# How to add Arabic text to a video online, with letters that connect and read right to left

> Type Arabic into many video apps and the letters come apart, the sentence runs backwards, and the full stop jumps to the wrong end. nutq Studio sets Arabic in a proper Arabic font, right to left, and lets you place and time it on the frame.

- Source: https://nutq.dev/blog/add-arabic-text-to-a-video
- Published: 2026-10-25
- Updated: 2026-10-25
- Author: nutq team (https://nutq.dev)

## Short answer

To add Arabic text to a video online, open the video in nutq Studio, add a Title, Subtitle or Label from the Text tab, type in Arabic, and Studio switches to an Arabic font and right-to-left layout on its own. Drag the text where you want it, set when it starts and how long it stays on the Text lane, then export an MP4 at 720p or 1080p. Adding text and exporting use no credit.

Type Arabic into many video apps and three things go wrong: the letters come apart, the sentence runs backwards, and the full stop jumps to the wrong end. If you need to **add Arabic text to a video** that looks the way a native reader expects, the editor has to shape Arabic properly. nutq Studio does, in the browser: type a title in Arabic and it is set in an Arabic font, joined and right to left, ready to place, time and export.

## Why does Arabic text break in so many video editors?

Arabic is written in joined letters that change shape depending on their position in the word, and it runs right to left. Text engines that do not handle this draw each letter in its isolated form, from left to right. The result is a row of disconnected letters in reverse order: readable to nobody.

Mixed lines make it worse. A title like «خصم 40% على iPhone» contains Arabic, a number with a sign and an English word, each with its own direction. Editors that get this wrong move the percent sign or swap the order of the parts.

## How do you add Arabic text to a video in nutq Studio?

1. **Open the video.** Drop an MP4, MOV or WebM on the [Arabic captions page](/arabic-captions) and sign in, or start a blank project. Files up to 1 GB each work, and so do images.
2. **Choose a text style.** In the Text tab, pick Title for a big headline, Subtitle for a supporting line, or Label for a small tag such as an episode number. It lands at the playhead on the Text lane.
3. **Type in Arabic.** As soon as the line contains Arabic, Studio switches to its Arabic font and right-to-left layout. You can also choose the Arabic font yourself.
4. **Style it.** Set the size, the weight (Regular, Bold or Black), the colour, and a background box if the picture behind it is busy.
5. **Place it.** Drag the text on the picture; it snaps to the centre lines, where titles usually belong.
6. **Time it.** Drag the ends of the clip on the Text lane, or set Starts and Length exactly.
7. **Export.** Choose 720p or 1080p and export an MP4.

## Text or captions: which do you need?

| | Text | Captions |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Words you write | The speech, transcribed |
| Timing | You set it | Follows the speech automatically |
| Typical use | Hooks, titles, prices, calls to action | Every spoken line, for viewers with the sound off |
| Cost | Free | $0.15 per hour of audio |

Most social videos need both: a short title in the first second, and captions underneath. For captions, see [how to add Arabic subtitles to a video automatically](/blog/auto-arabic-subtitles-for-video).

## How do you make Arabic titles easy to read on a phone?

- **Six words or fewer per line.** A title is read in a glance, not studied.
- **Use weight, not size, for emphasis.** Bold or Black at a moderate size reads better than a huge Regular line.
- **Add a background box** over busy footage rather than an outline or shadow.
- **Mind the platform's buttons.** On vertical video, keep text away from the bottom fifth and the right edge, where likes and captions sit.
- **Check mixed lines.** Prices, dates and English names inside Arabic are where layout surprises happen; read the preview before you export.

## Which frame shapes and formats does Studio support?

Projects can be landscape 16:9, vertical 9:16, square 1:1 or portrait 4:5, so one video can be re-cut for YouTube, Reels and the feed. Exports are MP4 (H.264) at 720p or 1080p, made in your browser, so keep the tab open while a long project renders. A recent Chrome, Edge or Safari 26 can export; other browsers make WebM instead.

If an iPhone video will not play, it is usually recorded in HEVC. Export it from the phone as "Most compatible", or convert it to MP4 (H.264), and import it again.

## What does it cost?

Adding text, editing and exporting use no credit; you need a free account, which comes with $5 of credit at [sign-up](/sign-up) for the AI steps. Captions are $0.15 per hour of audio, and an Arabic voiceover is $0.05 per 1,000 characters, so a full social video with a title, captions and a voice costs a few cents. To make the clips themselves with AI, see [AI video generator for Arabic](/blog/ai-video-generator-for-arabic).

## FAQ

### Why does Arabic text look broken in my video editor?

Arabic letters change shape depending on their neighbours and run right to left. Editors without proper Arabic text shaping draw each letter on its own, left to right, so words fall apart and come out reversed. nutq Studio uses the browser's text engine with an Arabic font, so letters join and lines read right to left.

### Is it free to add Arabic text to a video?

Adding text, editing and exporting in nutq Studio use no credit. You need a free account; only the AI steps, such as captions, voiceover and dubbing, are billed.

### Can I mix Arabic and English in one title?

Yes. A line that contains Arabic is laid out right to left, and English words and numbers inside it keep their own order. Keep mixed titles short, and check the preview before export.

### What is the difference between text and captions?

Text is what you write yourself: titles, labels, a call to action. Captions are the speech in the video, transcribed and timed automatically. They sit on separate lanes, so you can use both.

### Which video formats can I use?

MP4, MOV and WebM video, audio files and images, up to 1 GB each. Exports are MP4 (H.264) at 720p or 1080p, made in the browser; a recent Chrome, Edge or Safari 26 is needed.