How to Insert Text in Paint

Microsoft Paint is a simple program, but it's included free with all Windows computers, and it can perform many basic image editing tasks with ease. One task you can perform with Paint is to add text to an image using the Text tool. Placing a text box in Paint is straightforward, and the same method works for creating watermarks. With some care, you can also edit text in Paint.

To add a text box in Paint, open an image with the program and locate the "A" symbol in the "Tools" group of the "Home" tab. Click the "A" and then click on the image and drag the mouse pointer to place a text box. To resize the text box, click and drag one of the small squares around the edge of the box. If you click and hold on the dotted line of the outline, you can move the box without resizing it. To insert text, type in the text box and click anywhere else on the page when you're done. Make sure you've written everything correctly because it's not easy to edit text in Paint after you confirm the text you enter.

The Text tab opens automatically when you place the text box, and from there you can select a font, text size, color and other options such as bold, underlined, italic and strikethrough text formats. You can also make the text box opaque if you want.

Paint is a useful tool when you want to add a watermark in Windows. By adding a text box in Windows Paint and positioning it in the corner of the image, you're effectively adding a watermark to the image. You can write any text into the box, but something like "(c) [your name]" using your own name works. You can add your website address to the watermark, too.

You can edit text in Paint, although after you click away from the text box, you can't do so directly. To edit the text, use the "Select" tool in the "Image" group of the "Home" tab to surround the word or words you want to edit with a dotted outline. You can do this freehand if you click the drop-down menu and choose "Free-form selection" or use the standard rectangular selector. Either delete the selected text using the "Del" key on the keyboard or click the "Cut" button in Paint. Place a new text box in the now-empty space and add whatever text you want. This process is more like deleting and rewriting than editing, but after you've confirmed the text box, it is your only option.