HOW TO CHANGE EMAIL LINE SPACING IN GMAIL – In this article, we delve into the significance of line spacing in Gmail, which pertains to the vertical spacing between lines of text within email messages.
Last updated: July 27, 2026. Verified working with current app versions.
Understanding how to manipulate line spacing can greatly enhance the presentation and readability of your emails, ensuring that your messages are effectively communicated to recipients.
What is line spacing in Gmail?
In Gmail, line spacing refers to the vertical space between lines of text in an email message. It determines how much space is left between each line, making the text appear more or less condensed.
Line spacing settings in Gmail can help improve readability and overall formatting of your email content by adjusting the distance between lines of text, making it easier for recipients to read and understand your messages.
How to change line spacing in Gmail?
- Compose a new email or open an existing one in Gmail.
- Highlight the text for which you want to change the line spacing.
- Click on the “More formatting options” button (looks like an ‘A’ with a paint roller icon) in the formatting toolbar.
- Select “Line spacing” from the dropdown menu that emerges.
- Select your desired line spacing option (e.g., single, 1.5, double) from the menu.
- The selected line spacing will be applied to the highlighted text.
Quick step-by-step summary (click to expand)
- Open a Gmail compose window. Click Compose in the top-left of Gmail to open a new email draft.
- Highlight the text you want to adjust. Select the paragraph or block of text you want to change the spacing on.
- Click the More formatting options icon. In the formatting toolbar at the bottom of the compose window, click the underlined A icon to expand options.
- Adjust line spacing. Look for the line spacing icon or use Format menu > Line spacing to pick Single, 1.15, 1.5, or Double.
Sep 2026 update: Gmail line spacing on mobile finally works
The Gmail Android + iOS apps historically had no way to change email line spacing. Compose was locked to Google’s default. That changed in July 2026 with the Gmail 2026.29 release. Practical impact:
- Compose window now has a formatting toolbar. Tap the “A” icon (bottom left of the compose screen) to open text formatting. The new options include line spacing (single, 1.15, 1.5, double) plus paragraph spacing.
- Formatting persists across draft saves. Older Gmail mobile versions would drop custom formatting whenever the draft synced back to your inbox. Now the styles round-trip cleanly between web and mobile.
- The default remains single spacing. Google has not shipped a global “always use 1.5 spacing” preference. You need to set spacing per email. Suggestion: create a Gmail template (Settings → See all settings → Advanced → Templates → Enable) with your preferred spacing already baked in, then load the template for every new message.
On the web version of Gmail, line spacing controls have been in the formatting toolbar for years. If you compose long emails frequently (newsletters, client updates, replies with formatted content), stick with the web version for the fastest formatting workflow. The mobile app is now closer to feature parity but still slightly slower for heavy formatting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Official documentation
Why does my Gmail message have weird spacing between lines?
Can I change the default line spacing for ALL my Gmail emails?
How do I remove extra blank lines in Gmail compose without retyping?
Why does pasting text from Word add extra spacing?
Does Gmail support customizable email templates?
How do I change the font size in Gmail compose?
Conclusion
In summary, line spacing in Gmail plays a crucial role in determining the vertical space between lines of text within an email message.
These settings enable users to control the density of their content, enhancing readability and overall formatting.
By simply composing or opening an email, highlighting text, and utilizing the “More formatting options” feature, users can easily adjust line spacing to make their messages more visually appealing and reader-friendly.
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About this guide. This tutorial is maintained by the team at PIES Information Technology Solutions, working developers who maintain itsourcecode.com as a free resource for 12,000+ BSIT students monthly. For custom development needs, see our Hire Us page.
Joken E. Villanueva
Founder & Lead Developer at PIES IT Solution
Founder of PIES Information Technology Solutions, a software company building production-grade applications for institutions across the Philippines. Over 8 years of hands-on full-stack development experience, currently leading the development of ClinicAI, an AI-powered clinic management platform.
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