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Professional type spacing comes down to three different controls: kerning changes the gap between a particular pair of characters, tracking changes spacing across a selected range, and leading sets the baseline-to-baseline distance between lines. Choose the control that matches the problem, then judge the result in its actual typeface, size, line length and medium.
The three controls at a glance
| Control | What it changes | Typical use | What it cannot fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerning | One character pair | Optical balance in a headline, logo or other large display text | Uneven spacing throughout an entire word or paragraph |
| Tracking | A uniform adjustment across a selected word, line or text range | Opening up or tightening the overall texture of display text, subheads or sidebars | The visual imbalance of one unusual pair |
| Leading | The baseline-to-baseline interval between lines | Controlling paragraph density and the rhythm of multi-line text | Letter-pair spacing or the width of a line |
InDesign records kerning and tracking in 1/1000 em relative to the current type size. They can also be cumulative: a manually kerned pair remains affected by any tracking applied to the surrounding range. Adobe explains the controls and their interaction in its InDesign documentation.
1. Kerning: tune particular letter pairs
Kerning adjusts the space between two specific characters. It is the right tool when most of a heading looks balanced but one pair creates an obvious hole or collision. The goal is even-looking negative space, not identical measured gaps: curved, diagonal and overhanging forms can make equal numeric distances look unequal.
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Choose the appropriate kerning mode
- Metrics kerning uses pair values built into the font. It is often the best starting point when the typeface has well-made kerning data.
- Optical kerning judges the adjacent glyph shapes instead of relying only on the font’s pair table. Adobe notes that it can help when pair data is limited, when several faces appear in one word, or when sizes differ on one line.
- Manual kerning lets you make a fine correction after inspecting the actual lettering. It is especially useful for large display text, headlines and logos where a small imbalance is conspicuous.
Inspect pairs at display size
Zoom in on combinations such as “Va,” “Fo,” “Ta,” “AV,” “AT” and “AW,” then step back and assess the whole word. Do not assume every pair needs intervention: a font’s built-in metrics may already be convincing. Manual edits should solve a visible problem in the specific typeface, size and context, not impose a universal value.
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2. Tracking: adjust a range-wide texture
Tracking applies one spacing adjustment across a selected range—such as a word, line, subhead or paragraph. Positive tracking opens the texture; negative tracking compacts it. Unlike kerning, it moves the relationships throughout the range rather than targeting one pair.
Where tracking earns attention
A small positive adjustment can give a subhead, pull quote, sidebar or some screen text a more open display voice. Display sizes reveal these changes readily. Negative tracking is uncommon for body text because compression can make the texture feel crowded; use it only when the typeface and setting still produce comfortable, even reading.
Keep tracking separate from pair corrections
If one “AV” looks too loose inside an otherwise well-spaced heading, fix that pair with kerning. If every letter in a label feels too spread out, tracking addresses the range. InDesign allows both adjustments, so check the final result after applying them together rather than judging either value in isolation.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstall3. Leading: set the distance between lines
Leading (line spacing or line height) is measured from one baseline to the next—not from the bottom of one inked letter to the top of the next. It controls how easily the eye returns to the next line and how dense a paragraph appears.
Set it from the typeface and measure
The useful amount depends on the typeface’s proportions, type size, line length and layout. Long lines may benefit from more leading so the next line is easier to find; display headlines often use tighter leading than body copy. Adobe gives 10-point type with 12-point leading as a common starting example, and describes 120% automatic leading as a default example, not a formula. Adobe’s leading guide explicitly notes that headings and body text do not share one prescribed value.
Evaluate paragraphs, not just a sample line
Test several real paragraphs, including the longest line lengths and the heaviest or lightest weights in the design. Too little leading makes lines visually collide; too much breaks the paragraph into disconnected strips. A value that looks elegant in a short headline can be tiring in a long column.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to decide what to change
- Identify the scope. One awkward pair points to kerning; a consistently open or tight range points to tracking; a crowded or loose multi-line block points to leading.
- Check the context. Note the typeface, size, weight, script, line length, alignment and whether the text is display or reading copy.
- Start with the font’s defaults. Inspect metrics kerning before overriding it. Make the smallest visible change that resolves the problem.
- Review at the reading distance. Large zoom is useful for finding a pair issue, but the final decision belongs at the size and distance at which people will encounter the text.
- Recheck the whole layout. Spacing changes alter line breaks, block height and alignment. Confirm neighboring elements still fit.
Web typography must survive user spacing overrides
For content implemented with markup languages that support these properties, WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.12 requires no loss of content or functionality when a user applies all four text-spacing settings without changing other style properties:
- Line height of at least 1.5 times the font size
- Paragraph spacing after of at least 2 times the font size
- Letter spacing of at least 0.12 times the font size
- Word spacing of at least 0.16 times the font size
These are override-resilience test values, not authoring defaults and not a requirement to add a spacing widget. Test real pages with the overrides applied. Inspect headings, navigation, form labels, buttons, cards and paragraphs for clipping, overlap, obscured text, unexpected horizontal scrolling or controls that can no longer be operated. If text truncates, provide a workable way to access the missing information. Passing this test does not replace checks for contrast, type size, responsive behavior or script-specific conventions; it verifies that spacing changes do not remove content or functionality.
Quick Recap
A practical review checklist
- Is the problem confined to one pair, one range or the interval between lines?
- Are the font’s metrics already doing the job?
- Does the adjustment still look balanced at the intended display or reading size?
- Have line breaks, block heights and nearby controls been checked after the change?
- On the web, does the content remain readable and operable under the WCAG spacing overrides?
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