Text Area

Text Area collects longer multi-line personalization, such as gift messages or production notes. It can update Live Preview, align text left, center, or right, use a custom shadow, link to font and color controls, and apply a price adjustment.

Overview

Text Area is similar to Text Input but accepts multiple lines of text. Use for longer messages, poems, dedications, or custom instructions.

Replace a Single-Line Text Input

For two or more lines, create a new Text Area; an existing Text Input cannot be converted directly. Configure the new field's label, required setting, character limit, and any price adjustment. Check its preview position, font and color links, and conditional rules rather than assuming the old field's settings have transferred. Test line breaks and the saved order text before removing the old field.

Add a Text Area and position the preview text

Live Preview

Text Area supports Live Preview. When enabled, the entered text renders on the product image in real time. Configure font, size, color, and position in the preview layer settings. You can also connect the preview layer to Font Swatch or Color Swatch options so shoppers can style their message.

Turn Live Preview on or off for Text Area

For messages that should appear on the product, enable Live Preview for the Text Area and position its text layer. For production notes or a message that should only be collected, follow the setup without Live Preview. The entered text is still saved with the order.

Move the Text Area preview text

Select the Text Area layer in the preview and drag it to the area where the message should appear.

Resize the Text Area preview text

Select the layer and drag a corner handle to resize it so the message fits the print or engraving area.

Rotate the Text Area preview text

Select the layer and drag its rotate handle to angle the text.

Change Text Area preview text color

Select the layer and choose a global color, a custom color, or a linked Color Swatch for the text color.

Link Text Area to a Color Swatch

Select the Text Area, then use Link color swatch in the right-side panel to choose the Color Swatch that controls its color.

Link Text Area to a Font Swatch

Select the Text Area, then use Link font swatch in the right-side panel to choose the Font Swatch that controls its font.

Align Text Area preview text and add a shadow

Select the Text Area preview layer to choose left, center, or right alignment. Use a preset text effect or configure a custom box shadow when the message needs a specific offset, blur, or shadow color.

The main text color and effect color can each use a custom color or a linked Color Swatch.

Fixed Width and Text Fitting

Select the Text Area preview layer and turn on Fixed width, then set Width to the width of the target area. Under Text fitting, choose Wrap text (long lines wrap onto new lines) or Shrink text (the font size shrinks to fit). Use Maximum lines to limit how many lines the preview shows. Test short and long messages with every shopper-selectable font.

Add SVG Icons to Text

In Field → General, turn on Enable icon selector. Choose built-in SVG icons or use Select SVG to upload your own SVG files. Save and test the field on the storefront. See SVG icon selector setup for the distinction between configured icons and emoji fonts.

Text and SVG icons inserted with this selector are included together in the print-ready PNG. Enable Generate print-ready files before ordering and make sure valid print data is saved during Add to Cart. The icons are flattened with the text into the PNG; Image Swatch artwork remains excluded. See text icons in print-ready files.

Icons follow the text size and color. Select SVG opens the image library in SVG-only mode. Adding an SVG makes it available in the editor icon list; select the icons there to offer them below the shopper's text field.

General Settings

• Label value — The field label (e.g. "Your message")
• Required field — Whether the field is mandatory
• Help content — Hover or popup guidance.
• Allow Character Limit — Enable the limit, then set Max character

Change Text Area label and placeholder

Make Text Area required or optional

Set a Text Area character limit

Turn on Allow Character Limit, then set Max character to the largest message your product and production process can support. Podifai prevents the shopper from entering more than that number of characters and shows the current count against the maximum on the field.

Option Values

Text Area does not have predefined option values — the customer types their own text. Additional settings:

• Placeholder Text — Example text shown in the field before typing
• Price adjustment — Fixed or percentage increase or decrease. Add variant price (Bundle variant) is not currently supported

Appearance

• Size — Set the field size.
• Radius — Set corner rounding.
• Fill & outline — Choose the fill and outline style.
• Selected outline color — Set the selected-state outline color.
• Focused outline color — Set the outline color when the field is focused.

Switch Text Area between standard and collapsible

Conditional Logic

Use Conditional Logic to show or hide this option based on another selection. For example, show the message field only after a gift wrap option is selected.

Verify a Multi-Line Message

• Enter one line, several lines, and a maximum-length message. Check readability and fit if Live Preview is enabled.
• Test line breaks, long words, and every shopper-selectable font on desktop and mobile.
• If the field is required, try submitting it empty. If Allow Character Limit is enabled, test the configured maximum and an additional character.
• Test the conditional path if the message appears only after another choice, including changing that choice after typing.
• Review any configured price adjustment and compare the saved order message with the text you entered.

Follow the cart, checkout, and order checklist. Choose a character limit and preview layout that suit the physical print area; character count alone does not guarantee that every multi-line message will fit.