How to Change Letter Spacing in Google Slides

The short answer

Google Slides has no standard control for letter spacing. Its Format menu covers line and paragraph spacing, which is vertical spacing between lines, but has no character-spacing field like the ones in desktop design or word-processing software. You can approximate wider spacing by inserting special narrow space characters between letters. If the text is part of a logo, the reliable approach is different: set the spacing in a vector editor and place the finished artwork in Slides as an image. Google updates Slides from time to time, so open Format > Text in your own copy to confirm whether a native option has since been added. The guidance here does not draw on any dated documentation of the current feature set.

Tracking and kerning: what you are actually adjusting

Letter spacing is usually called tracking. Tracking changes the space evenly across a whole word or line. Kerning is a related term for adjusting the space between one specific pair of letters, such as the gap between a capital A and a V. Logo wordmarks often use both. The overall tracking is set first, and then individual pairs are kerned by eye so the word looks evenly spaced. Slides gives you no precise control over either one, which is why a logo's letterforms should be finished before they reach a presentation.

Option 1: Widen spacing with narrow space characters

This workaround suits short display text, such as a slide title in spaced capitals. It is not suitable for reproducing a logo.

• 1. Click into the text box and place the cursor between two letters.
• 2. Open Insert > Special characters.
• 3. Search for "hair space" (the narrowest common space) or "thin space" (slightly wider), and click the character to insert it.
• 4. Repeat between each pair of letters. You can also copy the inserted space and paste it into each gap.
• 5. Use the same space character throughout the text so the spacing stays even.

Limitations: this method only adds space and cannot tighten letters. The step size depends on the font, so fine adjustments are not possible. The inserted characters become part of the text, which can disrupt spell check, search, copying and screen readers. They may also render differently if the deck is exported or opened in another application.

Option 2: Set the spacing in a vector editor and insert the result

Use this method for logos, wordmarks and any lettering that must match an existing brand. Vector artwork is built from mathematically defined paths rather than pixels, so it can be edited and scaled without losing sharpness.

• 1. Start from the official logo artwork. Do not retype the name in Slides with a similar font.
• 2. If you are creating new lettering, set tracking and kerning in a vector editor and judge the spacing visually at the size it will appear.
• 3. Convert the text to outlines (paths) so the letterforms no longer depend on an installed font. Keep an editable copy separately.
• 4. Export a raster version with a transparent background, such as PNG, at a resolution well above the size it will occupy on the slide.
• 5. In Slides, use Insert > Image to place it. Resize it only from a corner handle so the proportions stay locked.

Slides' image tools are built around raster formats such as PNG and JPEG, so SVG artwork generally has to be converted first. A file extension tells you only the container format. It does not prove that a file contains clean vector paths, that it is editable, or that you have permission to use the logo. Check the artwork itself and the usage rights before you rely on it.

Verify the result

• Zoom in on the slide and check that the spacing looks even and no letter pair appears noticeably tighter or looser than the rest.
• Preview the slide in presentation mode at full screen.
• If you used space characters, try selecting the text and confirm the deck still behaves as expected when shared.
• Download a PDF and check the text or logo for shifted spacing or blurred edges.
• For brand logos, compare the slide against the approved master artwork side by side.

Gaps in this guidance

No supporting evidence was supplied on Slides' current feature set, specific spacing values, export resolutions or the behavior of particular fonts. The steps above reflect general practice and the widely known lack of a native tracking control. Confirm menu names and options in your own copy of Slides, and follow your brand guidelines for any spacing values they specify.