Can I add Urdu or Arabic text to a photo?

Yes. Search for fonts such as Noto Nastaliq Urdu, Gulzar or Amiri in the font list, then type or paste your text.

How do I make text readable on a busy photo?

Add an outline, a drop shadow, or a highlight color behind the text. A soft dark shadow works on almost any photo.

How to Add Text to a Photo Online (With Any Google Font)

Adding text is the most common photo edit: quote posts, captions, sale posters, thumbnails and invitations. HF Photo Editor lets you do it in your browser with every Google Font, and nothing is uploaded.

Steps

Open HF Photo Editor and press Open to load your photo. You can also drag the photo onto the page or paste it with Ctrl+V.
Choose the Text tool and press Add heading.
Double-click the text on the canvas and type your words.
In the Properties panel, open the font list and search for a font. Use the Sans, Serif, Display, Script and Mono filters to browse.
Change the size, weight, color and letter spacing.
Drag the text into place. Use the round handle to rotate it.
Press Download and choose PNG or JPG.

Make the text stand out

Outline

Set an Outline color and width. A dark outline on light text keeps it readable on bright skies and busy backgrounds.

Drop shadow

Open Effects and turn on Drop shadow. Increase the blur for a soft glow, or set a small offset for a crisp shadow.

For neon, gold, 3D and more in one click, try the one-click text effects.

Highlight

Use Highlight to put a solid color behind the letters, a style often used for captions and reels.

Font tips

Script fonts like Great Vibes and Pacifico look best large and short.
Bold sans fonts like Montserrat and Bebas Neue work well for thumbnails. Before you upload, check the right image size for each platform, and see how to design a YouTube thumbnail that is readable at small size.
Writing in Urdu? Use a Nastaliq font such as Noto Nastaliq Urdu or Gulzar and keep letter spacing at 0 so the letters stay joined. For shop and academy names, see our Urdu logo design tips.
Keep to two fonts per design: one for the headline and one for smaller text.

All Google Fonts are released under open licenses, so you can use them in personal and commercial designs.

Start from a template

If you would rather not start from a blank photo, open a ready-made design and just change the words. There are good morning posts, birthday wishes, Eid Mubarak cards and wedding invitations in many fonts and styles, and thousands more templates for every occasion. Want the text on its own, for a logo or watermark? Save it as a transparent PNG.