Styled Text
Sets the text content.
← Fusion node reference
Motion GraphicsBeginner
Text+
Advanced 2D typography
Creates styled 2D text with typography, shading layers, write-on animation and character-level controls.
Text+
DaVinci Resolve · Fusion
Text+ is Fusion’s main 2D text generator and can be processed like any other image branch.
Overview
What Text+ does
Text+ is the main text node for titles, captions and motion graphics inside Fusion. Because it lives in the node graph, it can pass through Transform, Glow, masks, displacement and other effects before being composited.
Its Shading system is especially powerful: a single Text+ can contain fill, outline, shadow and additional style layers without duplicating the text node.
For maintainable graphs, keep typography and basic appearance in Text+, then move animation and effects into separate nodes. This makes text changes much safer later.
Mental model
Text+ is a text generator that outputs an image with alpha. Fusion then treats it like any other graphic layer.
Common uses
YouTube titles
Lower thirds
Designed subtitles
Neon text
Kinetic typography
Instructional callouts
Flow anatomy
Inputs & outputs
The port structure shows how this node fits into a Fusion graph.
Effect Mask
Optionally limits where the text or its effect is visible.
Text+
Fusion node
Output
The processed result from this node.
Inspector
Important parameters
Start with these controls before reaching for more complicated workarounds.
Font
Chooses the typeface used by the text.
Style
Chooses the available style for the selected font.
Size
Sets the text size.
Tracking
Adjusts spacing between characters.
Line Spacing
Adjusts the vertical spacing between lines.
Alignment
Sets paragraph alignment inside the text layout.
Anchor / Position
Sets the text anchor and its position within the layout.
Anchor determines which part of the text block is held to the position control.
Layout
Chooses how the text is laid out and constrained.
Use the layout controls for point text, framed text and path-based arrangements.
Center
Positions the text layout in the frame.
Angle
Rotates the text layout.
Shading Elements
Selects and configures the independent shading layers used for fill, outline, shadow and other text treatments.
Tip: Keep a clear mental role for each shading element: Fill, Outline, Shadow, Highlight.
Fill
Sets the fill for the active shading element.
Opacity
Sets the opacity of the active shading element.
Outline
Controls the outline or stroke for the active shading element.
Softness
Softens the edge of the active fill, outline or shadow.
Drop Shadow
Adds and positions a shadow behind the text.
Transform Tab
Provides additional transforms for the text or active shading element without moving the rest of the composition.
Write On
Reveals a selected range of the text over time.
Animate the start or end position for type-on and wipe-on text builds.
Follower
Offsets animation across characters, words or lines.
Follower is useful for cascading opacity, position, scale and shading changes through a title.
Motion Blur
Adds motion blur generated by animated text movement.
Practical setup
A reliable workflow
- 1
Enter the text and select the font.
- 2
Set size, tracking, line spacing and alignment.
- 3
Add outline or shadow in Shading when the background is busy.
- 4
Use Transform after Text+ for larger movement.
- 5
Composite the result with Merge.
Typical node chain
Text+→
Transform→
Merge→
MediaOut
Examples
Where this node fits in real work
Readable YouTube title
Bold white type with a subtle outline and shadow.
Text+TransformMerge
Neon title
Text+ feeds Glow before being merged over the background.
Text+GlowMerge
Troubleshooting
Common mistakes
Using a decorative font that becomes unreadable on small screens.
Building all animation inside Text+ and making later edits difficult.
Using too many shading layers without a clear purpose.
Ignoring safe areas and placing captions too close to the frame edge.
Production notes
Practical tips
Check typography at reduced viewer scale before finalizing it.
Keep motion in Transform whenever possible.
Use a separate Glow node for easier control of neon-style effects.
Related nodes