# Add text and overlays

> Add text, shapes and image overlays in the web editor, then move, time and animate them to fit your scene and video.

Source: https://screenity.io/help/web-editor/add-text-and-overlays

Overlays add content on top of a scene. To add a video or screenshot as a scene instead, use **Create**.

This page is about the web editor. To draw on the page live while recording with the extension, see [Annotate while recording](https://screenity.io/help/recording/how-to-make-annotations-in-screenity).

1. Select the scene and choose **Text**, **Shape** or **Image** in the top bar of the editor to add an element. See [Use text templates and fonts](https://screenity.io/help/web-editor/use-text-templates), [Add shapes, gradients and patterns](https://screenity.io/help/web-editor/add-shapes) and [Use the media library](https://screenity.io/help/web-editor/use-the-media-library).
2. Select the element in the preview to move, resize or edit it.
3. Use its timing controls on the timeline to choose when it appears.
4. Play the scene to review placement and timing.

## Animate an overlay

1. Select the text, shape or other overlay in the preview or timeline.
2. Choose **Animate** or open its **Animation** tab in the properties panel.
3. Choose an **In** animation for its entrance and an **Out** animation for its exit. Adjust duration and other available options, such as direction or easing.
4. If the overlay offers a **Loop** tab, choose an effect to repeat while it is visible. Text also offers content animation options. Choose **None** to remove an effect.
5. Adjust the overlay's timing on the timeline and play the scene to check the animation in context.

For typing, scrolling, counting and other text effects, see [Add animated text](https://screenity.io/help/web-editor/add-animated-text). Options vary by overlay type. The entrance and exit happen when the overlay appears and disappears, so changing its timing also changes when it animates.

## Select and arrange overlays

### Select and group

- **Select several:** hold `Shift` and select each one, or drag a box around them on an empty part of the preview.
- **Move together:** drag the selection.
- **Group:** with multiple eligible elements selected, press `Ctrl+G` (Windows/Linux) or `Command+G` (Mac).
- **Ungroup:** press `Ctrl+Shift+G` (Windows/Linux) or `Command+Shift+G` (Mac), or choose **Ungroup** in the group's panel.
- **Work inside a group:** selecting part of a group selects the whole group. Double-click to select an element inside it, and press `Esc` to leave the group again.

### Align and order

With one element selected, use the floating toolbar to center it or change its order. Right-click it for more, such as flipping, duplicating and renaming. **Move behind media** places the element behind the scene's screen or camera video instead of on top of it.

With several elements selected, a toolbar lets you align them to each other. When three or more are selected, it can also space them evenly.

### Snap and copy

While you drag, guide lines appear and the element snaps to the center and edges of the preview and to the centers of other elements.

- Hold `Ctrl` (Windows/Linux) or `Command` (Mac) to skip snapping.
- Hold `Alt` (Windows/Linux) or `Option` (Mac) while dragging to make a copy.

See [Keyboard shortcuts](https://screenity.io/help/web-editor/keyboard-shortcuts) for more ways to copy, arrange and edit objects.

### Timing on the timeline

An element's timing bar snaps to the start and end of the scene, the playhead and the start and end of other elements. The bars are listed in stacking order, with the front-most element at the top. To choose which timing bars to show, see [Show overlay timing](https://screenity.io/help/web-editor/work-with-scenes#show-overlay-timing).

For focus effects on a screen source, see [Blur and spotlight an area](https://screenity.io/help/web-editor/blur-and-spotlight).