Adobe InDesign is a versatile tool that lets designers create everything from brochures to digital books. One common task in InDesign is formatting bullet points to make them look clean and well-aligned. If you’ve ever been frustrated by the default spacing between bullet points and want to make them closer together, you’re not alone. Adjusting bullet point spacing can improve the readability and overall visual appeal of your layout. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to adjust bullet points so that they’re closer in Adobe InDesign.
Understanding Bullet Point Spacing in InDesign
Bullet points in InDesign are controlled by paragraph formatting, which includes line spacing (leading), space before and after the paragraph, and bullet character settings. By adjusting these properties, you can manipulate the distance between bullet points to make them closer or farther apart, depending on your design requirements.
Let’s dive into the specifics of how you can make bullet points closer in InDesign.
Step-by-Step Guide to Make Bullet Points Closer
1. Select the Bulleted Text
First, you need to select the text that has bullet points. Use the Type Tool (T) to click and drag across the bulleted list that you want to adjust. You can also simply click inside any of the paragraphs within the list if the entire list is already formatted with bullets.
2. Open the Paragraph Panel
To adjust bullet points effectively, open the Paragraph Panel. You can find this panel by going to Window > Type & Tables > Paragraph. This panel contains all the essential options to control the alignment, indentation, and spacing of paragraphs.
3. Adjust the Leading
The leading controls the spacing between lines of text within a paragraph. By reducing the leading, you can bring your bullet points closer together.
- With the bulleted text selected, go to the Control Panel or Character Panel, and find the leading option.
- Reduce the value to bring the bullet points closer. For example, if the default leading is set to 14 pt, you could try reducing it to 12 pt or 10 pt to decrease the spacing.
4. Modify Space Before and Space After
Another way to control the spacing between bullet points is by adjusting the Space Before and Space After settings in the Paragraph Panel.
- Space Before: This controls the space before a paragraph begins.
- Space After: This adjusts the space after the paragraph ends.
With your bulleted text selected, lower the Space After value to bring the paragraphs closer together. If the space after is currently set to 10 pt, try reducing it to 5 pt or even 0 pt. This can help reduce the white space between bullet items, making them appear more compact.
5. Adjust the Bullet Indentation
Sometimes the appearance of excessive spacing between bullet points comes from indentation rather than line spacing. You can adjust the Bullet Indentation settings to align your bullets more closely.
- Go to the Bullets and Numbering options in the Paragraph Panel. You can access this by clicking on the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the upper-right corner of the Paragraph Panel and selecting Bullets and Numbering.
- In the Bullets and Numbering dialog box, you can adjust the Left Indent and First Line Indent settings to bring the bullet points closer.
- Reducing the Left Indent value will pull the bullet and its text closer to the left margin, while modifying the First Line Indent helps in aligning the bullet character with the text properly.
6. Use Baseline Shift if Needed
If you find that bullet points are not aligning perfectly, you can also use the Baseline Shift feature to adjust individual lines.
- Select the bullet character or the entire line and open the Character Panel (Window > Type & Tables > Character).
- Use the Baseline Shift setting to nudge the line up or down until it aligns better with adjacent lines. This can be useful for minor adjustments to make the bullets visually consistent.
Creating a Bullet Style for Consistency
If you need to create multiple bulleted lists in your document, it’s best to create a Paragraph Style so you can maintain consistency throughout your design.
- Select the Bulleted Text and adjust all the settings (leading, space after, indentation) to your desired look.
- Go to the Paragraph Styles Panel (Window > Styles > Paragraph Styles).
- Click on the Create New Style icon at the bottom of the panel.
- Double-click the new style to open the Paragraph Style Options dialog box, and give it a meaningful name (e.g., “Bulleted List Compact”).
- Click OK.
Now, whenever you need to create a bulleted list, simply apply this style to achieve the same spacing and formatting, saving you time and ensuring consistency.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Line Spacing Still Too Wide?
If the bullet points still seem too far apart, double-check if any additional formatting is applied, such as unnecessary paragraph returns or manual line breaks that could add extra space. - Invisible Characters: Sometimes, hidden characters like extra paragraph marks or tabs can affect the spacing. To reveal hidden characters, go to Type > Show Hidden Characters. This will help you spot any extra returns or spaces that may be creating unnecessary gaps.
Summary
Adjusting bullet point spacing in InDesign involves a combination of tweaking leading, space before and after, and bullet indentation settings. By mastering these controls, you can create tighter, more visually appealing bullet lists that improve the overall layout of your document. Creating a Paragraph Style for your bullet points also ensures that you maintain consistency throughout your work, making future edits easier.
With these techniques, you should be able to make your bullet points closer in Adobe InDesign, giving you greater control over your document’s layout and a more polished, professional result.
