How to Make a Title Card for a Video

Step by step

1. 1

   Decide what job the title does

   Headline Stagger builds a statement word by word and works as a video opener. Letterbox Title closes black bars around a wide-spaced title for a short film or travel piece. Chapter Title puts an outlined number beside the section name, so it suits long tutorials and courses.

2. 2

   Write the two lines

   Title takes up to 60 characters on one line, and Subtitle takes up to 90. Set Font, Weight, Size, Letter spacing and Text color. Chapter Title also has Label for the number and Accent for the divider. Letterbox Title has Primary, which colors the bars.

3. 3

   Let it clear in time

   Defaults sit at 2 or 3 seconds, up to a 15 second limit. Raising Duration adds to the hold, since the entrance is capped at 1.6 seconds and the exit at 1 second. Long titles need a lower Size in 9:16, because a single line must fit the narrower width.

4. 4

   Export MP4 for a full-frame card

   Four of the five presets start on a solid background, so MP4 is the simple choice when the title fills the frame. Letterbox Title starts transparent because it belongs over footage. Export it as a PNG sequence for Premiere Pro or After Effects, or WebM with alpha for CapCut.

5. 5

   Cut it into the sequence

   In Premiere Pro, import the MP4 and drop it on the main track between shots, as you would any clip. For a chapter series, export once per chapter with a new Label and Title, then keep every file at the same duration so the breaks match.

Where it is used

• Chapter breaks in long tutorials

  A numbered card separates the sections of a course or a long online lesson, giving viewers a clean point to pause, come back to or find while scrubbing through the video.

• Opening titles for short films

  A wide-spaced title between black bars sits over the first shot of a short film or travel piece, setting the tone before any dialogue begins.

• Series episode openers

  A web series or podcast keeps the same title style for every release and only changes the episode name, so returning viewers recognize it immediately.

Presets

5

Default duration

2 to 3 seconds

Title length

60 characters, one line

Best export

MP4 for cards, PNG sequence or WebM for Letterbox Title

Which format should you export?

MP4 at full frame. A title card is a shot in its own right, so it does not need an alpha channel and benefits from the better compression.

Format

MP4 · WebM · PNG sequence

Alpha

WebM or PNG sequence

Resolution

720p to 8K

Aspect

16:9 · 9:16 · 1:1 · 4:5

License

Commercial use included

Three tips that make it look intentional

• Use one title style per video and change only the words.
• Leave the subtitle for context, not for a second headline.
• Check the 9:16 layout before exporting if the video is heading to Shorts or Reels.

Three things people get wrong

• Titling the video with the file name. Write the line you would say out loud.
• Letting the card sit a beat too long after the animation settles, which turns a title into a pause.
• Using the same opener on every video in a series without changing the chapter line underneath it.

Frequently asked