User Guide Cancel

Manage text area

Search
Illustrator

Illustrator

Open on web
  1. Illustrator User Guide
  2. Get to know Illustrator
    1. Introduction to Illustrator
      1. What's new in Illustrator
      2. Common questions
      3. Illustrator system requirements
      4. Illustrator for Apple silicon
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Create documents
      3. Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
      4. Accelerate workflows using the Contextual Task Bar
      5. Toolbar
      6. Default keyboard shortcuts
      7. Customize keyboard shortcuts
      8. Introduction to artboards
      9. Manage artboards
      10. Customize the workspace
      11. Properties panel
      12. Set preferences
      13. Touch Workspace
      14. Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
      15. Undo edits and manage design history
      16. Rotate view
      17. Rulers, grids, and guides
      18. Accessibility in Illustrator
      19. Safe Mode
      20. View artwork
      21. Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
      22. Files and templates
    3. Tools in Illustrator
      1. Tools at a glance
      2. Select tools
        1. Selection
        2. Direct Selection
        3. Group Selection
        4. Magic Wand
        5. Lasso
        6. Artboard
      3. Navigate tools
        1. Hand
        2. Rotate View
        3. Zoom
      4. Paint tools
        1. Gradient
        2. Mesh
        3. Shape Builder
      5. Text tools
        1. Type
        2. Type on a Path
        3. Vertical Type
      6. Draw tools
        1. Pen
        2. Add Anchor Point
        3. Delete Anchor Point
        4. Anchor Point
        5. Curvature
        6. Line Segment
        7. Rectangle
        8. Rounded Rectangle
        9. Ellipse
        10. Polygon
        11. Star
        12. Paintbrush
        13. Blob Brush
        14. Pencil
        15. Shaper
        16. Slice
      7. Modify tools
        1. Rotate
        2. Reflect
        3. Scale
        4. Shear
        5. Width
        6. Free Transform
        7. Eyedropper
        8. Blend
        9. Eraser
        10. Scissors
        11. Dimension
    4. Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
      1. Generate scenes, subjects, and icons using text prompts
      2. Generate vector patterns using text prompts
      3. Generate vector shape fills using text prompts
      4. Recolor your artwork using text prompts
    5. Quick actions
      1. Retro text
      2. Neon glow text
      3. Old school text
      4. Recolor
      5. Convert sketch to vector
  3. Illustrator on the web (beta)
    1. Illustrator on the web (beta) overview
    2. Illustrator on the web (beta) FAQ
    3. Troubleshooting issues FAQ
    4. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the web (beta)
    5. Create and combine shapes on the web
    6. Add and edit text on the web
    7. Apply colors and gradients on the web
    8. Draw and edit paths on the web
    9. Work with cloud documents on the web
    10. Invite collaborators to edit on the web
  4. Illustrator on the iPad
    1. Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
      1. Illustrator on the iPad overview
      2. Illustrator on the iPad FAQs
      3. System requirements | Illustrator on the iPad
      4. What you can or cannot do on Illustrator on the iPad
    2. Workspace
      1. Illustrator on the iPad workspace
      2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
      3. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the iPad
      4. Manage your app settings
    3. Documents
      1. Work with documents in Illustrator on the iPad
      2. Import Photoshop and Fresco documents
    4. Select and arrange objects
      1. Create repeat objects
      2. Blend objects
    5. Drawing
      1. Draw and edit paths
      2. Draw and edit shapes
    6. Type
      1. Work with type and fonts
      2. Create text designs along a path
      3. Add your own fonts
    7. Work with images
      1. Vectorize raster images
    8. Color
      1. Apply colors and gradients
  5. Cloud documents
    1. Basics
      1. Work with Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Share and collaborate on Illustrator cloud documents
      3. Share documents for review
      4. Upgrade cloud storage for Adobe Illustrator
      5. Illustrator cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Troubleshooting
      1. Troubleshoot create or save issues for Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Troubleshoot Illustrator cloud documents issues
  6. Add and edit content
    1. Drawing
      1. Drawing basics
      2. Edit paths
      3. Draw pixel-perfect art
      4. Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
      5. Draw simple lines and shapes
      6. Draw rectangular and polar grids
      7. Draw and edit flares
      8. Trace images
      9. Simplify a path
      10. Symbolism tools and symbol sets
      11. Adjust path segments
      12. Design a flower in 5 easy steps
      13. Create and edit a perspective grid
      14. Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
      15. Use objects as symbols for repeat use
      16. Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
    2. Measurement
      1. Measure and plot dimensions
    3. 3D objects and materials
      1. About 3D effects in Illustrator
      2. Create 3D graphics
      3. Map artwork over 3D objects
      4. Create 3D Text
      5. Create 3D objects
    4. Color
      1. About color
      2. Select colors
      3. Use and create swatches
      4. Adjust colors
      5. Use the Adobe Color Themes panel
      6. Color groups (harmonies)
      7. Color Themes panel
      8. Recolor your artwork
    5. Painting
      1. About painting
      2. Paint with fills and strokes
      3. Live Paint groups
      4. Gradients
      5. Brushes
      6. Transparency and blending modes
      7. Apply stroke on an object
      8. Create and edit patterns
      9. Meshes
      10. Patterns
    6. Select and arrange objects
      1. Select objects
      2. Layers
      3. Group and expand objects
      4. Move, align, and distribute objects
      5. Align, arrange, and move objects on a path
      6. Snap objects to glyph
      7. Snap objects to Japanese glyph
      8. Stack objects    
      9. Lock, hide, and delete objects
      10. Copy and duplicate objects
      11. Rotate and reflect objects
      12. Intertwine objects
      13. Create realistic art mockups
    7. Reshape objects
      1. Crop images
      2. Transform objects
      3. Combine objects
      4. Cut, divide, and trim objects
      5. Puppet Warp
      6. Scale, shear, and distort objects
      7. Blend objects
      8. Reshape using envelopes
      9. Reshape objects with effects
      10. Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
      11. Work with Live Corners
      12. Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
      13. Edit clipping masks
      14. Live shapes
      15. Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
      16. Global editing
    8. Type
      1. Add text and work with type objects
      2. Reflow Viewer
      3. Create bulleted and numbered lists
      4. Manage text area
      5. Fonts and typography
      6. Convert text within images into editable text
      7. Add basic formatting to text
      8. Add advanced formatting to text
      9. Import and export text
      10. Format paragraphs
      11. Special characters
      12. Create type on a path
      13. Character and paragraph styles
      14. Tabs
      15. Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
      16. Arabic and Hebrew type
      17. Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
      18. Creative typography designs
      19. Scale and rotate type
      20. Line and character spacing
      21. Hyphenation and line breaks
      22. Spelling and language dictionaries
      23. Format Asian characters
      24. Composers for Asian scripts
      25. Create text designs with blend objects
      26. Create a text poster using Image Trace
    9. Create special effects
      1. Work with effects
      2. Graphic styles
      3. Appearance attributes
      4. Create sketches and mosaics
      5. Drop shadows, glows, and feathering
      6. Summary of effects
    10. Web graphics
      1. Best practices for creating web graphics
      2. Graphs
      3. SVG
      4. Slices and image maps
  7. Import, export, and save
    1. Import
      1. Place multiple files
      2. Manage linked and embedded files
      3. Links information
      4. Unembed images
      5. Import artwork from Photoshop
      6. Import bitmap images
      7. Import Adobe PDF files
      8. Import EPS, DCS, and AutoCAD files
    2. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator 
      1. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
    3. Save and export
      1. Save artwork
      2. Export artwork
      3. Create Adobe PDF files
      4. Adobe PDF options
      5. Use Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
      6. Collect assets and export in batches
      7. Package files
      8. Extract CSS | Illustrator CC
      9. Document info panel
  8. Printing
    1. Prepare for printing
      1. Set up documents for printing
      2. Change the page size and orientation
      3. Specify crop marks for trimming or aligning
      4. Get started with large canvas
    2. Printing
      1. Overprint
      2. Print with color management
      3. PostScript printing
      4. Print presets
      5. Printer's marks and bleeds
      6. Print and save transparent artwork
      7. Trapping
      8. Print color separations
      9. Print gradients, meshes, and color blends
      10. White Overprint
  9. Automate tasks
    1. Data merge using the Variables panel
    2. Automation with scripts
    3. Automation with actions
  10. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash issues
    4. Recover files after crash
    5. File issues
    6. Supported file formats
    7. GPU device driver issues
    8. Wacom device issues
    9. DLL file issues
    10. Memory issues
    11. Preferences file issues
    12. Font issues
    13. Printer issues
    14. Share crash report with Adobe
    15. Improve Illustrator performance

Learn how to manage text area with Type options.

Illustrator offers various options to add text and work with type objects in your vector art. You can further customize your text with Type options to resize type area, add rows and columns, add a margin, move the first baseline,  fit a headline across the width of a type area, and thread text between objects.

Before you proceed with managing text area, learn about text, path, and objects:

Do you have large text in your artwork? You can resize your text area or arrange that in rows and columns. You can even add a margin around some of your text or move the first baseline to make your text more appealing with Area Type Options.

Learn how to resize type area

Resize type area

Learn how to add rows and columns of text

Add rows and columns

Learn how to edit the margin around text

Add margin

Learn how to change the first baseline

Move the first baseline

Resize type area

Text doesn't fit your area or path? You can easily resize your text area.

Use Selection Tool

Follow these steps to resize your type area with Selection tool  :

Here's how you can resize type area using the Selection Tool
Resize type area with Selection tool

  1. Select the type object.

  2. Drag a handle on the bounding box till you get the required size.

Use Direct Selection Tool

Follow these steps to resize type area with Direct Selection tool  :

Resize type area with Direct Selection tool

  1. Select the type path.

  2. Drag to adjust the shape of the path.

 Turn off Preferences > Type > Auto Size New Area Type to have a fixed size type object.

Add rows and columns

Split large paragraphs into rows, columns, or a combination of both to make your text easy to read and visually appealing. Follow these steps to add rows and columns to your text area:

  1. Select an area type object, and choose Type > Area Type Options.

  2. In the Rows and Columns section, set the following options:

    These are the Area Type Options to split text into rows and columns
    Options to split text into rows and columns

    Number

    Specifies the number of rows and columns you want the object to contain.

    Span

    Specifies the height of individual rows and the width of individual columns.

    Fixed

    Determines the span of rows and columns when you resize the type area if this option is:

    • Selected: Changes the number of rows and columns, but not their width.
    • Deselected: Changes the width of rows and columns, but not their number.

    Gutter

    Specifies the distance between rows or columns.

  3. In Options, select one of the following Text Flow options:

    • Rows  : Text flows from left to right in rows.
    • Columns  : Text flows in columns, beginning with the left column.

Add margin

When you work with an area type object, you can add a margin between the text and bounding box. This margin is Inset Spacing. Follow these steps to change the inset spacing in your artwork:

Add margin to type area with inset spacing
Add margin to type area with inset spacing

  1. Select an area type object, and choose Type > Area Type Options.

  2. Specify a value for Inset Spacing.

Move the first baseline

The alignment of the first line of text with the top of the object is first baseline offset. Follow these steps to move the first baseline:

  1. Select an area type object, and choose Type > Area Type Options.

  2. Click the drop-down to select any of the First Baseline options:

    First baseline options

    A. Ascent B. Cap Height C. Leading D. x Height E. Embox 

    Ascent

    The top of a lower case "d" starts below the top of the type object.

    Cap Height

    The top of uppercase letters touch the top of the type object.

    x Height in First baseline options

    Leading

    Distance between the baseline of the first line of text and the top of the type object.

    x Height

    The height of the “x” character falls below the top of the type object.

    Em Box Height

    The top of the em box in Asian fonts touch the top of the type object. This option is available regardless of the Show Asian Options preference.

    Fixed

    Specifies the distance between the baseline of the first line of text and the top of the type object in the Min box.

    Legacy

    Uses the first baseline default used in Adobe Illustrator 10 or earlier.

  3. Enter the Min value for your first baseline offset.

You can also use other Type options to fit a headline across the width of a type area and thread text. Read on to know how to use these options.

Fit a headline across the width of a type area

When you add a paragraph as a headline, you can easily expand it to fit your type area. Follow these steps to fit a headline across the full width of a type area:

Fit a headline across the full width of a type area
Fit a headline across the width of a type area

  1. Use the Type tool   to select the paragraph you want to fit across the type area.

  2. Choose Type > Fit Headline to increase the space between the letters.

Create and break threads between objects

You can link two objects and thread text from one to another. Linked type objects can be of any shape. However, you need to enter the text in an area or along a path.

When your text doesn't fit into your object or area, you can see a   at the bottom-right corner of the bounding box.

Thread text to an existing object
Thread text to an existing object

You can thread two or more text areas or objects to flow your text from one to another. Follow any of these options to thread text:

Thread any text area

Thread any text area

  1. Use the Type tool   or Vertical Type tool   to create your text area.

  2. Click  , and follow any of these options to link your text area to another:

    • Click your loaded pointer   anywhere to create a text area of the same size and shape.
    • Click and drag loaded pointer    to create a rectangular text area.

Thread text to an object

Thread text to an object

  1. Create any shape and enter text.

  2. Click   , and follow any of these options to thread another object (s):

    • Thread a single object: Click the path of the object once your pointer changes to .
    • Thread multiple objects: Hold Shift and select all the objects you want to thread and choose Type > Threaded Text > Create.

 To view the threads you created, choose View > Show Text Threads and select a linked object.

Remove or break threads

Did you create a thread between two objects and now you've changed your mind? Follow these steps to remove or break threads between objects:

  1. Select a linked type object.

  2. Follow any of these options:

    • Double-click the port on either end of the thread. This will break the thread, and the text flows back into the first object.

    • Choose Type > Threaded Text > Release Selection. This will release an object from a text thread, and the text flows into the next object.

    • Choose Type > Threaded Text > Remove Threading to remove all threads.

Related resources

Talk to us

We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts with the Adobe Illustrator Community. 

 Adobe

Get help faster and easier

New user?

Quick links

View all your plans Manage your plans
View quick links
Hide quick links

Legal Notices    |    Online Privacy Policy