Text placed directly over a photo is often either unreadable against a busy background, or forced behind a solid block that hides the image entirely.

A transparency slider gives a middle option: exactly as much of the photo showing through as you choose.

Here's the trick:

The transparency slider lets you dial in exactly how much of the photo shows through behind your text.

How to use it

  1. Select the shape or text box you want to adjust.
  2. Click the transparency icon in the top toolbar — it looks like a small checkered circle.
  3. Drag the slider until the layer underneath shows through at the amount you want.
  4. Combine it with a solid color rectangle behind the text for a soft tint effect over a busy photo.

Where it helps most

Making a caption readable over a photo without covering the image completely, or creating a subtle tinted overlay across an entire background.

Ad placeholder — in-article unit

One thing to watch for

Very low transparency values can make small text hard to read against a light patch of the photo. Check contrast at actual size, not just zoomed in.

Found a faster way to do this, or a version that works differently on Mac? That's what the comments are for — this section connects to your comment system of choice (Disqus, giscus, etc.) once the site is live.