# Animate a highlighter or underline across words in your video

> In the Tella editor, open the Tella Agent chat and ask for a Tella Motion highlight or underline on the words you name. Tella Motion sets the words as a title, then draws a see-through bar behind them or a line under them, left to right. Put it in its own Tella Motion clip, or as an overlay or b-roll on a recorded clip, where it can start on a word you say.

Page: https://www.tella.com/motion/animated-text-highlight · Part of Tella Motion (https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion)

## How do I animate a highlighter or underline across words in a video?

In the Tella editor, open the [Tella Agent](https://www.tella.com/agent) chat and ask for a [Tella Motion](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion) highlight or underline on the words you name. Tella Motion sets the words as a title, then draws a see-through bar behind them or a line under them, left to right. Put it in its own Tella Motion clip, or as an overlay or b-roll on a recorded clip, where it can start on a word you say.

## Prompt to start from

```text
When I say "three times faster", show it as a white bold title on the right of the frame. Sweep a see-through yellow highlighter bar behind "three times" from left to right over half a second, starting on the word "faster". Hold it 3 seconds, then fade both out.
```

## More prompts

### Title card

```text
Add a 5-second Tella Motion clip at the start: "Meet Quillbrook Ledger" in dark navy on a cream background. After the words land, draw a 6 px coral underline with a round cap under "Quillbrook Ledger", left to right over 0.8 seconds, easing out.
```

### Course lesson

```text
In my lesson on Larkfield Forms, put my three key terms on screen as I say each one: "field", "rule", "trigger". Draw a mint green highlighter bar behind each term as I say it, one at a time, and dim the earlier terms to 50% opacity.
```

## How to do it in Tella

1. Open your video and the Tella Agent chat (press Shift + S if the sidebar is hidden).
2. Name the words to mark and when they appear: as you say them, or at a time in a Tella Motion clip.
3. Pick a highlighter bar or an underline, plus its color, thickness and how fast it draws.
4. Preview it, then ask for changes like "draw it slower" or "start one word later".

## Good to know

- Available to everyone: through the Tella Agent on a paid plan or the 7-day trial, or through Claude or ChatGPT on any plan.
- Tella Motion highlights words it sets itself. To mark text already in your screen recording, use a highlight from Effect → Blur & highlight instead.
- A Tella Motion clip has no transcript, so inside one you time the highlight in seconds, not to your words.

## Questions people ask

### Can the highlight move from word to word as I talk?

Yes. Ask the Tella Agent for a highlight on each word or phrase, each starting as you say it. Earlier ones can stay, fade or dim, whichever you ask for.

### Can I highlight text in my screen recording instead?

Yes, with Tella's highlight effect. Open Effect, click the plus beside Blur & highlight, change Type to Highlight and place the clear area over the text. Everything outside it dims, and setting Transition to Smooth fades it in and out.

### Can Claude or ChatGPT make this highlight in Tella?

Yes. Connect [Claude](https://claude.ai/directory/tella) or [ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/plugins/plugin_asdk_app_6a7026f78434819186579d93d20ab38b?open_in_app) to Tella's [MCP server](https://www.tella.com/mcp) and it can build Tella Motion with the same commands the Tella Agent uses: add a title and a line path, then animate a trim path effect so the underline draws on.

## Related

- [Kinetic typography, timed to the words you say](https://www.tella.com/motion/kinetic-typography.md): Animated text timed to the words you say.
- [Typewriter text that types itself onto your video](https://www.tella.com/motion/typewriter-text-animation.md): Text that types itself on, one letter at a time.
- [Point viewers to the right button on cue](https://www.tella.com/motion/add-animated-arrows-to-video.md): Arrows that draw on toward the button you name.
- [Create motion graphics with Tella Motion](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion)
- [Blur or highlight part of your video](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/blurring-and-highlighting#add-a-highlight)
- [Connect Claude or ChatGPT to Tella](https://www.tella.com/help/integrations/mcp-server)
- [All of Tella's AI features](https://www.tella.com/ai.md)