How to Insert a Photo Into Text in Photoshop (+ a FREE Download!)

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Photoshop is an amazing program. It lets you do so much with your photography and design. But it can be overwhelming. Like… incredibly overwhelming.

For a long time, I knew that there was a way to put a pattern or a photo into text in Photoshop, but I had no idea how to achieve it. For a while, I did it in InDesign, creating outlines of the text and then inserting the image in the shape.

But here’s the big problem: you can’t change the text any more if you do it that way.

So when I found out how to put a pattern or photo into text in Photoshop while preserving the ability to change the text, I was ecstatic! And I knew I had to share.

How to Insert a Photo into Text in Photoshop

First things first, you’ll want to open up a new document in Photoshop. I’m creating an iPhone 6 background, so it is 750px wide by 1334px tall at 326 pixels per inch.

I decided on the phrase “Wake Up, Kick Ass, Repeat” because a) it’s amazing, and b) I can show you how to do more than one photo / pattern at the same time.

So you’ll want to insert your text into the document. You’ll want a new layer of text for each photo you want to import. For example, I want to do different water color patterns in “Wake Up,” “Kick Ass,” and “Repeat,” so those two chunks need to be in separate layers.

Make sure you get the font sized and styled how you want. You can always go back and change it, but it’s easier to put everything together if you’re looking at the final style from the beginning. Note: bolder fonts tend to work better for this, because there’s more real estate for the photo to show out of.

Then, you’ll want to import your photo or pattern into the document. You could do this by going to File –> Place Embedded, but I prefer to drag the file right onto the document. Let’s start with “Wake Up.”

You’ll want to readjust your photo based on where you want it. Again, you can do this after, too, but I like to do it before so I can get a good idea of what it will look like.

Once you’ve got it all set where you want it, go over to the layers palette. Make sure the photo or pattern is the layer directly above the text you want it inserted into. Then, right click on your photo and select “Create Clipping Mask.”

And voila! Your image has been inserted into the text. You can still move it around and change the text, too!

For example, I want to change the position of the water color, because I don’t necessarily like the way it gets lighter across “up.”

Much better!

Then just repeat with the other layers and you’re done!

Easy peesy, right?

Well, it gets even better! If you don’t have access to Photoshop but want this iPhone background, you can have it! Just sign up for the And Possibly Dinosaurs email list and you’ll get a free download!

What will you make with a clipping mask?