These habits are obsolete typewriter habits. Originally, a typewriter’s platen could only move the paper vertically in units of a single line. Therefore, line-spacing choices were limited to one, two, or more lines at a time. Single-spaced typewritten text is dense and hard to read. But double-spacing is still looser than optimal.
For most text, the optimal line spacing is between 120% and 145% of the point size. Most word processors, as well as CSS, let you define line spacing as a multiple. Or you can do the math—multiply your point size by the percentage. (The text in this paragraph has line spacing of 110%. It’s too tight.)
For most text, the optimal line spacing is between 120% and 145% of the point size. Most word processors, as well as CSS, let you define line spacing as a multiple. Or you can do the math—multiply your point size by the percentage. (The text in this paragraph has line spacing of 135%. It looks fine.)
For most text, the optimal line spacing is between 120% and 145% of the point size. Most word processors, as well as CSS, let you define line spacing as a multiple. Or you can do the math—multiply your point size by the percentage. (The text in this paragraph has line spacing of 170%. It’s too loose.)
Word processors have a bewildering number of ways to set line spacing. Don’t be thrown off—it all comes back to the same thing.
How to set line spacing
line-height
property, preferably without units (here’swhy)
by the way
Recall that different fonts set at the same point size may not appear the same size on the page. (See point size for why.) A side effect is that fonts that run small will need less line spacing, and vice versa.
Line spacing affects the length of a document more than point size. If you need to fit a document onto a certain number of pages, try adjusting the line spacing first.