How to Add a Glow Effect to Text

You can create eye-catching designs by adding a glow to your text using the Shadow/Glow option in the Text Properties menu. Follow the steps below to learn how!

Step 1: Select the text layer you want to edit. The Text Properties panel will appear.

Step 2: In the left-hand panel, click the arrow to select and expand the Shadow/Glow settings.

Step 3: Choose Glow from the dropdown menu.

Step 4: Use the sliders to adjust the Distance, Angle, Blur, Size, Density, and Opacity. You can also type in specific values if preferred.

Step 5: Click the color swatch to change the glow color. You can enter a hex code, pick a color manually, or use the eyedropper tool to select a color from your image.

Pro Tip: Once you adjust any of the default Glow settings, the menu label will change to Last Modified. This helps you keep track of custom styling you’ve applied to layers.

Step 6: Keep editing your design as needed. If you're done, be sure to save your project!

Understanding Shadow/Glow Menu Options

When using Glow, the Shadow/Glow menu will show the most recently applied effect. Here’s a quick breakdown of the available options:

  • Drop Shadow – Adds a shadow behind your layer for depth.
  • Glow – Creates a soft, diffused highlight around your layer.
  • Outline – Adds a line around the shape or edge of your layer.

Drop Shadow, Glow, and Outline each have default settings.

  • Last Modified – Applies the most recent non-default setting to newly selected layers.
  • Custom – Indicates the layer was edited with custom settings prior to applying a Last Modified preset.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out another tutorial:

Filling Text With An Image
Introduction to Layers and Groups
Layer Properties

0 out of 0 found this helpful