Text Elements

Text Elements are one of the most fundamental building blocks in HipDeck. Whether you're crafting a bold headline, a concise bullet list, or a detailed body paragraph, the Text Element gives you precise control over every word on your slide.

What Is a Text Element?

A Text Element is a resizable, reposition-able content block that holds formatted text on a slide. Unlike a fixed label or caption, a Text Element is a fully independent layer — you can move it anywhere on the canvas, resize it freely, and apply rich formatting to its contents.

Text Elements support a wide range of formatting options including font family, size, weight, color, alignment, and spacing.

Adding a Text Element to a Slide

• Select ‘Add Element’ or ‘+’ on the right toolbar in the Playlist Editor and select the Text element.

Once added, the element is selected and ready to type. Click and drag the element handles to reposition or resize it. Double-click the element at any time to re-enter edit mode.

Font Options

HipDeck provides a comprehensive set of font controls accessible from the right-hand properties panel whenever a Text Element is selected.

Font Family

Choose from HipDeck's built-in font library or upload a custom typeface using the ‘+’ button. The font family picker supports search, so you can quickly find the right typeface without scrolling through the full list.

Font Size

Font size is set in points (pt) and can be typed directly into the size field or adjusted using the up/down arrows.

Font Weight

Available weights depend on the selected font family. Common options include Light, Regular, Medium, SemiBold, Bold, and ExtraBold. Applying weight at the element level sets a default; you can also apply bold formatting to individual words or phrases within the text.

Font Color

Click the color swatch in the properties panel to open the color picker. You can enter a hex code or manually select a color using the color palette.

Alignment and Spacing

Text Alignment

Text can be aligned left, center, right, or justified within the element's bounding box. Use the alignment buttons in the properties panel.

Line Height and Letter Spacing

Line height (leading) controls the vertical space between lines of text. A value of 1.2–1.5× the font size is a good starting point for most body copy. Letter spacing (tracking) adjusts the horizontal space between characters — a slight positive value can improve legibility for all-caps headlines.

Padding

Internal padding adds breathing room between the text and the element's bounding box. This is especially useful when the Text Element has a background fill or border applied, preventing the text from appearing cramped against the edges.

Headlines vs. Body Copy

Text Elements serve different roles depending on where they appear in your slide layout. Understanding the distinction between headline and body copy usage helps you build slides that communicate clearly and look polished.

Using Text Elements as Headlines

• Use a large font size (36pt or above) to establish visual hierarchy.
• Choose a heavier weight (Bold or ExtraBold) to draw the eye immediately.
• Keep headline text short — aim for 6–10 words maximum.
• Center or left-align depending on your layout style; avoid right-aligning headlines.

Using Text Elements as Body Copy

• Use a Regular or Medium weight at a smaller size (16–24pt) for supporting text.
• Left-align body copy for the best readability in most Western languages.
• Limit body copy to 3–5 lines per element to avoid overwhelming the viewer.
• Pair body copy with a headline element above it to provide context.

Readability Tips for Screen Presentations

Slides are often viewed at a distance — on a projector, a large display, or a standard TV screen. These tips will help ensure your text remains legible in every viewing context.

Contrast

• Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 between text and background (WCAG AA standard).
• Avoid placing light gray text on a white background or dark gray text on a black background.
• When placing text over an image, add a semi-transparent overlay or a text shadow to maintain contrast.

Font Size Minimums by Viewing Distance

As a general rule, larger viewing distances require larger font sizes. Use the following guidelines as a starting point:

• Personal screen (< 1 m): minimum 14pt for body, 24pt for headlines.
• Conference room display (2–5 m): minimum 20pt for body, 36pt for headlines.
• Large venue projector (5–15 m): minimum 28pt for body, 48pt for headlines.
• Auditorium or stadium screen (15 m+): minimum 36pt for body, 60pt for headlines.

Additional Readability Best Practices

• Avoid decorative or script fonts for body copy — reserve them for accent headlines only.
• Limit your presentation to two typefaces: one for headlines, one for body.
• Use sentence case or title case consistently — avoid ALL CAPS for long passages.
• Ensure sufficient white space around text elements so they don't feel crowded on the slide.