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font-kerning

The font-kerning CSS property sets the use of the kerning information stored in a font.

/* Keyword values */
font-kerning: auto;
font-kerning: normal;
font-kerning: none;

/* Global values */
font-kerning: inherit;
font-kerning: initial;
font-kerning: unset;

Kerning defines how letters are spaced. In well-kerned fonts, this feature makes character spacing more uniform and pleasant to read than it would otherwise be. In the image below, for instance, the examples on the left do not use kerning, while the ones on the right do:

Example of font-kerning

Initial value auto
Applies to all elements. It also applies to ::first-letter and ::first-line.
Inherited yes
Media visual
Computed value as specified
Animation type discrete
Canonical order the unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

Syntax

The font-kerning property is specified as one of the keyword values listed below.

Values

auto
The browser determines whether font kerning should be used or not. For example, some browsers will disable kerning on small fonts, since applying it could harm the readability of text.
normal
Font kerning information stored in the font must be applied.
none
Font kerning information stored in the font is disabled.

Formal syntax

auto | normal | none

Example

HTML

<div id="kern"></div>
<div id="nokern"></div>
<textarea id="input">AV T. ij</textarea>

CSS

div {
  font-size: 2rem;
  font-family: serif;
}

#nokern {
  font-kerning: none;
}

#kern {
  font-kerning: normal;
}

JavaScript

var input  = document.getElementById('input'),
    kern   = document.getElementById('kern'),
    nokern = document.getElementById('nokern');

input.addEventListener('keyup', function() {
  kern.textContent = input.value; /* Update content */
  nokern.textContent = input.value;
});

kern.textContent = input.value; /* Initialize content */
nokern.textContent = input.value;

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Fonts Module Level 3
The definition of 'font-kerning' in that specification.
Candidate Recommendation Initial definition.

Browser CompatibilityUpdate compatibility data on GitHub

Desktop
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support 32
Prefixed
32
Prefixed
Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-
No 32
32
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
No ? 7
Mobile
Android webview Chrome for Android Edge Mobile Firefox for Android Opera for Android iOS Safari Samsung Internet
Basic support ? ? No 32
32
24 — 34
Disabled
Disabled From version 24 until version 34 (exclusive): this feature is behind the layout.css.font-features.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
? 7 ?

See also

© 2005–2018 Mozilla Developer Network and individual contributors.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/font-kerning