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

# Text

> [!WARNING]
>
> **DEPRECATION NOTICE:** This entire page documents the legacy Text
> manipulation system. **For new projects:** Use [Data Binding](https://rive.app/docs/game-runtimes/unity/data-binding.md) instead. **For existing projects:** Plan to
> migrate from direct text run manipulation to Data Binding as soon as possible.

For more information on designing and animating Text, please refer to the editor's text section:

> [card] [Text](https://rive.app/docs/editor/text/text-overview.md)
>
> Information on designing and animating Text

## Read/update Text Runs at runtime

> [!WARNING]
>
> **⚠️ LEGACY CONTENT WARNING:** The following sections document the deprecated
> Text manipulation system. **This content is provided for legacy support
> only.** New implementations should use [Data Binding](https://rive.app/docs/game-runtimes/unity/data-binding.md).

If you intend to update a **text run** at runtime it's important to manually enter a *unique name* for the run in the editor:

![Image](https://mintcdn.com/rive/QEBBdwwFJOiq_hKR/images/runtimes/3114789e-e298-458e-8d9b-00ca71db658d.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=QEBBdwwFJOiq_hKR\&q=85\&s=016fd8859f1b8906aa175d6edd0b6b65)

And then export the name: **right-click** and select **Export name**

![Image](https://mintcdn.com/rive/QEBBdwwFJOiq_hKR/images/runtimes/b729291c-f915-4ce0-b2fa-f6d6a742141c.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=QEBBdwwFJOiq_hKR\&q=85\&s=7b3b4b6b6370896ef96b01f5d9c2861e)

You can identify an exported component if it's surrounded by square brackets. This makes it possible for the run to be "discoverable" at runtime by its name. For more information, see [Exporting for Runtime](https://rive.app/docs/editor/exporting/exporting-for-runtime.md).

> [!WARNING]
>
> **If the name is not set manually in the editor the name will not be part of
> the exported *.riv* (to reduce file size).**

> [!NOTE]
>
> Text runs can also be updated on components at runtime, see [Read/Update
> Nested Text Runs at Runtime](#read-update-nested-text-runs-at-runtime) below.

## Update Rive Text in Unity

> [!NOTE]
>
> A unique run name must be set in the editor to be easily discoverable at runtime. See the text runtime docs for more information.

A text run can be updated from an artboard instance by providing the **name** and **new value**:

```json theme={null}
Artboard artboard;

....

artboard.SetTextRun("textRunName", "newValue");
```

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Note:** This API only updates text runs on the given artboard, and will not update text runs on component instances.

### Nested Text Runs

For more information about updating nested text runs in Unity, [take a look at this example](https://rive.app/docs/game-runtimes/unity/text.md#nested-text-runs).