Select the characters or type objects you want to change. Without a selection, the setting applies to the new text you create.
Last updated on
Oct 25, 2026
Learn how to adjust spacing between characters and lines in Adobe Illustrator using leading, kerning, and tracking.
Controlling line and character spacing improves readability and visual hierarchy.
Use these spacing controls to refine typography for logos, layouts, and marketing materials. Leading adjusts the vertical space between lines. Kerning refines the spacing between specific character pairs. Tracking adjusts spacing across selected text ranges. Fractional widths control pixel-level spacing precision. Use these settings together in the Character panel to get professional typographic results.
Set leading
Leading controls the vertical space between lines of type, measured from one baseline to the baseline above it. The default auto-leading is 120% of the type size—for example, 12-point leading for 10-point type. Override this with custom values or adjust the auto-leading percentage in the Justification settings.
For horizontal Asian type, you can measure leading either from baseline to baseline or from the top of one line to the top of the next.
Select Window > Type > Character.
In the Leading field, enter a value or select from the menu.
Note
The largest leading value in a line determines that line's leading. When auto-leading is active, the value appears in parentheses in the Leading menu.
Shift the baseline
A baseline shift moves selected characters up or down from their normal positions. Use baseline shift to manually adjust fractions, position picture fonts, or create custom effects.
Select the characters or type objects you want to shift.
In the Character panel, locate the Baseline Shift field.
Enter a positive value to move characters above the baseline or a negative value to move them below.
Adjust kerning
Kerning adds or subtracts space between specific character pairs. Most fonts include built-in kern pairs for common letter combinations like LA, P., To, Wa, and Yo.
Illustrator offers three kerning methods:
- Metrics kerning uses the font's built-in values
- Optical kerning adjusts spacing based on character shapes
- Manual kerning lets you set custom values
Apply automatic kerning
Select the text you want to kern, or place the insertion point between two characters.
In the Character panel, locate the Kerning menu.
Select Metrics to use the font's built-in kerning or select Optical to automatically adjust spacing.
Use Metrics for most professional fonts and Optical when you're mixing typefaces or sizes, or when a font has limited built-in kerning.
Apply manual kerning
Place the insertion point between two characters.
In the Character panel, enter a numeric value in the Kerning field.
Press Alt + Left Arrow or Right Arrow (Windows) or Option + Left Arrow or Right Arrow (macOS) to adjust kerning in small increments.
To turn off kerning for selected characters, set the Kerning value to 0. Kerning and tracking are measured in 1/1000 em, a unit proportional to the current type size. In 6-point type, 1 em equals 6 points; in 10-point type, 1 em equals 10 points.
Adjust tracking
Tracking loosens or tightens spacing uniformly across a range of characters or an entire text block. Unlike kerning, which affects specific pairs, tracking adjusts all selected characters by the same amount. You can use tracking and kerning together. Kern specific pairs first, then apply tracking to maintain your kerning adjustments.
Select the range of characters or type object you want to adjust.
In the Character panel, enter a value in the Tracking field. Positive values increase spacing; negative values decrease it.
Control fractional character widths
By default, Illustrator uses fractional character widths, allowing spacing to vary by fractions of pixels for optimal appearance. For small online type (below 20 points), fractional widths can cause characters to run together or exhibit irregular spacing. Turn off fractional widths to fix spacing in whole-pixel increments.
Select the type object using the Selection tool.
In the Character panel menu, select System Layout to apply whole-pixel spacing, or select Fractional Widths to enable fractional spacing.
The fractional character width setting applies to all characters in the selected type object. You can’t set it for individual characters.
For additional text formatting techniques, explore character and paragraph formatting. To see all available keyboard shortcuts for type manipulation, consult the Illustrator keyboard shortcuts reference.
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