Why Font size and line height in Figma? - Purpose & Use Cases

The Big Idea

Discover how simple text tweaks can transform your reports from confusing to captivating!

The Scenario

Imagine you are creating a report dashboard by manually adjusting text sizes and spacing in a design tool without clear guidelines.

You try to make titles bigger and body text readable, but the lines look cramped or too spaced out, making the report hard to read.

The Problem

Manually setting font size and line height is slow and inconsistent.

You might pick sizes that look okay on your screen but become unreadable on others.

It's easy to make mistakes that confuse viewers and reduce the impact of your data story.

The Solution

Using proper font size and line height settings ensures text is clear and comfortable to read.

It creates a balanced look that guides the viewer's eye smoothly through the information.

This makes your dashboard professional and easy to understand.

Before vs After

✗ Before

Title font size: 14px; line height: 16px
Body font size: 12px; line height: 14px

✓ After

Title font size: 24px; line height: 32px
Body font size: 16px; line height: 24px

What It Enables

Clear font size and line height choices make your reports accessible and engaging for everyone.

Real Life Example

A sales dashboard with well-sized titles and body text helps managers quickly spot trends without straining their eyes.

Key Takeaways

Manual text sizing often leads to poor readability.

Proper font size and line height improve clarity and flow.

Good typography makes your BI reports more effective and professional.

Practice

1. What does font size control in Figma?

easy

A. The color of the text

B. The space between lines of text

C. How big the text appears on the screen

D. The font style like bold or italic

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand font size meaning

   Font size determines how large or small the text looks visually.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from line height

   Line height controls spacing between lines, not size of text.

3. Final Answer:

   How big the text appears on the screen -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Font size = Text size [OK]

Hint: Font size = text height, line height = space between lines [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing font size with line height
• Thinking font size changes text color
• Mixing font size with font style

2. Which of the following is the correct way to set font size and line height in Figma's text properties panel?

easy

A. Font size as a percentage, line height in pixels only

B. Font size in pixels, line height as a number or percentage

C. Both font size and line height only accept percentages

D. Font size and line height cannot be changed in Figma

Solution

1. Step 1: Check Figma text property inputs

   Font size is set in pixels (px) for exact text height.

2. Step 2: Understand line height input

   Line height can be set as a number (like 24) or percentage (like 150%).

3. Final Answer:

   Font size in pixels, line height as a number or percentage -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Font size = px, line height = number or % [OK]

Hint: Font size uses px, line height can be px or % [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to set font size as a percentage
• Assuming line height only accepts pixels
• Believing font size and line height cannot be changed

3. If a text block has a font size of 16px and a line height of 24px in Figma, what is the space between the lines of text?

medium

A. 8px

B. 24px

C. 16px

D. 40px

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand line height vs font size

   Line height is total height of each line including text and space.

2. Step 2: Calculate space between lines

   Space = line height - font size = 24px - 16px = 8px.

3. Final Answer:

   8px -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Line height - font size = space [OK]

Hint: Subtract font size from line height for spacing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing line height as only the space
• Using font size instead of difference
• Adding font size and line height

4. You set a font size of 18px and line height of 14px in Figma. What issue will this cause?

medium

A. Font size will automatically adjust to 14px

B. Text will be too spaced out

C. No issue, this is a valid setting

D. Lines will overlap because line height is less than font size

Solution

1. Step 1: Compare font size and line height values

   Font size is 18px, line height is smaller at 14px.

2. Step 2: Understand effect of smaller line height

   Line height less than font size causes lines to overlap visually.

3. Final Answer:

   Lines will overlap because line height is less than font size -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Line height < font size = overlap [OK]

Hint: Line height must be ≥ font size to avoid overlap [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking font size adjusts automatically
• Assuming no problem if line height is smaller
• Confusing line height with letter spacing

5. You want to design a dashboard with text that is easy to read on all screen sizes. Which combination of font size and line height is best practice in Figma?

hard

A. Font size 14px with line height 20px for good spacing

B. Font size 10px with line height 10px for compact text

C. Font size 18px with line height 14px to save space

D. Font size 12px with line height 12px for uniformity

Solution

1. Step 1: Consider readability on screens

   Font size 14px is readable; line height 20px gives enough space between lines.

2. Step 2: Evaluate other options

   Options with line height equal or less than font size cause cramped or overlapping text.

3. Final Answer:

   Font size 14px with line height 20px for good spacing -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Readable font + enough line height = best practice [OK]

Hint: Choose line height about 1.4x font size for readability [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Picking line height equal to or less than font size
• Choosing too small font size for screens
• Ignoring line height impact on readability