Found the Reason Why Title Outline Didn’t Work in VEGAS Pro 23

VVN wrote on 10/17/2025, 6:07 AM

Hi,
Recently, I purchased VEGAS Pro 23 and I am currently learning how to use it. It differs significantly from the less advanced programs I have worked with so far. Perhaps that is why I encountered a problem I couldn’t figure out at first.

After adding a title on a newly created track, I couldn’t create a black outline around the letters or apply a shadow. I didn’t understand why, and it was quite frustrating.

It took me some time to discover the reason. The track containing the title must have its Composite Mode set to “Source Alpha”, while by default, new tracks were being created with Composite Mode set to “Screen.”

I changed the default setting so that new tracks are now created with Composite Mode = Source Alpha, and the title started working correctly.

I’m not sure if this behavior is intentional, but if it is, I believe it would be helpful for VEGAS to display a warning message when there’s such an incompatibility between the title and the track settings that limits its full functionality. For users who are just starting with VEGAS Pro 23, this could be a rather confusing and unpleasant surprise.

Comments

Dexcon wrote on 10/17/2025, 6:22 AM

On my Vegas Pro 23 build 302, the default composite mode is 'Source Alpha' - as has always been the case in all previous versions of Vegas Pro I've had since Vegas Pro 10.

I don't know why your VP23 defaults composite mode to 'Screen', but if you change the mode to 'Source Alpha' and then R click that video track header and select the 'Set Default Track Properties' option, all subsequent track creations should have 'Source Alpha' as the default composite mode.

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RogerS wrote on 10/17/2025, 6:59 AM

That's odd- the default here is source alpha. You are sure you didn't accidentally change the default?

VVN wrote on 10/17/2025, 7:21 AM

I did that, but since I was just learning the program, I wasn’t aware of the consequences. I realized it only later. That’s why I suggested adding a warning message with an option to disable it, so it doesn’t appear again.