UIUX 360 / 22-December-2022 / minute read

X-Height

The X-height is an important factor in readability because, at any given font size, it determines how large or small the typeface actually appears.

Written by: Prince Pal Singh

Your UI/UX Designer. Consultant. Partner. Over the past 18 years, I designed websites and apps for enterprise-level clients like Stanford-HCI Research, Accenture, Juniper Networks, Gemalto, Virtual Dental Care & much more.

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X-Height

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What is X-Height?

Overview

The X-height is an important factor in readability because, at any given font size, it determines how large or small the typeface actually appears. The X-height helps ensure that companies and designers can choose a typeface that matches the personality and image of the brand.

In typography, an X-height is a relative unit for measuring the proportion of small letters that create consistency within the broad baseline of a font. The x-height is measured from the type baseline to the height of the lowercase glyph, not including any ascenders or overshoots.

The X-height is one of the most valuable tools for ensuring the legibility of any font. A large or small x-height can either increase the readability of a character or make it harder to understand.