Write and Format Text in Photoshop (Type Tool Basics)
Master the essentials of typography in Photoshop. You’ll add text, change fonts and sizes, adjust kerning and tracking, type along shapes or pen paths, and convert text to editable vector paths for custom lettering. These techniques keep your text crisp and flexible for any design.
Step-by-step instructions
Create a text layer
Select the Horizontal Type Tool (T).
Click on the canvas to create a new text layer.
Type your text (e.g., “Guru99.com Online Free Education”).
Double‑click the text layer thumbnail to select all text for editing.
Set font, style, and size
Use the Options bar to choose Font Family and Style (Regular/Bold/Italic).
Adjust Size using the scrubby slider icon or enter a value.
Open Window → Character for full text controls and color.
Scale text non‑destructively
Press Cmd/Ctrl+T (Edit → Free Transform).
Drag corner handles to resize; press Enter/Return to apply.
Note: Text remains crisp because it’s vector-based until rasterized.
Adjust kerning, tracking, and scale in Character panel
Open Window → Character.
Set Kerning to adjust spacing between two specific characters.
Set Tracking to loosen or tighten spacing for selected text or the whole line.
Use Alt/Option + Left/Right Arrow to decrease/increase tracking at the cursor.
Adjust Horizontal Scale and Vertical Scale percentages to stretch/squash text as needed; set a text Color.
Quickly preview fonts
Select your text.
Click the Font Family field and press Up/Down Arrow keys to cycle through fonts and preview instantly.
Type on a shape or pen path
Draw a shape path (Shape tools) or a custom path (Pen tool, P).
Move the Type tool over the path until the cursor changes, then click to type along the path.
Hold Cmd/Ctrl and drag the start/end brackets to set the text’s limits on the path.
With Cmd/Ctrl held, move the cursor inside/outside the path to flip text to the other side.
Convert text to editable paths for custom lettering
Right‑click the text layer in the Layers panel → Create Work Path.
Hide the original text layer; open Window → Paths and select Work Path.
Use the Direct Selection Tool (A) to drag anchor points/handles and reshape letters.
Use the Pen tool to add/remove points for finer control of the letterforms.
