You may need to adjust letter spacing in Word to make a heading fit a single line, improve readability in a dense paragraph, or create a specific visual effect for a flyer or report. Word calls this setting character spacing or kerning, and it controls the distance between individual characters. This article explains where to find the character spacing controls in Word and how to apply them to selected text.
Key Takeaways: Adjusting Character Spacing in Word
- Home tab > Font dialog launcher (small arrow in the Font group) > Advanced tab: Opens the character spacing settings where you can change spacing, scale, and kerning.
- Spacing dropdown set to Expanded or Condensed: Increases or decreases the space between all selected characters by a set number of points.
- Kerning for fonts check box: Automatically adjusts spacing between specific character pairs to improve readability at larger font sizes.
What Character Spacing Does in Word
Character spacing in Word controls the horizontal distance between letters in a selected block of text. The feature is part of the Font dialog and is separate from line spacing or paragraph spacing. You can expand spacing to spread letters apart or condense spacing to pull them closer together. Word also offers a scaling option that stretches or compresses the characters themselves without changing the spacing between them. Kerning is a related but automatic adjustment that applies only to specific letter pairs such as A and V to make them look more evenly spaced. Kerning works best at larger font sizes such as 14 points or above.
Before adjusting spacing, select the text you want to change. Character spacing applies only to the selected text, not to the entire document unless you select everything. The Font dialog also lets you preview the change before applying it. No special add-ins or advanced knowledge is required. The settings are available in all modern versions of Word including Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word for Mac.
Steps to Adjust Letter Spacing in Word
The following steps show you how to open the character spacing settings and apply expanded or condensed spacing to selected text.
- Select the text you want to change
Highlight the characters, word, or paragraph that needs different spacing. If you want to change spacing for the entire document, press Ctrl+A to select everything. - Open the Font dialog
On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the small diagonal arrow in the bottom-right corner. This opens the Font dialog box. Alternatively, press Ctrl+D on your keyboard. - Go to the Advanced tab
In the Font dialog, click the Advanced tab. This tab contains all character spacing options including Scale, Spacing, Position, and Kerning. - Choose Expanded or Condensed spacing
In the Spacing dropdown, select Expanded to add space between letters or Condensed to remove space. The default setting is Normal. - Set the spacing amount in points
Use the By spin box next to the Spacing dropdown to set the amount of space to add or remove. One point is roughly 1/72 of an inch. Start with 1 pt for subtle changes or 3 pt for a noticeable effect. - Enable kerning if needed
Check the box labeled Kerning for fonts. In the Points and above box, type the minimum font size at which kerning should apply. 12 or 14 points is a common starting value. - Preview and apply the change
Look at the Preview box in the dialog to see how your text will look. Click OK to apply the spacing to your selected text.
Using the Scale Option
The Scale option in the Advanced tab stretches or compresses the width of the characters themselves. This is different from spacing. A scale of 150 percent makes each character wider. A scale of 80 percent makes characters narrower. The spacing between characters does not change. Use Scale when you need to fit text into a specific space without changing the font size. Select your text, open the Font dialog, go to the Advanced tab, and choose a percentage from the Scale dropdown.
Resetting Character Spacing to Default
To remove expanded or condensed spacing, select the affected text, open the Font dialog, go to the Advanced tab, set Spacing back to Normal, and set Scale back to 100 percent. Uncheck Kerning for fonts if you enabled it. Click OK to restore the original spacing.
Common Issues When Adjusting Letter Spacing
Spacing Change Does Not Apply to the Whole Word
If you only select part of a word, the spacing change applies only to the selected characters. The rest of the word keeps its original spacing. Always select the entire word or phrase before opening the Font dialog. Use triple-click to select a full paragraph or Ctrl+A for the entire document.
Expanded Text Wraps to the Next Line Unexpectedly
Adding extra space between letters makes the text longer. A heading that previously fit on one line may wrap to two lines after you apply expanded spacing. Reduce the By value to a smaller number such as 0.5 pt, or use condensed spacing on other text in the same line to balance the layout. Alternatively, decrease the font size slightly.
Kerning Does Not Change Spacing Visibly
Kerning only adjusts spacing for specific character pairs such as A and V. It does not add or remove space between all characters. If you want an overall spacing change, use the Expanded or Condensed option instead of kerning. Kerning also works only at or above the font size you set in the Points and above box. If your text is smaller than that value, kerning has no effect.
Character Spacing Changes Do Not Print Correctly
Some printers or print drivers may alter character spacing slightly during printing. This is rare but can happen with older printers. To test, print a single page with the adjusted text and compare it to the on-screen preview. If the printed result is different, try updating your printer driver or printing to PDF first and then printing the PDF.
Character Spacing Methods Compared
| Method | What It Changes | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Expanded spacing | Adds space between all selected characters | Making headings or titles more readable or artistic |
| Condensed spacing | Removes space between all selected characters | Fitting text into a narrow column or avoiding line wraps |
| Scale | Stretches or compresses the width of each character | Adjusting text width without changing font size or spacing |
| Kerning | Adjusts spacing for specific letter pairs automatically | Improving readability of large display text like titles and logos |
You can now adjust letter spacing in Word using the Font dialog Advanced tab. Try applying expanded spacing to a section heading for a cleaner look or use condensed spacing to keep a subtitle on one line. For professional typography, enable kerning on any text larger than 14 points. The Scale option is useful for fitting text into a table cell or text box without changing the font size.