Fix Line Spacing Changes in Google Docs to PDF
Line spacing that changes during PDF export is usually caused by paragraph spacing settings being applied inconsistently, or by a font substitution that changes line height. These fixes address both scenarios.
Check paragraph spacing settings
Select the text with incorrect spacing, go to Format > Line and paragraph spacing, and check both the line spacing and the 'Space before' and 'Space after' paragraph settings. If 'Space before paragraph' has a non-zero value, it can create gaps that look different in PDF versus the editor view. Set these explicitly rather than relying on default values.
Font substitution changes line height
Different fonts have different line heights even at the same point size. If the PDF substitutes a different font, the line height changes and spacing looks wrong. Switching to a Google Font that embeds correctly eliminates this problem.
Custom line spacing values
If the document uses custom line spacing like 1.15 or a specific point value, those values export correctly. The issue is sometimes that two sections of the document have different line spacing applied. Select all text with Ctrl+A and apply a consistent line spacing value to standardize the entire document.
Spacing after headings
Google Docs heading styles have built-in spacing above and below. If headings in the PDF look spaced differently than in the editor, the heading style has custom spacing applied. Go to Format > Paragraph styles > Heading 1 (or the relevant heading level) > Update Heading to match and set spacing explicitly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does double spacing become single spacing in my PDF?
This usually means the line spacing was set visually rather than through the Format menu. Select all text, go to Format > Line and paragraph spacing, and explicitly set it to Double. Then re-export.
Why does spacing look fine in Print Preview but wrong in the PDF?
This can happen if the PDF viewer is scaling the document differently. Open the PDF at 100% zoom and compare again. If it still looks different, the issue is in the spacing settings rather than the viewer.
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