Web/CSS/font-kerning

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

The source for this interactive example is stored in a GitHub repository. If you'd like to contribute to the interactive examples project, please clone https://github.com/mdn/interactive-examples and send us a pull request.

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:

[[File:../../../../../media.prod.mdn.mozit.cloud/attachments/2014/08/25/8455/ea34969a0adfd0bea70cb1706033b0a4/font-kerning.png|Example of font-kerning]]

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 definition

Initial value	`auto`
Applies to	all elements. It also applies to `::first-letter` and `::first-line`.
Inherited	yes
Computed value	as specified
Animation type	discrete

Formal syntax

auto | normal | none

Examples

Enabling and disabling kerning

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

let input  = document.getElementById('input');
let kern   = document.getElementById('kern');
let 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 3The definition of 'font-kerning' in that specification.	Candidate Recommendation	Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet
`font-kerning`	Chrome Full support 33 Full support 33 No support 29 — 33 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Edge Full support 79	Firefox Full support 32 Full support 32 No support 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.	IE No support No	Opera Full support 20 Full support 20 No support 16 — 20 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Safari Full support 9 Full support 9 Full support 6 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	WebView Android Full support 4.4.3 Full support 4.4.3 No support 4.4 — 4.4.3 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Chrome Android Full support 33 Full support 33 No support 29 — 33 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Firefox Android Full support 32 Full support 32 No support 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.	Opera Android Full support 20 Full support 20 No support 16 — 20 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Safari iOS Full support 9 Full support 9 Full support 6 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Samsung Internet Android Full support 2.0 Full support 2.0 No support 1.0 — 2.0 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-

Legend

Full support: Full support
No support: No support
User must explicitly enable this feature.': User must explicitly enable this feature.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.': Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.