> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.tella.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add image and video overlays

> Layer an image or video on top of your Tella recording, then position, resize, time, and animate it.

Overlays let you place an image or video **on top of** your recording — a logo, a screenshot, a reaction GIF, or a picture-in-picture clip — without replacing what's already on screen. This is different from [media (B-roll)](/docs/help/editing/use-media), which swaps out a whole slot of your layout. An overlay floats above everything for the stretch of time you choose.

## Where to find overlays

1. Open your video in the editor.
2. Open **effects** in the sidebar.
3. Find the **Overlays** section.

## Add an overlay

1. Move the playhead to where you want the overlay to appear.

2. Click **Add overlay**. This opens the Media Library.

3. Pick an image or video — **upload** one from your computer, choose an existing item from your **Personal** or **Workspace** library, or **generate** an image with AI. (It's the same library you use for [media/B-roll](/docs/help/editing/use-media#the-media-library).)

The overlay drops onto the canvas at the playhead.

<Tip>
  With the library open, you can **paste** a copied image (⌘V / Ctrl+V) to upload and drop it in as an overlay in one step — no need to save the file first.
</Tip>

## Position and size it

* On the canvas, **drag** the overlay to move it and drag its corners to **resize** it.
* The overlay keeps its position and size relative to your video frame, so it stays put across aspect ratios.

## Set when it appears

In the timeline, adjust how long the overlay is on screen:

* Drag the **start** or **end** of the overlay segment to change its duration.
* Drag the segment left or right to move it earlier or later in the clip.
* Or select the overlay in the effects sidebar and type precise **start** and **end** timestamps into the inline time inputs next to the three-dots menu.

You can add several overlays and overlap them freely — no multi-track timeline required.

<Note>
  A **video** overlay shows its audio **waveform** on the timeline segment. Its trimmed range is capped to the length of the source clip, so a short video won't loop to fill a longer overlay.
</Note>

## Animate the overlay in and out

By default, an overlay **hard cuts** — it pops in and out instantly. To make it fade instead:

1. Select the overlay in the effects sidebar and open its **three-dots** menu.
2. Choose **Smooth** to fade the overlay in at its start and out at its end, or **Hard cut** to keep it instant.

<Tip>
  Fades only apply to visual overlays. Audio clips are added as [sound effects](/docs/help/editing/sound-effects), which mix in without a fade.
</Tip>

## Edit or remove an overlay

* Select an overlay in the effects sidebar to reposition, resize, or retime it on the canvas.
* Click an empty area of the canvas to deselect the overlay when you're done adjusting it.
* Use the overlay's **three-dots** menu to remove it.