How to Add a Title in iMovie

Last Updated: October 31, 2021 Tested

Adding a title to your iMovie project allows you to accurately present the movie that is playing, label specific video clips in your project, as well as add credits to your iMovie project. These title-adding options can be used for both home movies as well as amateur and professional film projects. iMovie's program presents you with numerous title display options, then allows you to edit the text according to your specific project. This wikiHow article will teach you how to add a title in iMovie using either your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using a Mac

1
Open your project in iMovie. Click the app icon (it looks like a video camera inside a purple star), then click the Projects tab to open any ongoing projects.
- Alternatively, you can start a new project by clicking on media in the Media tab that you want to include in an iMovie.^{[1]
  X
  Research source}
- When you click on a thumbnail in Projects or Media, you'll see the timeline of your work.
2
Click the Titles tab. The Titles tab is above your media space, near the top of your browser.
- This will open the Titles section, showing all of the display options for your title addition in your iMovie project.
Advertisement
3
Select a style of title display you want to add to your iMovie project. iMovie presents these titles as generic prototypes for you to understand what the title display will look like once in your iMovie project, but you can preview them on Mac by hovering your mouse over the thumbnail.
- To use the title on Mac, click and drag the title onto the timeline. Where you drop it in the timeline is where the title will go.^{[2]
  X
  Research source}
4
Double-click the "Title Text Here" to edit text. This will allow you to customize the text areas of the title display.
- You can change the font style, size, color, and other customizable attributes if you're using a Mac. The menu to change all this is above your project preview on the right side of your screen. If you don't see the different font options, click the "T" icon.
5
Preview your work. Click the "Play" button designated by the play symbol (sideways triangle). It's under the project preview and will play your iMovie project with the titles you have just added.
- If you want to edit your title to appear more like a subtitle, refer to How to Add Subtitles to a Video in iMovie.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using an iPhone or iPad

1
Open your project in iMovie. Tap the iMovie app icon (which looks like a video camera inside a star), then tap the project you want to continue.
- Alternatively, you can start a new project by clicking on media in the Media tab that you want to include in an iMovie.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
- When you click on a thumbnail in Projects or Media, you'll see the timeline of your work.
2
Tap the T button. The "Titles" icon is located below the timeline.
- This will open the Titles section, showing all of the display options for your title addition in your iMovie project.
3
Select a style of title display you want to add to your iMovie project. iMovie presents these titles as generic prototypes for you to understand what the title display will look like once in your iMovie project.
- To use the title on iPhone or iPad, move the playhead (the bar in the timeline) to where you want the title to go, then tap the title.^{[4]
  X
  Research source}
4
Tap on the "Title Text Here" to edit text. This will allow you to customize the text areas of the title display.
5
Preview your work. Click the "Play" button designated by the play symbol (sideways triangle). It's under the project preview and will play your iMovie project with the titles you have just added.
- If you want to edit your title to appear more like a subtitle, refer to How to Add Subtitles to a Video in iMovie.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I replace the video I have in the iMovie timeline? The video is the same length. However, when I replace it I lose all the titles. Is there a way to replace the video and keep the existing titles?

Community Answer

No. When you get rid of the video file, you also get rid of all the titles above it because they are linked together when you place them. You could move the titles to another clip in the timeline, then replace the clip, though.
Question

How can I view all text contained within titles in iMovie?

Community Answer

There are a few ways to accomplish this, the first being to double click on the text layer inside of the preview window in the center of the screen, the second being to click on the text button above the preview window and navigate to the text box.