How to move text in front of or behind an object

When building a Powtoon, you may need a text box to appear in front of or behind another object on the stage — for example, placing a name label over an ID tag graphic, or tucking text behind a magnifying glass image. The Arrange menu lets you control this layering order in a few steps.

Moving text to the front of an object

To move a text box in front of another object on the stage:

1. Add an object and a text box to the slide. For example, you might add an ID tag graphic and a text box containing a name such as 'Jane Doe'.
2. Select the text box you want to bring forward.
3. Click Settings (the settings icon that appears above the selected text box), then click Arrange.
4. On the Arrange menu, click Front. The text box moves to the front layer of the stage.
5. Drag the text box into position over the object.

In the example above, the 'Jane Doe' text box is brought to the front and positioned on top of the ID tag graphic.

Moving text to the back of an object

To move a text box behind another object on the stage:

1. Add an object and a text box to the slide. For example, you might add a magnifying glass graphic and a text box containing the words 'You can magnify this text'.
2. Select the text box you want to send backward.
3. Click Settings (the settings icon that appears near the selected text box), then click Arrange.
4. On the Arrange menu, click Back. The text box moves behind the other objects on the stage.
5. Drag the text box into position behind the object.

In the example above, the word 'text' is sent to the back layer and positioned behind the magnifying glass graphic.

How the Arrange menu works

The Arrange menu controls the stacking order of elements on the stage. Clicking Front moves the selected element to the very top of the stack, so it appears in front of all other objects. Clicking Back moves it to the bottom of the stack, so it appears behind all other objects. You can apply this to any element on the stage — not only text boxes.

Note: The Settings icon appears in the toolbar above or near a selected element. If you do not see it, make sure the text box is selected by clicking on it first.

For guidance on adding text to your Powtoon, see Adding text.