Tracking and kerning answer different questions
Adobe’s typography guidance distinguishes uniform tracking across characters from pair-specific kerning. A heading can need a careful pair adjustment even when its overall spacing looks balanced.
The control here changes the range-wide treatment. It does not edit individual kern pairs in a font or provide an optical-kerning engine.
Understand the preview value
The comparison uses CSS letter-spacing in em units. At 30px, an extra 0.06em corresponds to 1.8px. Changing font size changes that relative amount. A negative value tightens the text.
The reference uses normal spacing. Normal is a browser keyword and is not interchangeable with an assumption that the font contains no built-in spacing or kerning.
Compare words before choosing a setting
Try a short uppercase title and a longer mixed-case phrase. Check both the spaces inside the letters and the rhythm between them. Excessive positive or negative spacing can make words hard to recognize.
Connected scripts need particular care: spacing characters apart can disrupt expected joining. The same numerical value is not a universal recommendation across languages or families.
Keep the underlying family in view
Montserrat has a sign-lettering background, Lora a calligraphic serif direction, and Lobster contextual lettering resources. Their designs affect how a spacing choice reads.
Compare line spacing separately. Spreading letters horizontally cannot replace enough vertical room between lines.
Your questions, answered.
Does tracking permanently change a font file?
No. This preview applies CSS to editable text. It does not modify the original font software.
Is tracking the same as kerning?
No. Tracking affects a text range; kerning adjusts particular pairs. Both can influence the final spacing.
Why can ligatures change when I adjust spacing?
MDN documents that nonzero letter-spacing affects optional ligature behavior. Compare the actual font and browser rather than assuming both settings operate independently.
Sources & background
Sources supporting this page’s explanations. Practical examples are our editorial suggestions.