How to add text to photo books: a step-by-step guide + top typography tips

One of the easiest ways to transform a collection of photos into a well-rounded, meaningful story is by adding text to your custom photo book. Use the intuitive text tools in Mixbook Studio™ to add page headers, captions, or longer pieces of writing that enhance your photo book, preserve your memories, and capture a unique narrative. You can also stylize all text elements to create aesthetically pleasing typography—no design experience necessary.

Adding text to a photo book in Mixbook Studio™ couldn’t be more straightforward. It only takes a few clicks, following the full step-by-step guide below.

Once your text is on the page, it’s time to have fun with the design. Font selection, sizing, placement, and color choices can all totally transform a page’s visual appeal. Check out our top tips for creating typography that you love.

Related: Adding Captions and Stories to Your Photo Book

How to add a new text box to a photo book

Launch a photo book project in Mixbook Studio™ and you can add new text boxes to any page, at any time, using the following steps:

1. Open the Text panel on the left-hand side of the workspace.
2. Click the “Add Text” button at the top of the panel. A gray text box will appear at the end of your cursor.
3. Click on the page of the photo book where you want the text box to appear. It doesn’t need to be precise—you can move the text box into its perfect position later.
4. Double-click in the middle of the new text box. A text cursor will appear in the box.
5. Type or paste your text. (You can edit the wording later, if you wish.)

How to edit a photo book theme’s placeholder text

If you launched a photo book project with one of Mixbook’s hundreds of professionally designed themes, follow these steps to edit or replace the theme’s placeholder text:

1. Click once anywhere on the placeholder text. This will select its surrounding text box and automatically open the Text panel in Mixbook Studio™.
2. Double-click inside the selected text box, and then drag the cursor over the text to highlight it. (Or use the ctrl + A / Command + A keyboard shortcut.)
3. Click backspace or delete, and then type or paste your own text into the text box.

Tip: If you want to entirely remove any placeholder text from a photo book theme, select the text box and click “Remove” in the pop-up menu.

How to edit & style the text in a photo book

Adding your custom text to a photo book is only the beginning. Next up is styling that text. With Mixbook themes, you can choose to keep, lightly edit, or totally transform a professional designer’s recommended typography styles. If you started with a blank canvas, you’ll make all the text style decisions from scratch.

Tip: Don’t underestimate these 7 elements of design to give your photo book a professional look.

Text panel tools

Find all the tools you need to stylize a photo book’s text elements in the Text panel. Experiment with the following tools:

• Fonts: Choose from over 100 different typefaces in the drop-down menu. (A theme’s recommended fonts will be displayed at the top of the menu.)
• Size: Change the size of text elements by selecting a number from the drop-down menu or typing a custom number into the box.
• Color: Change the color of text in the drop-down menu marked by a solid-color-square icon. Choose a new color from a selection of recent colors or theme colors, by using the color picker tool, eyedropper tool, or by entering a hex number.
• Bold & italic: With text highlighted, click the “B” box to make it bold, or the “i” box to make it italic.
• Text alignment: Highlight text and select the left, right, center, or justified alignment button.
• Fills: Click the “Fills” button to fill the text box (the area surrounding the lettering) with a solid color. Adjust the opacity of the color-filled text box using the slider at the top of the menu.
• Border: Add a solid border around the perimeter of a text box with this tool. Click the Border button and find a slider to adjust border width, plus color options, in the menu.
• Caption ideas: Struggling to find the right words? Use this AI-powered tool to generate short or long caption ideas.
  

Text tools on the page

In addition to the tools in the Text panel, you can edit and style text elements in a photo book using the following tools on the page:

• Reposition: To move a text box to another area within a photo book, hover your cursor over the box until you see a plus-shaped arrow icon. Click and drag to move the text box, and release when it’s in the new position.
• Resize: Resize a text box by clicking and dragging from one of its corners.
• Rotate: Want your text at an angle? Click and drag the circular arrow icon at the top of the text box.
• Forward & Back: Select a text box and find the Forward and Back buttons in the pop-up menu. Click the appropriate button to layer text, photos, and other elements above or below each other.

Tip: Creating beautiful typography usually takes some trial and error. The “Undo” and “Redo” buttons at the top of the workspace are there to help you experiment freely with your design ideas.

Top tips for photo book typography design

Here are some helpful tips for stylizing the text in your Mixbook project.

1. Choose fonts carefully

Font choice is key to creating the right mood for a photo book. To ensure the design is cohesive and stylish, limit yourself to just one font or a pairing of two complementary fonts—one for headings and another for body text or captions.

To complement a traditional wedding album or a book of photos from a formal event, pair an elegant, romantic script font like Allura or Compendium with a timeless and neat choice like Chaparral or Proxima Nova. Children’s books, family albums, and casual photo books are a good match for more playful typefaces like Lobster and Luella.

Here are some useful tips on fonts for adding text to a photo book:

• Pair serif with sans serif fonts: This combination creates a balanced contrast that is visually appealing and easy to read. Times New Roman (serif) and Futura (sans serif) are a classic pairing example.
• Pair long, narrow fonts with short, wide ones: This contrast helps create a dynamic layout. Try matching a condensed font like Aldous Vertical with a wider typeface like American Typewriter.
• Contrast font weights: Font weight refers to how thick or thin the characters are. To create a visually appealing contrast, use bold fonts to make headings stand out while keeping the body text regular.
• Assign each font a role: Keep consistency by using one font strictly for headings and another for body text. This makes your layout feel intentional and polished.
• Mix distinct fonts with neutral ones: If you’re using a decorative or stylized font, pair it with a simple, neutral font to maintain readability and avoid visual clutter.

2. Be thoughtful about color

When choosing colors for your text, it's important to prioritize readability while maintaining a visually appealing design. A strong contrast between text and background colors can make a huge difference.

Here are some tips to help you choose the best text colors for your design:

• Use high-contrast colors: Ensure your text stands out against the background by choosing colors with strong contrast, such as dark text on a light background or vice versa.
• Black and white always work: Classic and timeless, black or white text maintains readability across most designs without clashing.
• Pull colors from your photos: Select a color from your images using the eyedropper tool (found in text and text box color menus) to create a cohesive and visually harmonious design.

3. Consider text size

Text size is an important consideration. Not only do you need the text to be easily readable in print, you should choose size combinations that communicate a clear hierarchy. Titles and headings should catch the eye first. They typically look best between 18-24 points. Captions and body text are secondary attention-grabbers and work well at 10-14 points (depending on the font).

Consider your photo book’s intended readers. Small children and older readers may appreciate slightly larger text. On the other hand, if your photo book has lengthier text elements, you should choose a smaller font that can fit into the page without looking crowded.

Remember, always preview your book at its actual size to make sure the text isn't straining to read or dominating the page.

4. Find the perfect placement

Position your text thoughtfully across the pages of your photo book to create visual harmony with your photos. Avoid placing text directly over busy or important parts of images—instead, incorporate negative (blank or empty) space or use semi-opaque text boxes as backdrops.

Here are some additional tips to ensure your text complements your design:

• Leave breathing room around text: Leave enough space around your text to avoid crowding the design, which makes the content easier to read and more visually appealing.
• Align text consistently: Stick to consistent text alignment (left, center, right, or justified) across your design to maintain a clean, organized look throughout your book.
• Balance text and image size: Ensure that the size of the text doesn't overwhelm the image, and vice versa, to create a harmonious balance between the two elements.
• Use text box fills or borders for clarity: When necessary, place text inside a semi-opaque or bordered box so that it stands out from the background without blocking key parts of the image.
• Create a flow: Arrange your text and images in a way that guides the reader's eye naturally from one element to the next, whether through visual cues or narrative flow. (Readers typically scan a page in a Z-shape from the top left to the bottom right.)

Finally, for longer pieces of writing, consider creating two-page spreads with one page filled with text and the other to related images. This approach gives both elements room to breathe.

5. Don’t forget to proofread!

Before you place your photo book order, be sure to take the time to carefully proofread all the text. It’s always a good idea to have another person proofread your text as well—it’s easy to miss your own typos. Also double-check the layout, fonts, colors, and image placement to make sure everything is just right.

FAQs about photo book text

Here are answers to Mixbookers’ most frequently asked questions about adding text to a photo book.

What story will you tell?

Ready to create your text-enhanced photo book? Check out Mixbook’s intuitive tools and beautiful themes. They make adding personalized text to your precious memories easy, ensuring your story is told just as you want!