Guides / Stretch text
How to stretch text in Illustrator
Select the text and drag a side handle with the Selection tool, or set Horizontal / Vertical Scale in the Character panel for exact percentages. The text stays live. To stretch single letters, use the Touch Type tool.
JuicyType Party! · screen recording goes hereSkip to JuicyType ↓
The manual way, in Illustrator
- Select the text object and drag the middle handle on one side. Hold Shift to keep proportions if you scale from a corner.
- For exact values: open the Character panel (⌘T), show options, and set Horizontal Scale or Vertical Scale.
- For one letter: Touch Type tool (Shift+T), click the letter, drag a side handle.
Stretching distorts the letterforms; for tall type, try a condensed weight of the font before stretching.
Steps drafted from Illustrator's documentation; to be checked in Illustrator 2025–2026 before launch.
Or, with JuicyType
2 effects in JuicyType
Party! scale is per letter and seeded, which gives the hand-set, uneven look designers stretch letters for.
JuicyType≡
Party!✓
Shape✓
Keep live text●
Apply
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Common questions
Why does stretched text look thin?
Horizontal scaling thins verticals. Add a small stroke in the same colour, or use JuicyType Strokes with one band.