Text Behind Image — Free & Private
Upload a photo and the subject — a house, a person, a car — is cut out right in your browser. Add as many text layers as you like, in 72 typefaces, and drop each one behind the subject or in front of it. Free PNG, JPG or WebP. Nothing uploaded, no watermark, no signup.
Tool by Pixly — AI property staging, videos & reels in minutes.See howDrop a photo here
or click to browse — JPG, PNG, WebP or HEIC. Works best with a clear subject and some open background.
Upload a photo to start — the subject is detected automatically.
Text layers
Text
File type
Clip length
Free for personal and commercial use. Everything runs on your device.
100% private — runs in your browser
The subject cutout, the text and the final image are all created on your own device — the photo is never uploaded. The first use downloads a small AI model (about 5 MB, cached afterwards); nothing else leaves your browser.
One exception: on a paid plan the tool also sends your photo to Pixly's servers for the sharper HD cutout, then deletes it within minutes.
Why put text behind the subject?
Text tucked behind a person, a house or a car reads as depth — the eye sees layers instead of a caption slapped on top. It's the look behind viral thumbnails and Instagram covers, and it works just as well for real-estate posts: a big JUST LISTED or SOLD half-hidden behind the house feels designed, not stamped.
Frequently asked questions
Is the text-behind-image tool free?
Yes — cutting out the subject, adding text and downloading a full-resolution PNG are free, with no watermark and no account. There is nothing to unlock.
Does it upload my photo?
No. The AI cutout model runs inside your browser (on your graphics chip when the browser allows it), so the photo, the cutout and the result never leave your device. The only download is the model itself, once.
What kinds of photos work best?
A clear subject with some open background around it: a person against a wall or sky, a house seen from the street or a drone, a car, a product. If the subject fills the whole frame there is no room for the text to show behind it.
Can I put text behind a person or an object, not just a house?
Yes. The model detects the main subject of the photo whatever it is — people, pets, cars, buildings, products. Real estate is just where we use it most.
Can I download only the cutout, without text?
Yes — "Download cutout" saves the subject as a transparent PNG, so the tool doubles as a free background remover.
Why does the first run take a moment?
The first time, your browser downloads the AI cutout model (about 5 MB) and stores it locally; later visits skip that step. On most devices the cutout itself is near-instant; on older ones, expect up to half a minute.
What is the HD cutout?
Paid plans get a second, much larger AI model that runs on our servers. It handles the photos the in-browser model struggles with — houses seen from the street, busy gardens, anything without a clean background. Your cutout appears instantly from the browser model and then sharpens on its own a couple of seconds later. It costs no credits.
Can I put several texts on one photo?
Yes. Add as many text layers as you like — each one has its own font, size, colour and rotation, and each can sit behind the subject or in front of it independently. A headline behind the house and the address in front of it is two layers.
What is cut-out text?
Cut-out (or knockout) text tints the photo and punches the letters out of that tint, so the untouched photo shows through the words. It is a different effect from text behind image: behind puts the text under the subject, cut-out puts the photo inside the letters. Both are in the Fill control.
Can I use it for YouTube thumbnails?
Yes — that is what the effect is best known for. Pick a 16:9 canvas, choose a heavy display face like Anton or Archivo Black, and put the text behind the person. Download as JPG to keep the file small enough to upload quickly.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. The editor runs in the browser on phones and tablets — Safari on iPhone and iPad, Chrome on Android. Pick a photo from your camera roll, tap a text layer to select it, drag it into place and save the result to your device. There is no app to install.
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