Adjusting the spacing of type around sharp curves


    When characters flow around a sharp curve or acute angle, they fan out in such a way that there may appear to be extra space between them. You can tighten the spacing of characters on curves using the Spacing option in the Type on a Path Options dialog box.

    Type without spacing adjustment (left) compared to type with spacing adjustment (right)
    Type without spacing adjustment (left) compared to type with spacing adjustment (right)

    Note: The Spacing value has no effect on characters positioned on straight segments. To change spacing of characters anywhere along the path, select them, and then apply kerning or tracking.

To adjust character spacing around sharp turns and acute angles:

  1. Select the type object. (See Selecting type objects.)
  2. Choose Type > Type on a Path > Type on a Path Options.
  3. For Spacing, type a value in points. Higher values remove the extra space from between characters positioned on sharp curves or angles.