About Thumbnail Text Overlay
Add bold headline text to any image — for YouTube thumbnails, blog hero images, social posts, or anywhere you need a polished still with words on top. Unlike the Shorts Thumbnail Generator (which is locked to a 1080×1920 canvas and a single text block), the Thumbnail Text Overlay preserves your source image's dimensions and gives you two independent text blocks (headline + subhead) with full control over position, size, colour, stroke, shadow and background band. Everything runs locally on a 2D canvas — your image and your text never leave the page.
- No uploads
- Browser-only
- Works offline
- 100% free
How it works
- 1
Drop the image
Any modern format up to 50 MB. The output keeps the original pixel dimensions.
- 2
Compose your text
Add a headline — pick the position from a 9-point anchor grid (top-left through bottom-right). Optionally enable a subhead block on a different anchor.
- 3
Style and download
Adjust font size, fill, stroke, shadow, optional background band. Download as JPG or PNG.
Related tools
Browse allCompose a 9:16 vertical cover with bold headline text.
Classic top + bottom captions in Impact font over any image.
Resize images to YouTube's 1280×720 thumbnail or 1080×1920 Shorts cover.
Compose a 1080×1920 TikTok cover with safe-area overlay and 1:1 thumb preview.
Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Every tool on SnapToolz runs entirely inside your browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly. Your file is read locally, processed in memory, and the result is offered as a download. Nothing is sent to a server — there isn't one to send to.
What's the difference between this and the Shorts Thumbnail Generator?
Shorts Thumbnail is locked to 1080×1920 vertical and produces one centred text block — designed for the 9:16 cover format specifically. Thumbnail Text Overlay keeps the source dimensions and gives you two independent text blocks with anchor placement, suitable for any size from a 1280×720 YouTube thumbnail to a 4K hero image.
Can I use my own font?
Currently the page uses system fonts (Impact preferred, sans-serif fallback). Custom font upload is on the roadmap — for now you can match a brand by adjusting size, weight and tracking.
Does the band cover the whole canvas?
By default it spans the full canvas width at the height of the text block — the most-readable choice for thumbnails. Tighter, inset bands are not currently exposed.
Does it work offline?
Yes. SnapToolz is a Progressive Web App. After your first visit, the app is cached on your device and every tool keeps working without an internet connection.
Is SnapToolz free?
Yes — every tool is 100% free with no sign-up, no watermark, no hidden tier. The whole platform is open source and we have no plan to gate features.