Typography & text
Left align body copy
Center-aligned paragraphs slow scanning: every line starts in a different place, so the eye has to hunt for the next one. Reserve centering for headlines of a line or two.
Left-aligned paragraph text
Centered multi-line paragraph
How to apply it
- 1
Left-align any paragraph longer than one line.
- 2
Reserve centered text for short headlines only, not body copy.
- 3
Check marketing and empty-state copy specifically, where centering creeps in.
- 4
Convert any centered paragraph over two lines to left alignment.
Why it works
After each line, the eye needs a fixed anchor point to find the start of the next one; a left edge gives it that consistent anchor, while centered text puts the start of every line at a different horizontal position. That forces a fresh search on every return sweep instead of a reflexive jump.
What breaks
A centered multi-line paragraph forces readers to hunt for where the next line begins each time, so scanning speed drops and users often stop reading before the paragraph ends.
Review questions
- 1
Is multi-line paragraph text left-aligned?
- 2
Is centered text limited to short, one or two line headlines?
- 3
Can you find the start of each wrapped line without searching?