LED Banner How to make scrolling text on iPhone, like an LED ticker
Open LED Banner, tap New Banner, type your words in Message, set the Speed under Motion and tap Full Screen. Turn the phone sideways and the text scrolls across the whole screen until you double-tap to stop.
Scrolling sign or scrolling text in a video?
Many searches for moving text on iPhone are about videos: credits or captions inside a clip. That is a job for a video editor. This guide is about the other meaning: the phone itself becomes the sign, with your message gliding across the screen so people can read it from a distance.
iOS has no built-in way to do this, so you need an app. LED Banner does it without an account or an internet connection, and the basic scroller costs nothing.
How do I make a scrolling message on iPhone?
- Open LED Banner and, on the Create tab, tap New Banner. A banner called My Banner opens in the editor.
- Tap Text and replace HELLO WORLD in Message with your own words. Emoji work too.
- Optional: give the banner a Name so you can find it later in the Library.
- Tap Motion. Under Direction, pick left or right, then drag Speed (20 to 500 pt per second, 80 by default).
- Under Loop, keep Loop for a classic ticker, choose Bounce to make the text travel across and come back, or None to keep it still.
- Tap Full Screen at the top right, then turn the phone to landscape.
- To stop, double-tap anywhere or tap the X in the corner.
Every change shows up in the live preview at the top of the editor, and the banner is saved automatically.
How fast should the text move?
The Speed value is in points per second. One full pass means the text enters at one edge and has completely left at the other, so it depends on the length of the message and the width of the screen. The message WELCOME HOME ANNA at Size 120 in the System font measures about 1,280 pt wide, rather than a guess from a spec sheet, and a 6.1-inch iPhone in landscape is 852 pt wide.
| Speed | One full pass | Bounce, there and back | Each letter on screen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 pt/s (default) | 26.65 s | 53.3 s | 10.65 s |
| 200 pt/s | 10.66 s | 21.32 s | 4.26 s |
| 300 pt/s | 7.11 s | 14.21 s | 2.84 s |
The last column is what matters to the reader: it is how long each letter stays visible. At the default speed every letter is on screen for over ten seconds, which is relaxed and easy to read. At 300 pt/s it is under three seconds, fine for a single word but tiring for a sentence.
Loop, Bounce or None: which one?
- Loop: the text starts just outside the far edge, crosses the screen and repeats. Use it for anything longer than the screen.
- Bounce: the text travels all the way across, then comes back the other way. A full there-and-back takes twice as long as one pass.
- None: the text does not move and sits in the center. Ideal for one or two short words that fit on the screen.
When the sign opens, scrolling always starts from the edge, and if you move the Speed slider while editing, the text changes pace without jumping.
Tips for a readable scroller
- Keep it short. A few words in big letters beat a long sentence in small ones.
- Raise Size in Text. The maximum is 300 pt; long messages simply scroll.
- Pick a heavy Weight. Bold actually draws a heavy weight and Black is the thickest.
- Start slow and speed up only if people have to wait too long for the message to come round.
- Pick a bright Color Mode such as Solid, Retro LED or Neon on a black background for strong contrast.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the phone in portrait: the full-screen sign is always landscape, so turn the phone sideways.
- Choosing None for a long message: the ends get cut off. Use Loop instead.
- Looking for up or down scrolling in the free version: those two directions are part of LED Banner Pro and show a padlock.
Questions and answers
Is there a free scrolling text app for iPhone?
Can I add this scrolling text to a video?
Can the text scroll vertically?
Does the screen stay on while the text scrolls?
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