Line Spacing / Leading InDesign not working properly? Large jump in spacing.

[Ambs1234]

Hey everyone, hoping someone can help me with this line spacing issue.  I am trying to adjust the spacing between lines of text in a paragraph.  I use the leading option to change the value from 12 to 13.  I only want to add slightly more space between lines of text, so I increase the value by 1.  However, just changing the value from 12 to 13 seems to add way too much spacing between lines, about double the amount of spacing.  When working in Photoshop, adjusting the leading by 1 number makes a very subtle change, so I don't understand why InDesign is adding so a huge amount of spacing by going from 12 to 13.  Even if I type in "12.1" it adds the same amount of spacing.  Another strange issue is, if I go all the way up to "24" the amount of spacing between lines doesn't change at all.  It seems to add the same amount of space between lines for value selected between 12-24.  Can someone please help me to figure out how to adjust this?  Thanks in advance!

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[Steve Werner]

Here's what I suspect is happening: You're not showing the Hidden Characters in your screen shots.

A common error is that the pilcrow (paragraph symbol) can contain a different leading value from the rest of the text.

Can you check your text for this problem?

You should always do this kind of editing with Hidden Characters visible. That way when you select all the text it will include the pilcrow.

[Scott Falkner]

You have a Align to grid turned on in the paragraph or the paragraph stlye you are using. You have increased the leading but not adjusted the leading grid. Either adjust the grid or turn of align to grid in the paragraph.

[chrisg11235813]

You are using Character Styles right now,  does it do the same thing if you create a new textbox (without the style attached)?

If you change the font or the pt size of the text does it behave the same way?  Maybe something is buggy about your Character Styles (?)

[Ambs1234]

Thank you all for your help and suggestions!

[raksha_5267]

Hi, did any of the above work? I have the same issue, with a big jump from 12 to 13.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi raksha_5267,

Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you're encountering a similar issue with leading in InDesign, where a small change in the value (from 12 to 13) results in a large jump in spacing.

Would you mind trying the below: 

1. Make sure that Hidden Characters are visible by going to Type > Show Hidden Characters. Sometimes, the pilcrow (¶) or other characters may have different leading values, causing inconsistent spacing. When you select all text, ensure that it includes the pilcrow for accurate adjustments.

2. You may have Align to Grid enabled in your Paragraph or Paragraph Style settings. To check this:

 - Select your text.

 - Go to the Paragraph panel and check if Align to Grid is turned on.

 - If it's on, either turn it off or adjust the leading grid settings accordingly.

3. If you’re using a Character Style, there may be settings within the style affecting the leading. Try creating a new text box without applying the style and check if the issue persists. You can also try modifying the Character Style to see if it changes the behavior.

4. If you’re using a scaled font, try adjusting the font size or selecting a different font to see if the behavior changes. Some fonts may not respond well to small increments in leading.

Let me know if any of these suggestions help or if you need further clarification! I'm happy to assist further.

Best,
Abhishek