You’ve spent time arranging photos from your daughter’s birthday party into the perfect collage – but something’s missing. The text you added just isn’t quite right. Maybe it’s hard to read, or it doesn’t match the vibe, or it feels… blah.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone! The difference between a collage that’s just okay and one that really pops often comes down to how you work with text. Whether you’re creating cards for loved ones, sharing memories on social media, or making something special for yourself, knowing how to add text to images changes everything.
This guide walks you through everything about text in PicCollage – from your very first addition to tricks that make your designs look polished and professional.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Text Basics in PicCollage
- How to Add Text to Your Photos
- Text Tips for Different Types of Designs
- Make Your Text Pop: Pro Tips for Text in Collages
Want to Try This Right Now? Start Here!
Don’t have time to read the full guide? No worries! Here’s the fastest way to add great-looking text:
- Open PicCollage and add your photo
- Tap the Text button and type your message
- Double-tap your text and select a background color
- Done! Your text is now readable and looks intentional.
Want to learn more tricks? Keep reading for everything else!
1. Text Basics in PicCollage
Ready to dive in? PicCollage has everything you need to add text that looks polished and professional – no design degree required!
Think of PicCollage as your creative toolbox. We have the text editor easily accessible from the bottom menu, plus a whole library of fonts to choose from (seriously, hundreds of them!). Want to match colors from your photos? The color picker has you covered. Need your text to stand out? Text backgrounds make it easy. And when you want something styled and ready to go, our suggested text options give you beautiful designs in seconds.
The best part? All these tools work together so you can create the exact look you’re going for.
Steps to Add Text to your Collage
Let’s get you started! There are two easy ways to add text to your collage:
Quick Add from the Text Button
Open your collage and tap the Text at the bottom of your screen. Type your message, and hit the checkmark when you’re done. That’s it!
Even Faster: Tap Anywhere
Here’s a shortcut: just tap anywhere on your canvas (not on a photo or sticker) and select Text from the menu. Type away and you’re good to go!
Made a typo? No problem! Just double-tap your text anytime to edit it. This brings up all the customization options so you can adjust fonts, colors, and more.
For complete details on all text editing features, check out our Add and Edit Text help center guide.
2: How to Add Text to Your Photos
Now that you know the basics, let’s explore how to make your text work beautifully with your photos. We get it – you want your collages to look as good as the memories they’re capturing. The right text makes all the difference.
Suggested Text Options
Need something gorgeous in about 30 seconds? Suggested text options gives you styled designs instantly. These options come with fonts, colors, and effects already applied, saving you time when you need something quick.
Perfect for:
- Last-minute cards
- Getting styling inspiration
- Your first text design
- Quick, polished looks
To access text suggestions, tap the ✨ ‘sparkle’ icon inside the text editor and browse the tab for ready-made font and background pairings.
Choosing the Right Font
Your font choice sets the entire mood for your design. PicCollage offers hundreds of fonts across different styles to match any occasion.
Font selection tips:
- Classic fonts feel traditional and reliable – perfect for family cards and timeless designs
- Modern fonts bring clean, contemporary vibes to your collages
- Elegant fonts work beautifully for weddings, formal celebrations, and sophisticated looks
- Handwritten fonts add a personal, authentic touch to any message
- Fun fonts grab attention and bring playful energy to announcements and celebrations
- Seasonal fonts capture the spirit of holidays and special times of year
To change fonts, select the ’T’ while editing your text and browse the font library. You can preview how different fonts look with your text before committing – no pressure!
Where to Place Your Text
Here’s a design secret: where you put your text is just as important as what it says. The right placement makes your words easy to read and your photos look even better.
Quick positioning tips:
- Find the calm spots in your photos (not the busy areas!) and place text there
- Never cover faces – your people are the stars of the show
- Use the rule of thirds – position text off-center for visual interest
- Leave breathing room around text so it doesn’t feel cramped
You can resize text by pinching with two fingers or dragging the corner dot. To adjust the text box width, drag the green bar on the left side of your text.
Adding Backgrounds for Readability
Want to know the easiest way to make text readable on any photo? Text backgrounds! They’re total game-changers. When you add text to image designs with busy photos or multiple colors, backgrounds ensure your message doesn’t get lost.
How to add text backgrounds:
1. Access the background tool:
Tap your text, then tap the ‘Pencil’ icon and select Edit. (Or just double-tap the text!) Now tap the ‘A with a background’ icon.
2. Choose your background shape:
Each shape creates a different vibe:
- Rectangle for clean, modern looks
- Brush stroke for artistic flair
- Pill shape for smooth, rounded designs
- Torn paper scrap for scrapbook aesthetics
- Bubble shape for playful, casual vibes
3. Select your background color:
Pick what works best for your design – choose from solid colors for bold contrast, glitter for celebrations, or textured options like denim and paper for extra character. Adjust opacity by tapping the background and using the slider to reach your desired transparency, letting your photos peek through beautifully.
Pro tip: Text feeling squished? Add blank lines above and below your message (just hit return) to give your background more breathing room. This expands the background height for better visual balance.
To remove a background, tap the text background icon again and select the ‘None’ icon.
3. Text Tips for Different Types of Designs
Now for the fun part – let’s talk about using text for different occasions! Whether you’re making cards, stories, or wallpapers, we have different styling tips for them all!
Social Media Posts and Stories
Instagram waits for no one! Your text needs to catch eyes mid-scroll. Use text backgrounds to make your message stand out in busy feeds.
Text strategies for social posts:
- Keep messages short and impactful
- Use high-contrast text backgrounds for maximum visibility
- Position text where it won’t get cut off by platform cropping
- Choose fonts that remain readable at small sizes
You know that feeling when you post something and it just gets more likes than usual? Good text design is part of that magic. Remember those text backgrounds from earlier? They’re especially useful here – add a solid or semi-transparent background behind your text so it pops against any photo.
Holiday and Seasonal Collages
Your annual Christmas card to Grandma should feel warm and personal. Text hierarchy makes this work beautifully!
Holiday card text approach:
- Lead with your main greeting in a festive font (try elegant script for “Happy Holidays”)
- Add family name or year in complementary style
- Include personal message in readable, simple font
- Use seasonal colors that match your holiday theme
Example: Multi-page holiday card
- Page 1: “Happy Holidays” with family photo (large, bold greeting)
- Page 2: Personal message with “Love, The Browns” (smaller, intimate text)
This approach gives recipients both a beautiful display card and a heartfelt personal message. Check out our Holiday and Christmas Card Templates for ideas on how to make holiday cards!
Photo Dumps
Photo dumps are all about letting your pictures shine. The trick? Add just enough text to tell the story without covering those precious memories.
Photo dump text tips:
- Place text in empty spaces between photos
- Use text backgrounds to separate text from busy images
- Keep text minimal – let photos tell most of the story
- Position main messages (like “Happy Birthday Mike”) prominently
- Add smaller personal notes (“I love you”) in supporting positions
Quote and Motivational Designs
Quote designs are perfect for practicing font mixing and text styling. They’re also great for creating custom wallpapers!
Quote design techniques:
- Use a bold, eye-catching font for the main quote
- Add author attribution in smaller, simpler font
- Experiment with text placement – centered, off-center, or flowing
- Try creating personalized phone wallpapers featuring your favorite inspirational quotes
Ready to create your own custom wallpaper? Check out our Wallpapers & Collage Backgrounds guide for expert tips on sizing and design.
4. Make Your Text Pop: Pro Tips for Text in Collages
Ready to make your text look professional? These simple tricks will transform your designs from ordinary to “Wow, did you really make that yourself?” Let’s dive in!
Choose Fonts That Work Together
Using multiple fonts? Love it! Just remember: more isn’t always better. The trick is choosing fonts that complement each other rather than compete.
Think of it like outfit styling – if your top is bold and patterned, keep your bottoms simple. Same goes for fonts!
Easy pairing formula:
- Combine a decorative header font with a simple body font
- Use bold fonts for main messages and lighter fonts for details
- Pair elegant fonts with modern fonts for sophisticated contrast
Font pairing examples that work:
- Elegant headline + modern body text for wedding cards
- Fun title + classic supporting text for birthday celebrations
- Handwritten header + clean body font for personal messages
What to skip:
- More than 3 fonts (it gets messy fast!)
- Two decorative fonts together (they’ll fight for attention)
Make Your Text Easy to Read
Color can make your text impossible to miss – or impossible to read. The secret? Contrast!
High contrast combinations that always work:
- White text on dark backgrounds
- Black text on light backgrounds
- Bright colors on neutral backgrounds
Using the color picker like a pro:
Tap the ‘A’ icon to access text colors, then use the eyedropper tool to match colors from your photos. Move the eyedropper around your canvas to find the perfect shade. Double-tap any color to access sliders for precise adjustments – this is how you get that perfectly coordinated look!
More Text Customization Options
Want to take your text to the next level? Tap the “…” icon in the text editor for even more customization options:
Text effects you can try:
- Curve your text to flow with circular designs or create dynamic layouts
- Adjust spacing between letters for a custom, designer look
- Add outline to make text stand out even more against busy backgrounds
- Add shadow for depth and dimension that makes text pop off the page
- Increase size beyond the standard limits for bold, statement-making text
Learning how to add text to images opens up endless creative possibilities. From simple birthday cards to heartfelt holiday greetings, text helps you communicate your message and add personality to every collage. Start with the basics, then experiment as you get comfortable. The best way to improve? Try different approaches and see what feels right for your style!
Ready to create your next collage? Open PicCollage and start experimenting with these text techniques. We’d love to see what you create! Share your collages with us at @piccollage – and if you discover a text trick we didn’t cover, tag us so we can learn from you too. Happy creating! ✨
