Create stunning transparent cutout text effects where your image shows through the letters. Perfect for bold, modern typography designs—no Photoshop needed.



Knockout text (also called cutout text, transparent text, or negative space typography) is a design technique where the text itself becomes transparent, allowing the background image to be visible only through the characters.
It creates a bold, modern look perfect for posters, social media covers, YouTube thumbnails, and website headers. Traditionally this requires Photoshop clipping masks—but with our free tool, it's just one click.
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Create professional transparent text effects in seconds—no design skills required
Choose a photo with interesting colors, textures, or patterns for the best effect.
Type your text, choose a bold font, and click the star icon to enable knockout mode.
Export your knockout text design as a high-resolution PNG instantly.
See how creators use transparent cutout text effects
Create eye-catching thumbnails with bold knockout titles that grab attention in search results.
Stand out with modern transparent typography that shows your photos through the text.
Design professional magazine-style covers with dramatic knockout headlines.
Create striking ad graphics with knockout text that captures attention instantly.
Add modern knockout text headers to websites for a bold, contemporary look.
Design stunning event posters with knockout text overlaid on vibrant photos.
See why creators choose our free knockout text generator
Everything you need to know about creating transparent cutout text effects
Knockout text (also called cutout text, transparent text, or see-through text) is a popular design technique where the text itself is transparent, revealing the background image behind it. The letters act like windows into your image, creating a striking visual effect widely used in modern design, YouTube thumbnails, Instagram posts, and marketing graphics.
Yes! Our knockout text generator is 100% free to use forever. There are no watermarks, no hidden fees, and no signup required to start creating. Free users can export at 480px resolution, signed-up users get 720px, and Pro users unlock full 4K resolution.
No! Our free online knockout text generator creates the exact same effect instantly without expensive software. What takes 10+ manual steps in Photoshop (creating clipping masks, adjusting layers, etc.) takes just seconds here. No downloads, no subscriptions, no design skills required.
Thick, bold fonts work best for knockout text because they provide more surface area for the background image to show through. Popular choices include Bebas Neue, Anton, Impact, Montserrat Black, and Oswald Bold. Our tool includes 100+ fonts with many bold options perfect for knockout effects.
Creating knockout text is simple: 1) Upload your image to our free tool, 2) Add text using the editor, 3) Select 'Knockout' mode from the overlay options (star icon), 4) Customize your font, size, and position, 5) Download your creation. The entire process takes under 30 seconds!
Absolutely! Knockout text is one of the most effective techniques for creating high-CTR YouTube thumbnails. The transparent text effect is eye-catching and helps your video stand out in search results and suggested videos. Many top YouTubers use this technique. Export in high resolution perfect for YouTube.
Join 30,000+ creators using our free tool to make stunning transparent text designs in seconds.
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