How to Prevent Arabic Diacritics from Being Clipped in Word
Question details
The user needs to stop Arabic diacritics (tashkeel) from being cut off at the top or bottom of lines in a text document.
- Product
- Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Formatting multi-line paragraphs containing Arabic text with diacritics.
- Observed behavior
- Diacritics are visually clipped or cut off because the default line height is insufficient for the required vertical space of the selected font.
Ensure you have selected the entire Arabic text block that is experiencing clipping issues before applying any line spacing adjustments.
Set Paragraph Line Spacing to Exact
Manually specifying an exact line spacing value ensures the word processor allocates enough vertical space to display Arabic diacritics without cutting them off.
Default line spacing often calculates vertical space based on standard Latin characters. For scripts like Arabic, changing the spacing to an absolute point value is the most reliable fix.
Highlight the paragraph or sentences containing the clipped Arabic diacritics.
Right-click the highlighted text and choose 'Paragraph' from the context menu, or click the dialog box launcher arrow in the Paragraph group on the Home tab.
Under the 'Spacing' section, locate the 'Line spacing' drop-down menu and select 'Exactly'.
In the 'At' box, type a point size that is larger than your current font size (for example, if your font size is 12pt, try 16pt or 18pt). Click OK to apply.
Switch to a Fully Supported Arabic Font
Some fonts lack adequate vertical metrics for Arabic characters and their diacritics. Switching to a specialized font can instantly resolve clipping issues.
Fix Text Clipping Easily with WPS Writer
WPS Office provides robust multi-language support and precise paragraph formatting tools, making it incredibly easy to display Arabic text and diacritics correctly without layout issues.
- 1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing the clipped Arabic text.
- 2. Select and right-click: Highlight the affected text, right-click it, and select 'Paragraph' from the menu.
- 3. Change spacing to Exactly: In the Spacing section, change the Line Spacing drop-down to 'Exactly'.
- 4. Increase the point value: Enter a larger value in the 'At' field to give the diacritics enough vertical room, then click 'OK'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Arabic diacritics get clipped in Word?
This usually happens because the default line spacing calculates vertical space based on Latin characters. Arabic diacritics (tashkeel) extend further above and below the baseline, requiring additional vertical height that default settings sometimes fail to provide.
Will increasing 'Spacing Before' or 'Spacing After' fix the problem?
No. 'Spacing Before' and 'Spacing After' only add space between different paragraphs. To fix clipping within the lines of a single multi-line paragraph, you must adjust the 'Line spacing' setting to 'Exactly'.
What is the best font size to line spacing ratio for Arabic text?
As a general rule, setting the 'Exactly' line spacing to about 4 to 6 points larger than your font size (e.g., setting spacing to 18pt for a 12pt font) provides enough room for most Arabic diacritics. However, this may vary slightly depending on the specific font you are using.
