Changing Character Spacing Kerning is the amount of space between each individual character that you type. Sometimes the space between two characters is larger than others, which makes the word look uneven. You can use the Font dialog box to change the kerning setting for selected characters. Kerning works only with OpenType/TrueType or Adobe Type Manager fonts. You can expand or condense character spacing to create a special effect for a title, or re-align the position of characters to the bottom edge of the text—this is helpful for positioning the copyright or trademark symbols. In addition, you can set text formatting for OpenType/TrueType fonts that include a range of ligature settings (where two or three letters combine into a single character), number spacing and forms, and stylistic sets (added font sets in a given font). Many of these options are based on specifications from font designers.
In Word 2007, click the Office Button in the upper left-hand corner of the screen and click the Word Options button at the bottom of the menu. In Word 2010, go to the File tab (in the upper left-hand corner, just to the left of the Home tab) and click Options.
Change Character Spacing. Select the text you want to format. Click the Home tab. Click the Font Dialog Box Launcher. Click the Advanced tab.
Click the Spacing list arrow, click an option, and then specify a point size to expand or condense spacing by the amount specified. Click the Position list arrow, click an option, and then specify a point size to raise or lower the text in relation to the baseline (bottom of the text). Select the Kerning for fonts check box, and then specify a point size. To make the new formatting options the default for all new Word documents, click Set As Default, and then click Yes. To set advanced options, click the Font Dialog Box Launcher. Click the Advanced tab.
Click any of the follow list arrows, and then select an option:. Ligatures.
![How To Control The Spacing In Word For Mac How To Control The Spacing In Word For Mac](/uploads/1/2/5/3/125370322/449885374.png)
Select Standard Only (current standard), Standard and Contextual (current standard plus font specific additions), Historical and Discretionary (old standard), or All. Number Spacing. Select Default (specified by font designer), Proportional (varying width spacing), or Tabular (same width spacing). Number Forms. Select Default (specified by font designer), Lining (same height, not below base-line), or Old-Style (flow above or below the line of text). Stylistic Sets. Select Default (specified by font designer) or a specific set number.
Select the Use Contextual Alternates check box to provide fine-tuning of letters or letter combinations based on the surrounding characters. To make the new formatting options the default for all new Word documents, click Set As Default, and then click Yes.