Position Text Over Image In HTML CSS (Simple Examples)

Welcome to a quick tutorial on how to position text over an image in HTML CSS. So you want to add some captions over an image? Let us walk through some simple examples, read on!

Download & Notes

Text Over Image

Extras

The End

DOWNLOAD & NOTES

Here is the download link to the example code, so you don’t have to copy-paste everything.

EXAMPLE CODE DOWNLOAD

Click here to download | Example on CodePen

The example code is released under the MIT license, so feel free to build on top of it or use it in your own project.

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TEXT OVER IMAGE IN HTML CSS

All right, let us now get into the example of placing a block of text over an image in HTML CSS.

TUTORIAL VIDEO

1) TEXT OVER IMAGE

1A) THE HTML

1-text-img.html

<figure class="textover">
  <img src="pasta.webp">
  <figcaption>Italian Cats.</figcaption>
</figure>

The HTML should be very straightforward:

Define the image tag <img> as usual.
Attach the text (or image caption) using <figcaption>.
Finally, wrap the image and caption in <figure>.

1B) THE CSS

1-text-img.css

/* (A) RESPONSIVE IMAGE */
.textover img { width: 100%; }
.textover { max-width: 600px; } /* optional */
 
/* (B) CAPTION OVER IMAGE */
.textover { position: relative; }
.textover figcaption {
  /* (B1) PLACE AT BOTTOM LEFT */
  position: absolute; bottom: 0; left: 0;
 
  /* (B2) DIMENSIONS */
  width: 100%; padding: 10px;
 
  /* (B3) TEXT COSMETICS */
  text-align: center;
  color: #fff;
  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
}

Beginners, don’t need to panic.

(A) First, setting width: 100% to the image is all we need to create a “responsive image”.
(B) Next, position the text over the image.
- Set position: relative on the <figure> container.
- Set position: absolute on the <figcaption>.
- That’s about it – Place with wherever you like using top bottom left right.
(B2 & B3) Lastly, some cosmetics for the text/caption.

2) CENTER TEXT ON IMAGE

2A) THE HTML

2-center-text.html

<figure class="textover">
  <img src="pasta.webp">
  <figcaption>Italian Cats.</figcaption>
</figure>

Look no further, it’s the same.

2B) THE CSS

2-center-text.css

/* (A) RESPONSIVE IMAGE */
.textcenter img { width: 100%; }
.textcenter { max-width: 600px; } /* optional */
 
/* (B) CAPTION OVER IMAGE */
.textcenter { position: relative; }
.textcenter figcaption {
  /* (B1) COVER OVER IMAGE */
  position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0;
  width: 100%; height: 100%;
 
  /* (B2) CENTER TEXT */
  display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
 
  /* (B3) TEXT COSMETICS */
  color: #fff;
  text-shadow: 1px 1px 5px #000;
  font-size: 30px; font-weight: 700;
}

The “text overlay” is slightly different now.

(B1) We position the caption at the top left corner and cover the entire image with width: 100%; height: 100%;
(B2) The magic is done by setting the caption to display: flex – align-items: center and justify-content: center will automatically center the text horizontally and vertically.

EXTRAS

That’s all for this guide, and here is a small section on some extras and links that may be useful to you.

BUTTON OVER IMAGE

<figure class="textcenter">
  <img src="pasta.webp">
  <figcaption>
    <button>A BUTTON!</button>
  </figcaption>
</figure>

Quick add on – It is possible to put buttons, other images, forms, and whatever else over the image as well.

LINKS & REFERENCES

Figure and Figcaption – MDN
Position – CSS Tricks
Background – CSS Tricks

INFOGRAPHIC CHEAT SHEET

Place Text Over Image In CSS HTML (click to enlarge)

THE END

Thank you for reading, and we have come to the end of this guide. I hope that it has helped you with your project, and if you want to share anything with this guide, please feel free to comment below. Good luck and happy coding!