•Choose the desired leading from the Leading menu .

•Select the existing leading value, and enter a new value.

To change the default auto leading percentage:

1Display the Paragraph palette.

2Choose Justification from the palette menu.

3For Auto Leading, specify a new default percentage.

Specifying kerning and tracking

Kerning is the process of adding or subtracting space between specific letter pairs.You can control kerning manually, or you can use automatic kerning to turn on the kerning built into the font by the font designer. Tracking is the process of creating an equal amount of spacing across a range of letters.

Positive kerning or tracking values move characters apart (adding to the default spacing); negative values move characters closer together (reducing the default spacing). Kerning and tracking values are measured in units that are 1/1000 of an em space. The width of an em space is relative to the current type size. In a 1-point font, 1 em corresponds to 1 point; in a 10-point font, 1 em corresponds to 10 points. Because kerning and tracking units are 1/1000 em, 100 units in a 10-point font are equivalent to 1 point.

Default, and tracking set to 350

To use a font’s built-in kerning information:

In the Character palette, choose Metrics (Photoshop) or Auto (ImageReady) from the Kerning menu .

Note: The Metrics option replaces the Auto Kern option in previous versions of Photoshop.

To adjust kerning manually:

1 Click with a type tool to set an insertion point between two characters.

Note: If a range of type is selected, you can’t manually kern the characters. Instead, use tracking.

2In the Character palette, enter or select a numeric value for Kerning .

3Commit the changes to the type layer. (See “About using the type tools (Photoshop)” on page 343.)

•Choose All Caps or Small Caps from the Character palette menu. A check mark indicates that the option is selected.

Note: Selecting Small Caps will not change characters that were originally typed in uppercase.

Making characters superscript or subscript

You can enter or format type as superscript or subscript characters. Superscript characters are reduced in size and shifted above the type baseline; subscript characters are reduced in size and shifted below the type baseline. If the font does not include superscript or subscript characters, Photoshop generates faux superscript or subscript characters.

To specify superscript or subscript characters:

Do one of the following:

•Click the Superscript button or the Subscript button in the Character palette.

•Choose Superscript or Subscript from the Character palette menu. A check mark indicates that the option is selected.

Applying underline and strikethrough

You can apply a line under horizontal type, or to the left or right of vertical type. You can also apply a line through horizontal or vertical type. The line is always the same color as the type color.

To apply an underline or strikethrough:

Choose an option:

•Click the Underline button in the Character palette to apply an underline beneath horizontal type.

•Choose Underline Left or Underline Right from the Character palette menu to apply an underline to the left or right of vertical type. You can apply an underline to the left or right, but not to both sides. A check mark indicates that an option is selected.

Note: The Underline Left and Underline Right options only appear in the Character palette menu when a type layer that contains vertical type is selected.

•Click the Strikethrough button in the Character palette to apply a horizontal line through horizontal type or a vertical line through vertical type. Alternately, choose Strikethrough from the Character palette menu.

Using ligatures and old style numerals

When working with OpenType fonts, you can use ligatures and old style typographic numerals in your type, if the font provides them. Ligatures are typographic replacements for certain pairs of characters, such as “fi” and “fl.” Old style numerals are shorter than regular numerals, and some old style numerals descend below the type baseline.

In Photoshop, you can also use alternate ligatures when working with OpenType fonts that provide them. Alternate ligatures are extra ligatures that aren't in regular use, such as “st.”

Type with Ligatures option unselected and selected

To use ligatures or old style numerals:

Choose Ligatures or Old Style from the Character palette menu. A check mark indicates that the option is selected.

To use alternate ligatures (Photoshop):

Choose Alternate Ligatures from the Character palette menu. A check mark indicates that the option is selected.

Using fractional character widths

By default, type is displayed using fractional character widths.This means that the spacing between characters varies, with fractions of whole pixels between some characters. In most situations, fractional character widths provide the best spacing for type appearance and readability. However, for type in small sizes (less than 20 points) displayed online, fractional character widths can cause type to run together or have too much extra space, making it difficult to read.

You can turn off fractional character widths to fix type spacing in whole-pixel increments and prevent small type from running together. The fractional character width setting applies to all characters on a type layer—you cannot set the option for selected characters.

To turn fractional character widths on or off:

Choose Fractional Widths from the Character palette menu. A check mark indicates that the option is selected.

Viewing text using the operating system layout

The System Layout command lets you preview text using the operating system’s default text handling. This is useful when designing user interface elements, such as dialog boxes and menus.

To turn system layout on or off:

Choose System Layout from the Character palette menu. A check mark indicates that the option is selected.