Level 1 (67 points)

How do I add text to a photo in Photos on a MacBook Pro with Tahoe?

I am trying to add text to a photo in Photos. I have Tahoe on a MacBook Pro.

Yes, I've done: Edit, (3 dots, ) Markup and see the menu of selections across the top. I've selected the rectangular Text options, clicked back on image and get a pen/brush icon which does nothing.

I also tried tap on the "Quotation" box and get an in Image Description box. I type in my text, save and nothing shows up.

One more failure - I use CNTRL/COMMAND/T - but no text box appears.

Where am I going wrong?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Photos Text Tool

Posted on Oct 13, 2026 6:00 AM

5 replies

léonie

Level 10 (205,585 points)

Oct 14, 2026 8:41 AM in response to Al_Chance

One more thing. Sometimes the text field is invisible, because the border color, the background color and the text color are transparent or hard to notice on the background, where the text field is positioned, or the text size is too small.

It will help to start with a large text size and very distinct color for the three colors - border color, background color, and text color. You can change them to more pleasing colors, once you have positioned the text.

In the example above the border of the text field is white, the background transparent, the text color blue.

Richard.Taylor

Level 7 (25,466 points)

Oct 13, 2026 7:17 AM in response to Al_Chance

I don't do this much, and I always find it confusing.

When I click on that text icon

I immediately get a text box with the word "Text" in it. I can click in there and type a caption.

⌃⌘T doesn't do anything for me.

If you don't get the Text Box, try these things:

Restart the computer (of course)
Re-start in Safe Mode. This bypasses certain potentially disruptive processes, and it often helps. Safe Mode is different for different computers, so see this:

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support