [Apple's find and replace page](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/find-and-replace-text-verc5d34470/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) says only the one closest to the start of the timeline is searched.

I'd run a search for every guest's name before export, because a misspelled name in one lower third out of twelve is easy to miss in playback and hard to fix once the video is out.

## Put text behind a person with Magnetic Mask

The text-behind-the-subject look takes three layers: the original clip, the title, and a masked copy of the clip on top. The Magnetic Mask cuts the subject out of that copy, so the subject sits in front of the text while the original background stays behind it.

1. **Add the title over the clip.** Put the playhead at the start of the clip and press Control-T.
2. **Copy the clip before masking it.** Select the clip in the primary storyline, press Command-C, put the playhead exactly on the clip's first frame, and press Option-V to paste it as a connected clip. If the copy lands below the title, drag it above the title so the stack reads copy, title, original.
3. **Mask the top copy.** Select the copy and choose Modify > Add Magnetic Mask (Control-Command-M). Click the subject in the viewer with the Add eyedropper. Hold Option to switch to the Remove eyedropper for a moment and click areas that don't belong.
4. **Analyze, then click Done.** Click Analyze to extend the mask through the whole clip; press Esc to cancel if it drifts, fix the selection, and analyze again. Play the result back, then click Done in the upper-right corner of the viewer.

[Apple's Magnetic Mask page](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/add-magnetic-masks-ver1d67e3a53/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) says the effect creates a matte for compositing the isolated subject over another image, recommends a Mac with Apple silicon for the best performance, and notes that control points beyond about 20 make no measurable difference. The layer order matters because the topmost video in a stack covers the clips below unless it has transparency, as [Apple's page on connected clips](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/connect-clips-ver7a77ef9e/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) explains. Once it looks right, select all three layers and press Option-G to turn them into a single clip; the [guide to compound clips](https://finalcuthub.com/final-cut-pro-compound-clips/) covers editing it later.

I'd keep this effect for short shots where the subject stands clearly apart from the background, because every extra second is more mask to analyze and check. If you shot against green, keying is cleaner, and the [Final Cut Pro green screen guide](https://finalcuthub.com/final-cut-pro-green-screen/) covers edges and spill.

![Three stacked layers, a pasted copy of the clip with a Magnetic Mask on top, the title in the middle, and the original clip at the bottom, producing a frame where the word Behind sits behind the subject.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ac/57/ac5779c6-4ac7-45d8-83b8-afdad2b814a0/content/images/2026/10/final-cut-pro-text-and-titles-inline-2-ceafb91ad8ac72b1.webp)

Text behind a person: paste a copy of the clip with Option-V, keep it above the title, and mask the subject with Control-Command-M.

## Titles or captions?

Use titles for names, labels, and on-screen emphasis, and captions for spoken words. [Apple's introduction to captions](https://support.apple.com/guide/final-cut-pro/intro-to-captions-ver00e40835d/mac?ref=finalcuthub.com) spells out the difference: titles are always burned into the exported video, closed captions can be turned on or off by the viewer, they're drawn over everything in the frame, and they can be exported as separate files. In Final Cut, Option-C adds a caption at the playhead, Shift-Command-C transcribes all spoken words as closed captions, and Shift-Command-S transcribes them as subtitles.

I'd put dialogue in captions rather than typing it as titles, because a caption file stays editable after export and the viewer decides whether to see it, while a title is part of the picture for good. The [guide to SRT captions](https://finalcuthub.com/final-cut-pro-srt-captions/) covers importing and exporting caption files.

## When a title won't show up

- **The playhead isn't over it.** The viewer only shows the title while the playhead or skimmer is inside the title clip.
- **A clip above it covers it.** Connected video stacked above the title hides it. Move the title to the top of the stack or shorten the clip above.
- **The clip is disabled.** Select the title and press V to turn playback back on.
- **Opacity or blend mode hides it.** Check Opacity and Blend Mode in the Compositing section of the Video inspector.
- **It looks dim over HDR footage.** Titles are made in SDR. Open the Title inspector and raise Graphics HDR Level.
- **A custom title disappeared after moving a library.** Titles you made or changed in Motion travel with a library only if your Motion content storage is set to In Library before you copy or move it. Third-party titles that use FxPlug have to be moved by hand.

## Built-in titles or a title pack?

Search for Final Cut Pro titles and most results are stores selling template packs, some through installer apps such as FxFactory. They're Motion templates or plug-ins, and the [Final Cut Pro plugins guide](https://finalcuthub.com/final-cut-pro-plugins/) explains which formats load and where they appear.

I'd stay with the built-in titles until you need a look they can't give you, because they're on every Mac that has Final Cut, and you can open a copy of any of them in Motion and change it. A third-party pack has to be installed on each Mac that opens the project, or its titles go missing.

## What I'd do

Pick one lower third and one title you like, make them the defaults, and save their look as a preset before the first edit. Add text with Control-T and Control-Shift-T, keep it inside the title-safe zone, and fade it with Command-T or opacity keyframes. Run Find and Replace on every name before export, put dialogue in captions, and save Magnetic Mask for the few shots that earn it. If you're still learning the basics, the [Final Cut Pro beginner tutorial](https://finalcuthub.com/final-cut-pro-beginner-tutorial/) takes a first video from import to export.