# Typewriter text that types itself onto your video

> In Tella, ask the Tella Agent for typewriter text. Tella Motion has a typewriter preset that types a title on one character, word or line at a time. You can use it in its own clip (Add clip → New Tella Motion clip) or as an overlay on a recorded clip, timed to what you say. Tell the Tella Agent the words, font, colors and typing speed, then ask for changes until it looks right.

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

## How do I make a typewriter or typing text animation in a video?

In Tella, ask the [Tella Agent](https://www.tella.com/agent) for typewriter text. [Tella Motion](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion) has a typewriter preset that types a title on one character, word or line at a time. You can use it in its own clip ([Add clip → New Tella Motion clip](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion#add-a-tella-motion-clip)) or as an overlay on a recorded clip, timed to what you say. Tell the Tella Agent the words, font, colors and typing speed, then ask for changes until it looks right.

## Prompt to start from

```text
Add a new Tella Motion clip at the start of my video. Type out 'Meet Quillpath' in white Roboto Mono on a near-black background, one letter at a time, then hold it. Make the clip four seconds.
```

## More prompts

### Developer tutorial

```text
When I say 'run the install command', add a Tella Motion overlay in the lower left that types 'npm install brindle-cli' in green Roboto Mono on a dark gray box. Type it fast, hold it while I explain, then fade it out.
```

### Product launch

```text
Make a five-second Tella Motion clip that types 'Your invoices, sorted.' word by word in bold white on deep teal. After a beat, type 'Ledgerly 2.0' below it letter by letter in coral.
```

## How to do it in Tella

1. Open your video and the Tella Agent chat (press Shift + S if the sidebar is hidden).
2. Choose Add clip → New Tella Motion clip, or select a recorded clip to put an overlay on.
3. Ask for typewriter text and give the words, font, colors and background.
4. Preview it and ask for changes, like "type slower" or "start on my next sentence".

## 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.
- A Tella Motion clip has no transcript. To time the typing to your voice, ask for an overlay on a recorded clip.
- Titles use fonts from Tella Motion's font list, which includes the monospaced Roboto Mono.
- To animate a regular text overlay without Tella Motion, open the In animation in the Overlay tool and switch the preset picker to Text → Letters.

## Questions people ask

### Can I control how fast the typewriter text types?

Yes. Tella Motion sets how long each character, word or line takes and the gap before the next one starts. By default, each one takes 0.4 seconds and the next starts 0.04 seconds later. Ask the Tella Agent for faster or slower typing.

### Can text type itself out and then disappear?

Yes. Tella Motion animates a title both as it comes in and as it goes out, by character, word or line. Ask the Tella Agent for a typewriter entrance and the exit you want, such as a fade.

### Can Claude or ChatGPT make typewriter text in my Tella video?

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) from [Settings → Connections](https://www.tella.tv/settings/connections) → AI apps. It can use the same Tella Motion commands as the Tella Agent, including the typewriter text animation, and the result shows up in your Tella editor.

## 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.
- [Matching title cards for every chapter](https://www.tella.com/motion/animated-title-cards.md): Intro, chapter and end cards, built by asking.
- [Animated lower thirds that appear when you do](https://www.tella.com/motion/animated-lower-thirds.md): Name and role cards, timed to your intro.
- [Create motion graphics with Tella Motion](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion)
- [Animate text overlays in and out](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/text-overlays#animate-the-text-in-and-out)
- [Connect an AI assistant to Tella](https://www.tella.com/help/integrations/mcp-server#connect-an-ai-assistant-to-tella)
- [All of Tella's AI features](https://www.tella.com/ai.md)