{"id":93228,"date":"2026-07-22T14:50:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T11:20:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pixflow.net\/blog\/?p=93228"},"modified":"2026-07-23T09:52:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T06:22:08","slug":"davinci-resolve-titles-lower-thirds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pixflow.net\/blog\/davinci-resolve-titles-lower-thirds\/","title":{"rendered":"DaVinci Resolve Titles and Text: How to Create Professional Lower Thirds and Titles"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1734342908250{margin-top: 125px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading css=”.vc_custom_1784722744328{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]You can spot an amateur edit in seconds, and it usually isn’t the footage that gives it away. It’s the text. A default font floating awkwardly over an interview, a title that pops on with no animation, a name graphic that overstays its welcome. (We’ve all made at least one of these, no judgment.)<\/p>\n

Here’s the thing: DaVinci Resolve gives you everything you need to create broadcast-quality titles and lower thirds without ever leaving the app. The catch is that the tools are spread across three different pages, and knowing which one to use, and when, is what separates clean professional text from something that screams “default settings.”<\/p>\n

In this guide, we’re covering every way to add titles and text in DaVinci Resolve: quick Edit page titles, the far more powerful Text+, built-in Fusion titles, and fully custom lower thirds you build node by node. We’ll also cover animation, saving your titles as reusable presets, design rules the pros follow, and fixes for the most common title problems. If you’re brand new to the editor, start with our complete DaVinci Resolve beginners guide<\/a> and come back when you’re comfortable with the timeline.<\/p>\n

And if you’re on a deadline and need cinematic results today, our Dramatic Movie Title Templates for DaVinci Resolve<\/a> pack gives you 30 customizable movie-grade titles that drop straight into your project. More on templates later.[\/vc_custom_heading][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1734342908250{margin-top: 125px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading css=”” el_id=”What Is a Lower Third and Why Titles Make or Break Your Video”]<\/p>\n

What Is a Lower Third (and Why Titles Make or Break Your Video)<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading css=”.vc_custom_1784722732792{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]A lower third is the text graphic that sits in the bottom portion of the frame, usually the bottom left, introducing a speaker, a location, or a key piece of information. The name comes from broadcast television: the graphic traditionally occupies the lower third of the screen, staying clear of the subject’s face and the action.<\/p>\n

You see lower thirds everywhere: interview names and job titles in documentaries, guest introductions on YouTube, location tags in travel videos, and product callouts in commercial work. They do a lot of quiet storytelling in just a few words.<\/p>\n

And they matter more than most editors think. Clean, consistent titles signal to viewers (and clients) that the whole production is trustworthy. Sloppy text does the opposite, no matter how good your footage or your grade is. When your typography, timing, and animation all feel intentional, retention goes up and your brand looks like it has its act together.[\/vc_custom_heading][px_single_image_box px_image_box_position=”px_image_box_position_center” px_image_caption=”true” px_image_width_option=”true” px_image_url=”93234″ px_image_url_webp=”93234″ px_image_width=”700px” px_image_caption_text=”Lower third placement area in a professional interview video frame”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1734342908250{margin-top: 125px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading css=”” el_id=”The 4 Ways to Add Text and Titles in DaVinci Resolve”]<\/p>\n

The 4 Ways to Add Text and Titles in DaVinci Resolve<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading css=”.vc_custom_1784722954500{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]Resolve gives you four main paths to on-screen text, and each has a clear best use case. Here’s the overview before we break each one down:[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_wp_text]\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Method<\/strong><\/th>Where you work<\/strong><\/th>Difficulty<\/strong><\/th>Control level<\/strong><\/th>Best for<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Basic Text title<\/td>Edit or Cut page<\/td>Very easy<\/td>Basic (font, size, color, position)<\/td>Quick captions, simple title cards<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Text+<\/td>Edit page (Fusion-powered)<\/td>Easy<\/td>High (shading, gradients, 3D transform, animation)<\/td>Most titles and lower thirds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Built-in Fusion titles and templates<\/td>Edit page Effects Library<\/td>Easy<\/td>Medium (customize pre-built designs)<\/td>Fast, polished results on a deadline<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Custom Fusion build<\/td>Fusion page<\/td>Intermediate<\/td>Total (node-based, anything you can imagine)<\/td>Branded lower thirds and signature looks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n[\/vc_wp_text][vc_custom_heading css=”.vc_custom_1784723106653{margin-top: 25px !important;margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]A good rule of thumb: start with Text+ as your default, reach for templates when speed matters, and go into Fusion when you want something nobody else has. That’s the exact ladder we’ll climb in this article.[\/vc_custom_heading][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1734342908250{margin-top: 125px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading css=”” el_id=”Method 1 Adding Basic Titles on the Edit Page”]<\/p>\n

Method 1: Adding Basic Titles on the Edit Page<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading css=”.vc_custom_1784723140783{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]The fastest way to get words on screen takes about ten seconds:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Open the Edit page and find the Effects Library (top left).<\/li>\n
  2. Go to Toolbox, then Titles.<\/li>\n
  3. Drag the Text title onto a video track above your clip.<\/li>\n
  4. Double-click the title in the timeline, open the Inspector (top right), and type your text.<\/li>\n
  5. Adjust font, size, color, alignment, and position in the Inspector.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    That’s it. The basic Text tool covers the essentials: typeface, tracking, line spacing, a simple drop shadow, and a background stroke if you need one.<\/p>\n

    It’s genuinely fine for quick captions, temporary slates, or a simple end card. But the moment you want gradients, glows, per-character animation, or anything that looks designed rather than typed, you’ll hit the ceiling fast. That’s where the next method comes in.[\/vc_custom_heading][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1734342908250{margin-top: 125px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading css=”” el_id=”Method 2 Text Explained The Tool You Should Actually Use”]<\/p>\n

    Method 2: Text+ Explained (The Tool You Should Actually Use)<\/h2>\n

    [\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading css=”.vc_custom_1784723186116{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]Text+ looks like just another title in the Effects Library, but it’s secretly a full Fusion text engine wearing an Edit page costume. You add it exactly the same way (Effects Library, Titles, drag Text+ above your clip), but the Inspector opens up a completely different world of control.<\/p>\n

    If you’ve ever wondered why Resolve has two text tools, here’s the honest comparison. It’s the single most asked title question in the Resolve community, and Boris FX’s breakdown of Resolve’s text methods<\/a> reaches the same conclusion we did:[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_wp_text]\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
    Feature<\/strong><\/th>Text<\/strong><\/th>Text+<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Font, size, color, position<\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Gradient fills and advanced shading layers<\/td>No<\/td>Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Outlines, glows, borders, drop shadows (stackable)<\/td>Limited<\/td>Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    3D rotation and transform<\/td>No<\/td>Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Per-character or per-word animation<\/td>No<\/td>Yes (Follower modifier)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Keyframeable in the Inspector<\/td>Basic<\/td>Everything<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Opens fully in the Fusion page<\/td>No<\/td>Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n[\/vc_wp_text][vc_custom_heading css=”.vc_custom_1784723214266{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]Inside the Text+ Inspector, four tabs do most of the work. Text is where your words, font, and spacing live. Layout controls the frame position and text direction. Transform handles rotation, shear, and sizing. Shading is the fun one: up to eight stackable layers for fills, outlines, shadows, and glows.<\/p>\n

    Our advice: make Text+ your default title tool from day one. It behaves like a normal title in the timeline, renders fast, and grows with you. When you eventually open one on the Fusion page, you’ll realize you’ve been learning Fusion all along without noticing.[\/vc_custom_heading][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1734342908250{margin-top: 125px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading css=”” el_id=”Method 3 Using Built-In Fusion Titles and Title Templates”]<\/p>\n

    Method 3: Using Built-In Fusion Titles and Title Templates<\/h2>\n

    [\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading css=”.vc_custom_1784723356500{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]Scroll a little further in the Effects Library and you’ll find Fusion Titles: pre-animated title designs built in Fusion but customizable right from the Inspector. Drag one over your clip, swap in your text, tweak the colors, done. No node editing required.<\/p>\n

    The built-in collection is a decent starting point, but it’s also on every other YouTube video made with Resolve. For client work or a channel with a consistent brand, third-party title templates are the professional shortcut. Sites like Motion Array’s lower thirds roundup<\/a> show just how big that ecosystem has become.<\/p>\n

    Installing templates in Resolve is straightforward:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. For .drfx bundles: double-click the file, and Resolve installs the templates automatically. They appear in the Effects Library under Titles or Generators.<\/li>\n
    2. For .setting files: copy them into the Fusion templates folder (Edit > Titles inside Resolve’s template directory), then restart Resolve.<\/li>\n
    3. For macros you use constantly: store them in a Power Bin so they’re available in every project.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      If you want titles with real cinematic weight, this is exactly what our Dramatic Movie Title Templates for DaVinci Resolve<\/a> were built for: 30 dramatic, fully customizable movie titles designed for trailers, films, documentaries, and music videos. You drop them in, change the text, and keep the whole edit inside Resolve. (Your deadline will thank you.)[\/vc_custom_heading][px_single_image_box px_image_box_position=”px_image_box_position_center” px_image_caption=”true” px_image_width_option=”true” px_image_url=”93239″ px_image_url_webp=”93239″ px_image_width=”700px” px_image_caption_text=”Browsing cinematic title templates for DaVinci Resolve”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1734342908250{margin-top: 125px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading css=”” el_id=”Method 4 Building a Custom Lower Third in Fusion Step by Step”]<\/p>\n

      Method 4: Building a Custom Lower Third in Fusion (Step by Step)<\/h2>\n

      [\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading css=”.vc_custom_1784783624094{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]Ready to build something that’s 100% yours? The Fusion page looks intimidating the first time, but a clean lower third only needs a handful of nodes. If nodes are brand new to you, our Fusion tutorial for beginners<\/a> walks through the fundamentals first.<\/p>\n

      Here’s the classic build, the same approach taught by trainers like DVResolve<\/a>:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Add a Text+ title from the Edit page over your clip, then right-click it and choose Open in Fusion Page. You’ll see a Template node connected to a MediaOut.<\/li>\n
      2. Create the bar. Add a Background node for your color, then a Rectangle mask on it to shape the bar. Size and position it in the lower left of the frame.<\/li>\n
      3. Merge it under your text. Add a Merge node: bar as background, text as foreground. Order matters, the foreground draws on top.<\/li>\n
      4. Add a second Text+ node for the subtitle line (job title, location) and merge it in. Two text nodes means you can style and animate name and role independently.<\/li>\n
      5. Position everything using the safe area overlays in the viewer so nothing sits too close to the frame edge.<\/li>\n
      6. Animate the reveal. A rectangle mask on the whole comp makes a great wipe-on: keyframe the mask position so the graphic slides in from behind an invisible edge.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Save the finished node group as a macro or drag it into a Power Bin, and you now own a reusable branded lower third. If you enjoy this kind of node work, Jonny Elwyn’s roundup of high-end finishing techniques in Fusion<\/a> is a great rabbit hole for going further.[\/vc_custom_heading][px_single_image_box px_image_box_position=”px_image_box_position_center” px_image_caption=”true” px_image_width_option=”true” px_image_url=”93241″ px_image_url_webp=”93241″ px_image_width=”700px” px_image_caption_text=”Building a custom lower third with Fusion nodes in DaVinci Resolve”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1734342908250{margin-top: 125px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading css=”” el_id=”How to Animate Your Titles and Lower Thirds”]<\/p>\n

        How to Animate Your Titles and Lower Thirds<\/h2>\n

        [\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading css=”.vc_custom_1784783977414{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]Static text works, but motion is what makes a lower third feel professional. You have two levels of animation control in Resolve, and both are simpler than they sound.<\/p>\n

        For Inspector keyframes (the quick way): select your title, park the playhead where the animation should start, and click the small diamond next to any property, like Position or Opacity. Move the playhead, change the value, and Resolve creates the second keyframe automatically. A position slide plus an opacity fade already looks clean. For a proper reveal, animate a crop or rectangle mask so the text appears to wipe on from behind a line.<\/p>\n

        For Fusion animation (the polished way): open the title in Fusion and use the Spline editor to ease your keyframes. Select the keyframe points and hit S for smooth, and the movement stops feeling robotic. Add a motion blur node (or enable motion blur on the Merge) and fast moves become buttery instead of steppy. Timing your title reveals to match your cuts also pairs beautifully with transitions, and our guide to DaVinci Resolve transitions<\/a> covers that side of the craft.<\/p>\n

        One more thing the community asks constantly: how do you make an animated Fusion title stop animating? The quick trick is to create a compound clip from the title, park on the frame you like, and use a freeze frame from the Inspector (or retime controls). For full control, open the title in Fusion and delete or flatten the keyframes on the animated properties.[\/vc_custom_heading][px_single_image_box px_image_box_position=”px_image_box_position_center” px_image_caption=”true” px_image_width_option=”true” px_image_url=”93242″ px_image_url_webp=”93242″ px_image_width=”700px” px_image_caption_text=”Animating lower thirds with keyframes and easing curves in DaVinci Resolve”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1734342908250{margin-top: 125px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading css=”” el_id=”How to Save Your Titles as Reusable Presets”]<\/p>\n

        How to Save Your Titles as Reusable Presets<\/h2>\n

        [\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading css=”.vc_custom_1784784090802{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]Building a great lower third once is craftsmanship. Rebuilding it from scratch every project is madness. Resolve gives you three ways to never do that again:<\/p>\n