Snap to Glyph options

Last updated on Sep 16, 2025

Learn about the Snap to Glyph options and customize them to align text precisely. using baselines, heights, and edges.

Use Snap to Glyph options to align objects precisely with live text. As you move, draw, or rotate elements near text, glyph guides appear to help you snap accurately to specific parts of each character. For example, you can snap with glyph guides using features like Baseline and x-height, or go further by snapping glyphs to angles, anchor points, and the text area itself. These options make it easier to create clean, well-aligned layouts.

Tip

To view Glyph guide options, select Window > Type > Character and then in the Character panel menu , select Show Snap to Glyph Options.

The Character panel is open, showing six Snap to Glyph options—Baseline, x-height, Glyph Bounds, Proximity Guides, Angular Guides, and Anchor Point. The image displays how these guides appear on live text to help align objects precisely to different parts of each character. Each label highlights a specific glyph option.
Use glyph features to place text objects accurately.

A. Baseline B. x-height C. Glyph Bounds D. Proximity Guides E. Angular Guides F. Anchor Point

Glyph guide options available in the Character panel:

Option

Description

Baseline

Snaps to the base of a glyph, helping align text along a consistent line.

x-height

Snaps to the height of lowercase letters, excluding ascenders and descenders, to align objects to the consistent body height of lowercase text.

Glyph Bounds

Snaps to a glyph's top, bottom, left, and right edges for precise bounding alignment.

Proximity Guides

Snaps to guides near the Baseline, x-height, and Glyph Bounds, based on the glyph’s shape and layout. Adobe Illustrator calculates their position using each character’s maximum width or pixel density.

Angular Guides

Snaps to slanted or diagonal parts of glyphs, like in A, V, or italic fonts, and to the angle of a rotated text frame, making aligning elements to the slant easier.

Anchor Point

Snaps drawings and objects to the exact anchor points that define each glyph’s shape.