Text Tool

The Text tool creates independent text boxes that aren't attached to shapes. Use them for titles, labels, annotations, and any text that needs to float freely in your diagram.

Text Boxes vs. Shape Text

FeatureText boxShape text
LocationAnywhere on the canvasInside a shape
BackgroundTransparentThe shape's fill
BorderA thin light-grey contourThe shape's stroke
ConnectorsCan have connectors attachedConnect to the shape
MovementIndependentMoves with the shape

Creating a Text Box

  1. Choose the Text tool in the toolbar, or press T while nothing is selected
  2. Click on the canvas to create a default 120 × 80 box, or drag to set the box's width yourself
  3. Type your text in the editor that opens, then click outside to finish

After the box is created, the tool switches back to Select.

Text boxes have a fixed width: text wraps inside the box, and the box grows in height to fit.

Tip: Clicking an existing shape with the Text tool opens that shape's text for editing instead of creating a new box.

Editing Text

Select a text box (or any shape) and press T, or double-click it and click Edit Text in the floating toolbar.

Formatting

Format the text with the text editor callout (font, B/I/U, size, alignment, colour, Markdown) or the Inspector's Text tab. See Text Editing for all controls.

Padding

In the Inspector's Text tab → Padding:

  • Mode — Relative or Absolute
  • Left, right — horizontal padding
  • Top, bottom — vertical padding
  • Show paddings — display the padding area while editing

Rotation

Rotate a text box with its rotation handle, or type an angle in Arrange → Geometry → Rotation. The text editor callout also has a Text angle control that rotates the text inside its box.

Background and Border

Double-click the text box and open Shape Style in the floating toolbar to change its look:

  • Background Color and Background Opacity
  • Draw only contour — show only the outline
  • Contour Color, Contour Type, Contour Width, and Contour Opacity
  • Shadow

Connecting to Text Boxes

Text boxes can have connectors attached like any other shape — useful for annotations that point at specific elements.

Tips

  1. Use layers — put annotation text on its own layer so you can hide it at once
  2. Save text presets — reuse the same font and size for similar text with Text Presets
  3. Use Markdown for multi-style text such as a heading followed by a list