Kerning, tracking, and leading are typography's three main spacing controls. Kerning adjusts the space between two specific letters. Tracking changes the overall spacing uniformly across a word or line. Leading, which rhymes with "sledding," sets the vertical space between lines of text. All three manage space, so they're easy to mix up. But each tackles a distinct problem, and fixing one won't solve the others.
Kerning, Tracking & Leading
The three spacing controls that quietly decide whether type is comfortable to read
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Designers Academy
5 August 2026 · 3 min read
TypographyPrinciples
In brief
In typography, kerning adjusts space between two letters, tracking modifies overall spacing in a word or line, and leading controls vertical space between lines.
