How to Use Overlays in CapCut Mobile – PC & Web – Tutorial
Have you watched those videos which have footages over footages and thought how to do this? Overlays are one of the easiest ways to make your videos look more interesting. An overlay means you place one thing on top of another in your video. For example, you can place a small video on top of a bigger video, add text on the screen or add cool effects like film grain or glitches.
The best part is that CapCut makes overlays simple. You can do it on mobile, PC and even CapCut Web. This guide explains what overlays are and how to use them step by step in easy language.
What is an overlay in CapCut?
In CapCut Pro Mod Apk , an overlay is an extra layer you put on top of your main video. The main video stays in the background and the overlay stays above it. By doing this both can be seen in a very interesting way. There are the following types of overlays
Video overlays
Image overlays
Text overlays
Sticker overlays
Effects and filter overlays
Transition overlays
You can resize and move overlays anywhere and even make them partly transparent.
Why should you use overlays?
Overlays can make your video feel more professional and more fun. Overlays help you with adding context or information to your video. You can add text, subtitles or labels without stopping the video. You can enhance visual appealof your video by adding animations, graphics or effects like VHS style, film grain or glitch.
Overlays helps you in Branding, You can add a logo or watermark so people know the video is yours. You can also highlight important elements of your video using overlays. You can use picture-in-picture to show extra info while the main video keeps playing. In short, you can create special effects by using overlays like old film, TV noise, smoke and more, which can change the mood of your video.
uses for overlays
Text and subtitles: titles, captions, and subtitles
Logos and watermarks: brand logo in a corner
Graphics and animations: arrows, icons, stickers, and animated elements
Picture-in-picture (PiP): a small video inside a bigger video (great for tutorials and reactions)
Special effects: smoke, old film, glitch, film grain
Social media elements: overlays like social handles (TikTok-style overlays)
Data visuals: charts, graphs, and simple infographics in learning or business videos
How to use overlays in CapCut on phone
These steps work for iOS and Android.
Step 1: Import your main video
Open CapCut, tap New project, and choose your main video. This will be your background.
Step 2: Add the overlay
Tap where you want the overlay to start on the timeline.
Tap Overlay → Add overlay → choose a video, photo, GIF, or sticker.
The overlay will appear on a second track above your main video.
Step 3: Adjust and edit the overlay
Tap the overlay layer and use simple tools:
Resize and move it: pinch to resize, drag to move it
Trim/Split: to control how long it stays on screen
Opacity: lower it to make it transparent
Blend modes: change how it mixes (examples mentioned: Screen, Multiply, Overlay)
Mask: use shapes like Ellipse, Rectangle, Linear, or Freehand
Border & Shadow: make it stand out from the background
Keyframe: animate position/scale/opacity over time
Chroma Key: remove a solid background color (green screen), adjust intensity and shadow
When everything looks good, export your video.
How to use overlays in CapCut on PC
CapCut desktop makes overlay editing feel very organized because you can clearly see the tracks.
Step 1: Import your video
Open CapCut PC and click New project.
Click Import and add your main footage. Drag it onto the timeline.
Use Shift + Scroll to zoom in/out on the timeline.
Step 2: Add a video overlay (video on video)
Import your overlay video, then drag it above the main clip on the timeline.
If there is no upper track then Right-click the timeline and choose Add video track, or use Ctrl + Alt + T to create a new track.
Resize and position the overlay in the preview window
Use arrows ↑ ↓ ← → for fine positioning
Use the Scale controls to adjust size
Step 3: Export
Click Export, choose your settings (resolution/format), name your file, choose a folder and export.
How to overlay an image on PC
Step 1: Import the main video
Import your main clip and place it on the timeline.
Step 2: Add the image above the video
Import your image and drag it to a track above the main video.
Resize it with Scale
Move it to a corner (for a watermark)
Use Blend to create texture-style overlays (light leaks, dust, film grain)
Use arrow keys for exact positioning
Step 3: Export
Export in the quality you need like 1080p for most social platforms, or 4K for cinematic overlays.
How to overlay text on a video in CapCut PC
Step 1: Import your main video
Import your clip and place it on the timeline.
Step 2: Add text
Click Text → Add text.
Type your text (title, caption, TikTok-style on-screen text, etc.). The text appears on an upper track as an overlay.
You can customize font, color & animation and size and placement
Step 3: Export
Export your video, making sure the text looks clear.
How to use overlays in CapCut Web
If you want to edit without installing software, CapCut Web lets you do overlays in your browser.
Step 1: Import your video
Go to the CapCut website, sign in, click Create new → Video, and drag your video to the timeline.
Step 2: Add overlay elements (example: text overlay)
Click Text on the left menu → Add text.
Customize font, size, color, and timing on the timeline.
Step 3: Export
Click Export, choose quality (1080p is common for TikTok/Reels), download, and share.
Different overlay effects you can try
CapCut mentions many overlay effect styles. Here are some examples and what they look like:
Old grunge film: scratches, dust, vignette, flicker (old movie feel)
TV noise: static and signal interference (retro or horror vibe)
Glitch pack: pixel shifts and distortion (futuristic, energetic)
Camcorder: time stamps and soft blur (90s home video look)
8mm film grain: warm, soft, nostalgic look
Smoke overlay: fog/haze for mood and depth
Blank VHS tape: tracking lines and color streaks (retro TikTok vibe)
Countdown: classic film leader numbers (intro/trailer style)
Rotating star: playful, dreamy, magical vibe
Tips to make overlays look better
Overlays are powerful, but too many overlays can make the screen look crowded. These tips help keep your video clean:
Match overlays to your theme: choose overlays that fit the mood of your video
Don’t overuse overlays: too many layers can distract people
Sync overlays with audio: match overlays to beats, dialogue, or sound effects
Use blending and opacity: help overlays “mix” naturally with the background
Keep overlay order in mind: the top track is the most visible
If using chroma key: even lighting and clean background color helps a lot
For picture-in-picture: keep the overlay small and add a border or shadow if needed
For picture-in-picture: keep the overlay small and add a border or shadow if needed
Troubleshooting of Errors In Overlays
If overlay not visible the make sure it’s on a track above the main video. Also make sure opacity is not at 0. it is also possible that the overlay is hidden behind another full screen layer. Make sure all these things are correct. If chroma key looks rough then
Try better lighting in the original footage
Adjust intensity/shadow
Use feather/edge smoothing if available
If CapCut feels laggy then
Reduce preview quality (if available)
Keep overlays shorter
Use simpler clips if your device struggles
Conclusion
Learning how to use overlays in CapCut is a big upgrade for your editing. Even simple overlays like text, logos or picture-in-picture can make your video feel more clear and more exciting. And if you want to get creative then you can use overlays like film grain, VHS, glitch, smoke and many more.
CapCut makes it possible on mobile, PC and web so you can choose whatever feels easiest for you. Once you learn the basic steps (import → overlay → adjust → export), it gets easier every time you edit. If you are a complete beginner and want to learn capcut as a beginner than you should do that first and then learn how to us overlays in capcut.
