# How to add text overlays to video ads

> Add text overlays to a video ad: write short lines, time them to the voice and keep them in each platform's safe zone. Safe zone table and a worked example.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-11
- **Category**: Video editing
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-add-text-overlays-to-video-ads

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To add text overlays, write one short line per message, show it as the voice says it and keep it in the safe zone. On Reels and Stories, keep it clear of the top 14%, the bottom 35% and 6% on each side.

## Safe zones by platform

| Platform | Safe zone rule (checked 3 Nov 2026) |
|---|---|
| Meta Reels and Stories | Leave roughly 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% on each side free. At 1080 x 1920 that is 269 px, 672 px and 65 px (our arithmetic) |
| TikTok | Download TikTok's safe zone template. Its help text gives no percentages. TikTok is blocked in India, so this row is for readers outside India |
| YouTube Shorts ads | Google gives PNG templates. At 1080 x 1920 a red Safe Zone rectangle shows where to keep logos, products and text |
| LinkedIn | Publishes no text-placement guidance |

Sources: Meta's [Reels ad specs](https://en-gb.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/instagram-reels) and Google's [video ad specs](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/13547298).

## Steps

1. Write the lines first. Keep each to three to six words.
2. Show each line when the voice says it. Remove it when the next line starts.
3. Pick a large font and strong contrast, such as white text on a dark box.
4. Place it in the middle band of the frame. Use your editor's safe zone overlay if it has one.
5. Add a simple entrance, such as a quick fade or slide. Keep the move short.
6. Play it on a phone with the app's buttons showing. Read every line.

We make Marxx. [Marxx's AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) shows safe-zone overlays for Reels, Stories, Shorts and TikTok, and has motion presets for entrances and exits. Cut is $9 a month at launch prices (checked 3 Nov 2026).

## Overlay or caption?

Captions show what is said. Overlays show the one message you want remembered, such as the price or the offer. Use both, but do not stack them in the same spot. See [how to add captions to video ads](/guides/how-to-add-captions-to-video-ads).

## A worked example

Say you run a 20-second ad for a INR 1,299 steel bottle.

| Time | Voice says | Overlay |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 s | "My old bottle leaked in my bag, twice." | "Leaked. Twice." |
| 3 to 9 s | "This lid locks with a twist." | "Lid locks shut" |
| 9 to 15 s | "Shake it. Nothing comes out." | "Shake test" |
| 15 to 20 s | "INR 1,299, free delivery." | "INR 1,299. Free delivery" |

The lines are example copy we wrote. Each overlay is short enough to read at a glance.

For the last card of the ad, see [how to add a call-to-action end card](/guides/how-to-add-a-cta-end-card). For the first frames, see [how to edit the first three seconds](/guides/how-to-edit-a-video-ad-hook).

## FAQ

### How much text is too much?

If a line takes longer to read than to say, cut it. One idea per card.

### Where should the price go?

Inside the safe zone, on the offer line near the end of the ad. Repeat it in the voice.

### Do overlays need to match the captions?

No. Captions follow the speech word for word. An overlay can be shorter or say something different.

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