Text editing in Blender works differently than in word processors
Blender treats text as a 3D object you can model, animate, and render — not as a document you type into. To edit the actual words, you enter Edit Mode by pressing Tab after selecting a text object. Once in Edit Mode, you can add, delete, and change letters the way you would in any text editor. The difference is that every change updates a 3D shape in your viewport, and you can apply materials, lighting, and effects to it afterward.
If you are new to Blender, the most confusing part is that text objects behave like meshes — they have vertices, edges, and faces. But the editing itself is straightforward once you know where to find the text input.
Key Takeaways
- Select a text object and press Tab to enter Edit Mode, where you can type and delete characters like in a normal text editor.
- Use arrow keys to move the cursor, and Shift+arrow keys to select multiple characters before deleting or replacing them.
- Press Tab again to exit Edit Mode and return to Object Mode, where you can move, scale, and render the text.
- Text properties like font, size, and alignment live in the properties panel on the right side, not in Edit Mode itself.
- You can create a new text object by pressing Shift+A, selecting Text, and typing immediately without pressing Tab first.
Creating and entering a text object
To add text to your Blender scene, press Shift+A to open the Add menu. Navigate to Text and click it. Blender will place a text object in your scene that says "Text" by default. The cursor appears inside the object ready for you to type — you do not need to press Tab first when you just created it.
If you have an existing text object you want to edit, click it once to select it, then press Tab. The outline of the text will turn orange, and you will see a blinking cursor. You are now in Edit Mode and can change the words.
Basic text editing commands
Once you are in Edit Mode, the keyboard works like a text editor. Type to add characters where the cursor sits. Press Backspace to delete the character before the cursor, or Delete to remove the character after it. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor left, right, up, or down through the text.
To select text, hold Shift and press an arrow key. Each press selects one more character in that direction. You can also select all text by pressing Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac), then type to replace it entirely. Ctrl+X cuts selected text, Ctrl+C copies it, and Ctrl+V pastes it back.
When you are finished editing, press Tab again to exit Edit Mode. The text object is now locked and will not change unless you press Tab to edit it again.
Changing font, size, and spacing
Text properties do not live in Edit Mode — they are in the properties panel on the right side of the screen. Look for the Object Data Properties tab, which looks like a lowercase "a" icon. Here you can change the font by clicking the folder icon next to "Font" and browsing your system fonts.
The Size field controls how large the text appears. Increase it to make text bigger, decrease it to make it smaller. The Character Spacing slider adjusts the gap between letters. Word Spacing controls the gap between words. Line Spacing controls the vertical distance between lines if your text wraps to multiple rows.
You can also set the text alignment — left, center, or right — using the alignment buttons in the same panel. These changes take effect immediately in the viewport, even while you are in Edit Mode.
Exiting Edit Mode and working with text as an object
Press Tab to leave Edit Mode and return to Object Mode. In Object Mode, you cannot change the words, but you can move, rotate, scale, and render the text like any other object. Press G to grab and move it, R to rotate it, and S to scale it larger or smaller.
You can also apply materials and textures to text in Object Mode. Select the text, go to the Shading workspace, and add materials the same way you would for a cube or any other mesh. Text in Blender is fully 3D, so you can light it, add shadows, and render it as part of a scene.
Common issues and how to fix them
If you press Tab and nothing happens, make sure you have selected the text object first by clicking on it. The outline should turn orange when selected. If the text is very small or very large, check the Size field in the Object Data Properties panel — it may be set to an extreme value.
If the font looks wrong or does not match what you selected, Blender may not have found the font file on your system. Try selecting a different font from the dropdown, or click the folder icon to browse for a font file manually. Some fonts may not be installed on your computer, so Blender falls back to a default.
If you cannot see the text cursor in Edit Mode, try zooming in with the scroll wheel or pressing the period key on the numpad to frame the text in the viewport. The cursor is there — you may just need a closer view to see it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I paste text from another program into Blender?
Yes. Copy text from any source, enter Edit Mode in Blender by pressing Tab, and press Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V on Mac) to paste. Blender will paste only the plain text — formatting like bold or italics will not carry over.
How do I make text 3D with depth?
In the Object Data Properties panel, look for the Extrude field. Increase this number to give the text thickness and depth. You can also adjust the Bevel Depth to round the edges of the letters.
Can I edit text while it is being animated?
Yes, but you need to be careful. Enter Edit Mode, make your changes, and exit. If you have keyframes set on the text object, they will remain — only the shape of the letters will update. If you want to change what the text says at different points in an animation, you will need to use separate text objects.
What if I want to convert text to a mesh so I can edit individual letters?
Select the text object in Object Mode and press Alt+C, then choose Mesh. This converts the text to a regular mesh that you can edit with all of Blender's modeling tools. You will no longer be able to change the words — only the geometry.