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How To Create Vertical Text In Photoshop

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Creating vertical text in Photoshop is surprisingly easy with the Vertical Type Tool. However, if you already have horizontal text that you’d like to change to vertical text, you can easily do so as well!

Let’s talk about these processes more in-depth with a few demonstrations.


Lesson Summary
Step 1: Select The Vertical Type Tool (T)
Step 2: Click And Drag To Create Paragraph Text
Step 3: Use The Options Bar To Convert Horizontal Text To Vertical
Step 1: Select The Vertical Type Tool
Step 2: Click And Drag To Create Paragraph Text
Step 3: Use The Options Bar To Convert Horizontal Text To Vertical

How To Make Vertical Text In Photoshop

Step 1: Select The Vertical Type Tool (T) And Start Typing

With your document ready to be written on, click and hold the Type Tool icon in the toolbar to reveal other Type options. 

Choose the Vertical Type Tool (T). The Type Tool’s cursor will change to suit its new vertical direction instead of the typically horizontal direction of writing.

You can write using Point Text by clicking once on your canvas. This inserts placeholder text vertically. 

Writing vertically may create hard-to-read text. One word is easy to read; however, typing multiple words using only the Spacebar between them hinders readability. 

If you type with the Vertical Type Tool (T) and press Enter between words — how you would make a line break for horizontal text — the new line of text moves left of the first line. Since, in English, we read left to right, this also hinders readability. 

Step 2: Use Paragraph Text

Using Paragraph Text creates a similar result. Click and drag the Vertical Type Tool (T) across your canvas to create Paragraph Text. The text box will first fill with placeholder text. 

Type your text in the text box, and you’ll notice, again, that the typing starts on the right of the box, and each new word moves left. Punctuation marks are placed in the space below the letter, rather than tight to the letter like with horizontal text. 



How To Convert Horizontal Text To Vertical In Photoshop

Select or highlight the text you wish to convert and then, with either the Vertical or Horizontal Type Tool selected, go to the Options Bar at the top of the workspace. Next to the font selection dropdown, click Toggle text orientation.

Your text will immediately convert to either horizontal or vertical, depending on its original format. You can toggle this button infinite times to revert your text back and forth.

Happy Typing!



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I'm a Canadian photographer and photo retoucher turned founder of bwillcreative.com. Around here I help you to decode the mystery of photo editing with no-fluff videos and written guides to help you achieve your creative goals. Outside of shooting photos and my passion for educating, you'll find me mountain biking or on the trails with my dog, Sunny!