Tabs

Learn about Tabs and how to set, repeat, move, and remove tabs.

Tabs are the simplest way to align objects in your Illustrator artwork. You can use the Tabs panel to set tab stops for a paragraph or type object.

Tabs panel
Tabs panel

A. Tab alignment buttons B. Tab position C. Tab leader box D. Align On box E. Panel menu F. Tab ruler G. Snap panel above frame 

Align the Tabs panel with a selected type object

You can position the Tabs panel anywhere in the work area; however, it is usually helpful to align the Tabs panel with a type object.

  1. Select the magnet  icon to move the panel directly over the selected text object, with the zero point aligned with the left margin. If necessary, you can drag the resize button at the lower right corner of the panel to expand or reduce the ruler.

Snap tab stops to the ruler units

By default, you can position tab stops anywhere along the tab ruler.

  1. Select Snap To Unit from the panel menu or hold Shift as you drag a tab stop.

Change the units of measure for the tab ruler

The units of measurement for the tab ruler are specified in the Units preferences (for all files) or the Document Setup dialog (for the current file).

  • To change the units of measurement for all files, specify a new value for General Units in the Units preferences.
  • To change the units of measurement for the current file, specify the value of a new unit in the Document Setup dialog.

Set tabs

Tab stops apply to an entire paragraph. When you set the first tab, Illustrator deletes all default tab stops to the left of that stop. As you set more tab stops, Illustrator deletes all default tabs between the tabs you set.

  1. Insert the cursor in a paragraph, or select a type object to set tab stops for all paragraphs in the object.
  2. In the Tabs panel, click a tab-alignment button to specify how text aligns relative to the tab’s position:

    Left-Justified Tab

    Align horizontal text to the left, keeping the right margin ragged.

    Center-Justified Tab

    Center text on the tab mark.

    Right-Justified Tab

    Align horizontal text to the right, keeping the left margin ragged.

    Bottom-Justified Tab

    Align vertical text to the bottom margin, keeping the top margin ragged.

    Top-Justified Tab

    Align vertical text to the top margin, keeping the bottom margin ragged.

    Decimal-Justified Tab

    Place text in alignment with a specified character, such as a period or a dollar sign. This option is useful for creating columns of numbers.

    You can change the alignment of any tab by simply selecting it and clicking one of these buttons.

  3. Follow any of these options:

    • Select a location on the tab ruler to position a new tab stop.

    • Type a position in X (for horizontal text) or Y (for vertical text), and press Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS). If the X or Y value is selected, press the Up arrow or Down arrow to increase or decrease the tab value by 1 point.

    Note:

    When you use the tab ruler, you cannot set tab stops in increments smaller than 1. However, if you specify a position in the X or Y box, you can set stops at intervals as small as 0.01 point.

  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to add additional tab stops.
Note:

For information on setting indents using the Tabs panel, see Indent text.

Repeat tabs

The Repeat Tab option creates multiple tabs based on the distance between the tab and the left indent or the previous tab stop.

  1. Select an insertion point in the paragraph.

  2. In the Tabs panel, select a tab stop on the ruler.

  3. Select the Repeat Tab option from the panel menu.

Repeated tabs
Repeated tabs

A. Tab-alignment buttons B. Tab stop on the ruler C. Panel menu 

Move tabs

  1. In the Tabs panel, select a Tab Stop on the ruler.

  2. Follow any of these options:

    • Type a new location in X (for horizontal text) or Y (for vertical text), and select Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS).

    • Drag the tab to a new location.

    • To move all tab stops simultaneously, Ctrl‑drag (Windows) or Command‑drag (macOS) a tab.

      A visual guide appears in the selected text when you move a tab stop.

Remove tabs

  1. Follow any of these options:

    • Drag the tab off the tab ruler.

    • Select the tab, and choose Delete Tab from the panel menu.

    • To return to the default tab stops, choose Clear All from the panel menu.

Specify characters for decimal tabs

You can use the decimal tabs to align text with a character you specify, such as a period or a dollar sign.

  1. In the Tabs panel, create or select a decimal tab  on the tab ruler.

  2. In the Align On box, type the character to which you want to align. You can type or paste any character. Make sure that the paragraphs you’re aligning contain that character.

Text aligned using a decimal tab
Text aligned using a decimal tab

Add tab leaders

A tab leader is a repeated pattern of characters, such as a series of dots or dashes, between a tab and the following text.

  1. In the Tabs panel, select a tab stop on the ruler.
  2. Type a pattern of as many as eight characters in the Leader box, and then press Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS). The characters you entered repeat across the width of the tab.

  3. To change the font or other formatting of the tab leader, select the tab character in the text frame, and use the Character panel or Type menu to apply formatting.


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