# What is kinetic typography?

> Kinetic typography is text that moves, pops or changes size in time with speech or music. See styles, timing maths and tools that animate captions.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-07
- **Category**: Video editing
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/kinetic-typography

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Kinetic typography is animated text that moves, scales or appears word by word in time with speech or music. In ads it keeps the hook readable and the eye moving.

## Common styles

- **Word by word:** each word pops in as the voice says it.
- **Active word:** the spoken word changes colour or size.
- **Key-word emphasis:** the important word is bigger or brighter.
- **Reveal or slide:** a headline slides in, then holds.

## A worked example

Say your hook is "Glow in seven days". It has 4 words, and the voice says it in 2 seconds.

2 / 4 = **0.5 seconds per word**

Make each word pop in as the voice says it, then hold the full line until the next beat.

Keep the text inside Meta's Reels safe zone. Meta's Reels ad guide suggests about 14% free at the top, 35% at the bottom and 6% on each side. On a 1,080 x 1,920 video, the bottom 35% is 672 pixels. Text must then sit above 1,248 pixels from the top. That pixel figure is our arithmetic, not Meta's.

## Where to animate text

| Tool | Where the animation settings are |
|---|---|
| Canva | Animate on the menu bar, then under Captions choose Reveal, Highlight or Snake |
| Final Cut Pro | Inspector, Title button: Animation Style (None, Fade, Scale, Highlight, Fill) and Animate By (Character, Word, Line, All) |
| Descript | Captions layer, Properties panel: "Active word", "Future words" and line animation |

Menu names are from each maker's help pages (checked 3 Nov 2026).

Marxx's [AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) has caption styles trending on Reels and Shorts, including the word behind the speaker, key-word emphasis, automatic emoji and a sound on key words. It also has motion presets for entrances and exits. We make Marxx.

For ready-made looks, see [Hormozi-style caption tools](/best/best-hormozi-style-caption-tools).

## FAQ

### Is kinetic typography the same as animated captions?

Captions are one use, and [open captions](/glossary/open-captions) are the usual place to animate. The same idea also covers headlines, offers and end-of-ad text.

### Does animated text slow the ad down?

Not by itself. Keep lines short and hold each one long enough to read.

### Should every word move?

No. Animate the words that carry the hook or the offer. Too much motion makes the text hard to read.

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