Adding Text as Layers

You can use the Text tool in Edit mode to add text as a layer. You can customize the font, size, color, style, and justification, and insert metadata. You can also adjust the opacity of the text to create a watermark effect, which is useful for placing copyright information on your photos.

You can save your image with text layers as a .acdc file format. By saving in this format, your layers will remain editable should you re-open the image in Edit mode in the future.

You can add layer effects to text layers.

To Add Text as a Layer:

1. In Edit mode, select the Text tool from the Toolbar at the top of the panel.
2. Click in your desired area of the image. A text box is added to the image and a text layer appears on top in the Layers pane.
3. Click and drag the text marquee to reposition it anywhere on your image, or drag the marquee's handles to resize it. In the Context bar, you can also choose or enter a specific point size in the Size drop-down menu.

Press Shift while resizing to transform without maintaining aspect ratio.

4. Type the text you want to add in the text box. Each time you click to add another text box, a new text layer will be added to the Layers pane. You can select any text box and its layer will become selected in the Layers pane.
5. In the Context bar, use the drop-down menus to specify the font you want to use, the formatting options, such as italics or justification, and the color of the text.
6. At the top of the Layers pane, drag the Opacity slider to specify the transparency of the text.
7. At the top of the Layers pane, select an option from the Blend Mode drop-down list to specify how you want the text to blend into the underlying image.

You cannot enter an Edit mode filter while a text layer is selected. This will prompt a warning asking you if you would like to rasterize your text layer. After you rasterize the text layer it will no longer be editable.

While you cannot merge text layers with other text layers, you can merge text with regular image layers. This action will rasterize your text. After you rasterize the text layer it will no longer be editable.

You can add adjustment layers above text layers and clip them directly to text layers. See Using Adjustment Layers.

You can add a mask to a text layer. However, should you move the text layer, the mask will not move with it.

You can modify a text layer, including customizing style settings, by selecting the text layer.

Typical keyboard shortcuts, such as Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Ctrl + A, etc, will work in text boxes. You can also use Home, End, Ctrl + Home, and Ctrl + End to move your cursor to the beginning or end of the text.

You can use Ctrl + Z to undo recent changes when editing within a text box. However, using the Undo/Redo buttons will undo and redo entire text actions, such as adding a text box.

You can apply any Alt codes in text boxes. You can use the following keyboard shortcuts to add copyright information to your images:

Rasterizing Text

There are certain situations when you may want to manually rasterize text, such as attaching masks to text. You can also select multiple text layers and rasterize once, rather than rasterizing layer by layer.

To Rasterize Text:

With your text layer(s) selected, do one of the following:

• Choose Layer | Rasterize Text Layer.
• Press Ctrl + Shift + T.
• Right-click your text layer in the Layers pane and choose Rasterize Layer from the context menu.

To Add Metadata as Text to an Image:

1. In Edit mode, select the Text tool from the Toolbar at the top of the panel.
2. In the Context bar, click the Ins button.
3. In the Choose Properties dialog box, click the plus + signs to expand the tree and toggle the checkboxes to select your metadata preferences.
4. Press OK. Your selected metadata will be added as a text layer.

See also:

• About Blend Modes