How to put text behind a subject in Photoshop

Photoshop gives you the most control over text behind a subject, and it's the method most tutorials are built on. The idea is simple: select the subject, then use that selection as a mask so the text is hidden wherever the subject is. Here are two ways to do it, then how to clean up the edges.

Method 1: Mask a copy of the subject on top of the text

This one is the easiest to undo and edit.

1. Open your photo. The image sits on the Background layer.
2. Choose the Type tool, click the photo and type your text. Make it large and give it a heavy font.
3. Click the Background layer and duplicate it (Command/Ctrl + J). Drag the copy above the text layer in the Layers panel.
4. With the top copy active, choose Select > Subject. Photoshop selects the main person or object.
5. Click the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel. The copy now shows only the subject, so the text appears to pass behind it.

Method 2: Mask the text itself

Same result, one layer fewer.

1. Add your text over the photo.
2. Hide the text layer (click the eye icon), click the Background layer and run Select > Subject.
3. Click the text layer and make it visible again.
4. Hold Option/Alt and click Add Layer Mask. Holding the key inverts the selection, so the text is hidden where the subject is and visible everywhere else.

Clean up the edges

Select Subject is good but not perfect. Zoom in to 100% and look at hair, hands and fine edges.

• Open Select and Mask before you apply the mask. The Smooth and Shift Edge sliders remove jagged edges, and the refine brush helps with hair.
• Output the result as a Layer Mask so you can keep painting on it later.
• On the mask, paint with white to bring the subject back in front of the text and with black to push it behind.
• If the text covers too much of a face or an important shape, move or shrink the text rather than perfecting the mask.

Where Photoshop is the right tool, and where it isn't

Photoshop is the right choice for print work, client retouching and photos where the cut needs to be exact. It's also what you want for complex subjects where you'll paint the mask yourself.

For a quick social post it's more than you need. It's a subscription, every photo takes several steps, and changing the text later means working with the mask again. There is a Photoshop app for iPhone and iPad, but masking layers on a phone screen takes more patience than on a desktop.

The one-tap version on iPhone

If you want the same look without the layers, layrd finds the subject on your phone, puts your text behind it, and lets you move the text afterwards with no masks to redo. It also adds frames, camera details and carousel splitting, so the whole post comes out of one app.

Want to try the effect once without installing anything? The free text behind image tool works in the browser and keeps your photo on your device.

More options are compared in the best apps to put text behind a subject. If you use Canva instead, see how to put text behind a person in Canva.

Frequently asked questions

Which Photoshop tool selects the subject?

Select > Subject selects the main subject automatically. You can also use the Object Selection or Quick Selection tool for a specific object, then refine with Select and Mask.

Why does my text show through the subject?

The mask is probably on the wrong layer, or inverted. In Method 1 the mask belongs on the duplicate photo layer above the text. In Method 2 the mask is on the text layer and must be inverted (Option/Alt-click the mask button).

Can I do this in Photoshop on iPhone?

Yes, the layer and mask approach works in the iPhone app, but it takes more steps than a dedicated app and the controls are small. For a one-tap option on iPhone, see layrd.

Do I need a subject for text-behind effects?

Not always. In Photoshop you can paint any mask you like, such as the roofline of a building. In layrd you can place text at a chosen depth instead of behind a single subject.