Mastering Tracking in Typography: A Complete Guide for Designers

Tracking enhances the aesthetics of a design.

It is the process of uniformly adjusting the spacing between all the characters in a specific text, altering how dense and visually appealing the text appears.

What if your initial design efforts are wasted due to improper word spacing?

How do you adapt to the ever-changing typographic landscape that helps build your brand identity?

No worries!

A comprehensive study on this topic may ignite your thoughts.

In the blog below, we will discuss a major typographic element: the tracking. We will also include some pro tips here.

Let's Dive!

What is Tracking in Typography?

Tracking, also known as letter spacing, adjusts the horizontal character spacing in words or lines of text.

To control the text's density and readability, designers use tracking to make uniform adjustments to spacing.

Look at the image above.

The left one exhibits the word "tracking" with the uniform spaces within the word, whereas, in the right section, there is some decrease in spacing, but it looks appealing and cool!

Now, let's talk about another image.

In the left image, the word "tracking" has minimal spacing, and in the image just right, the spacing increases a bit.

The spacing in the bottom-right image is clearly visible, with the characters sitting evenly apart.

Looks nice!

You may get confused about why we need tracking! We have kerning.

But there are some dissimilaries too!

Kerning is concerned with the spacing of individual characters, whereas tracking manages the spacing of an entire block of text.

Confused?

Let’s clarify this issue.

Kerning Vs Tracking

Kerning and tracking are typography concepts related to character spacing, but they are used for distinct purposes.

Let's take a detailed look at how kerning and tracking differ.

Common Myths on Tracking in Typography

Sometimes, the concept of tracking is confused with other typographic terms such as leading, kerning, or counters. Moreover, some designers perceive tracking as a simple concept.

Let’s see the top 3 myths on tracking.

Myth 1: Tracking requires technique, not creativity

Tracking is often perceived as just a technical aspect, not something integral to the creative elements of the design process.

In other words, many new designers who prioritize creativity don't consider tracking “cool.” But they are wrong.

As a single yet essential component, tracking plays a key role in design strategies aimed at refining a page's look and ensuring that all text is easy to read.

Designers can use tracking as a versatile tool to create different effects in their designs.

Without understanding the basics of tracking, a designer’s work won’t achieve clarity or aesthetic appeal for its intended audience.

Myth 2: Kerning is identical to tracking

Tracking is often misunderstood as it is confused with kerning, which adjusts the space between individual letters.

Unlike kerning, tracking involves modifying the spacing across all characters in a word or phrase rather than individually.

You can see that kerning modifies the space between specific letters while tracking changes the spacing for all letters in a word or phrase.

Good tracking cannot replace proper kerning, nor can kerning replace tracking.

To think they are so alike that they don’t require equal care is a big mistake UI/UX designers must avoid.

Myth 3: One approach doesn’t suit everyone

The core reason behind this myth lies in–

The most suitable tracking for text will vary based on its size, style, and overall design elements.

This implies that designers should adjust tracking for each case depending on the text’s size, style, and overall design.

As a result, designers don’t have fixed tracking principles to follow in all cases.

Tracking in Graphic Design: Pro Tips

Graphic designers are the major stakeholder of tracking in their typographic design as they construct the corporate logo to raise any brand.

Every inches of their design should hold the perfect measurement of typography element, say tracking.

Here are a few essential tracking and typographic principles that designers can use to create more visually attractive designs.

Capital Letters

Ensure capital letters have sufficient spacing.

Don’t crowd them too closely, as it can make them difficult to read.

Incorrect: “UXDesign” (insufficient space between letters)

Correct: “U X D e s i g n” (proper spacing for capital letters)

Lowercase Letters

Avoid spacing lowercase letters too widely.

This may reduce the text’s clarity and visual appeal.

Incorrect: “t h i s” – Excessive letter spacing in lowercase text can break word cohesion.

Correct: “this” – Proper spacing of lowercase letters preserves readability.

Handwritten Fonts

Use wider tracking for intricate or handwritten fonts.

Since these fonts are harder to read, adding extra space often enhances their legibility.

Wrong: The text becomes unreadable when “HarlowSolidItalic” is spaced too tightly.

Right: “H a r l o w S o l I d I t a l i c” – Open tracking makes this distinctive font legible and noticeable without overcrowding.

Small Text

In cases of small text on a busy, colorful background, more spacing between letters makes it easier to read.

Imagine the word “SALE!” crammed tightly on an eCommerce site's colorful landing page. Some viewers could miss the call to action entirely.

Making the tracking wider, too “S A L E!” ensures better readability amidst the visual clutter.

Large Text

When working with large text, tightening the spacing makes headlines and sub-headlines appear cleaner and more polished.

A bold headline like “MEGASALE!” looks more visually engaging and attention-grabbing when the letters are spaced as closely as possible.

Compare the earlier example to this: “M E G A S A L E!”

Compact tracking plays a key role in highlighting topics that deserve the prominence of a headline.

Now, look at this comprehensive chart of the most frequently chosen fonts in web and UI design, complete with helpful tracking tips for designers.

Pro tips: When using widely popular fonts like San Francisco Pro, Roboto, or Open Sans, increasing the tracking can help ensure the text remains easy to read in your design.

Final Thoughts

So, finally, our discussion ends, and so do your worries.

We think you have achieved the ultimate tracking guideline in typography, and a great design mind like yours will flourish, too.

If any hindrance occurs, feel free to direct a call to the great design mind at the great design agency in the US.

FAQ's on Tracking in Typography

What key factors determine when tracking should be adjusted in typography?

Font selection, size, line length, and overall design aesthetics influence tracking adjustments for better spacing and readability.

How does tracking differ from kerning when applied to typography?

Tracking ensures uniform spacing across all characters in a text block, but kerning targets individual letter pairs to create better visual harmony and enhance readability.

What are typical situations in graphic design that require adjusting tracking?

Designers adjust tracking to improve the clarity and aesthetic of headlines, titles, logos, and display typography, thereby improving visual harmony and consistency within the design layout.

What best practices should be followed to adjust tracking successfully in graphic design?

To achieve the best possible readability and spacing, designers should adjust tracking with careful attention to font type, size, line length, and overall design aesthetics.