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Line Height Calculator

Calculate optimal line-height for readable text.
Based on font size, content width, and reading context.

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line-height: 1.6

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable and appealing when displayed.

16px
10px72px
680px (~85 characters)
200px1200px

Recommended Line Height

Unitless (recommended)
1.6
In pixels
25.6px
In em
1.6em
In percent
160%
line-height: 1.6;

Line Height Comparison

line-height: 1

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. This sample text helps visualize spacing.

line-height: 1.2

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. This sample text helps visualize spacing.

line-height: 1.6Recommended

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. This sample text helps visualize spacing.

line-height: 1.6Recommended

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. This sample text helps visualize spacing.

line-height: 1.8

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. This sample text helps visualize spacing.

line-height: 2

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. This sample text helps visualize spacing.

Line Height Best Practices

Use Unitless Values

Unitless line-height (like 1.5) scales proportionally with font size. This is more maintainable than fixed px values and prevents inheritance issues.

The 45-75 Character Rule

For optimal readability, aim for 45-75 characters per line. Longer lines need more line-height (1.6-1.8), shorter lines can use less (1.4-1.5).

Context Matters

Body text needs more breathing room (1.5-1.6). Headings can be tighter (1.1-1.3) since they are shorter. UI elements work well with 1.2-1.4.

Common Line Height Guidelines

Content TypeRecommended RangeNotes
Body text (paragraphs)1.5 - 1.7Higher for narrow columns, lower for wide
Headings (H1-H3)1.1 - 1.3Tighter for larger display text
Subheadings (H4-H6)1.2 - 1.4Slightly looser than main headings
UI text (buttons, labels)1.2 - 1.4Compact but readable
Captions / Small text1.4 - 1.6More space helps small text
Code / Monospace1.4 - 1.6Enough room for character details