Best Font and Spacing for ATS Readability in 2025
I once worked with a candidate who had a visually stunning resume. Beautiful layout, modern fonts, perfect spacing. I looked at it and thought "This will definitely get through ATS."
It didn't.
The system rejected it before a human ever saw it. The problem wasn't the content—it was the formatting. The fancy font didn't convert properly when ATS extracted the text, and the complex spacing confused the parsing algorithm about where sections started and ended.
That's when I learned something important: font and spacing aren't cosmetic choices. They're structural choices that determine whether ATS can even read your resume correctly.
This guide shows you the exact fonts and spacing that work with ATS systems, so your perfect content doesn't get buried by formatting problems.
Why Font and Spacing Matter for ATS (Not Just Readability)
Most resume advice focuses on aesthetic design: "Make it look professional!" But when it comes to ATS, format is infrastructure.
Here's how ATS "reads" your resume:
- Parsing stage: ATS converts the file into text
- Font interpretation: If the font is unusual or broken, text gets mangled
- Spacing interpretation: Margins and line spacing tell ATS where sections start/end
- Information extraction: Poor spacing makes ATS extract wrong data
Example of spacing gone wrong:
❌ BROKEN (No spacing between sections):
WORK EXPERIENCE
Marketing Manager | Company ABC | 2020-2023Responsible for campaigns.
EDUCATION
Bachelor's Degree | University | 2020
ATS interprets this as:
- Role: "Marketing Manager | Company ABC | 2020-2023Responsible for campaigns. EDUCATION Bachelor's Degree | University | 2020"
(Everything is one jumbled line)
✅ CORRECT (Proper spacing):
WORK EXPERIENCE
Marketing Manager | Company ABC | 2020-2023
Responsible for managing digital marketing campaigns.
EDUCATION
Bachelor's Degree | University | 2020
ATS correctly extracts:
- Role: Marketing Manager
- Company: Company ABC
- Duration: 2020-2023
- Achievement: "Responsible for managing digital marketing campaigns"
Bottom line: Good formatting isn't cosmetic—it's structural. ATS depends on it.
The 5 Best Fonts for ATS (Ranked)
When I'm choosing a font for a resume, I stick to fonts that ATS systems were literally built to handle. Let me walk you through the safest choices, ranked:
1. ⭐ Arial (Best Overall)
I use Arial as my default. It's universal—every computer, every ATS system, every document viewer has it. When ATS converts your resume to plain text, Arial converts cleanly. No corruption, no weird characters, no parsing errors.
The letterforms are simple and clean, which means the parsing algorithm can identify them reliably. There's no fancy styling that might break during conversion.
Specifications:
- Font size: 10-12pt for body text, 12-14pt for headings
- Line spacing: 1.0-1.15
- Margins: 0.5-1 inch
When to use: This is my default for any resume where I'm unsure. You can't go wrong with Arial.
2. ⭐ Calibri (Also Excellent)
Calibri is Microsoft's default font—which means it's also very common in ATS systems. I use it when I want something slightly more modern than Arial but still completely safe. It's cleaner than Arial, almost slightly elegant, but the parsing is just as reliable.
Specifications:
- Font size: 10.5-12pt
- Line spacing: 1.15
- Margins: 0.75-1 inch
3. ⭐ Garamond (Safe + Professional)
If I want to look more traditional and refined, Garamond is my choice. It's a classic serif font, well-supported by ATS, and it reads as more professional than sans-serif fonts. The one quirk is that Garamond runs smaller, so I use 9.5-11pt instead of 10-12pt.
Specifications:
- Font size: 9.5-11pt (smaller because it reads larger)
- Line spacing: 1.0-1.15
- Margins: 0.5-1 inch
4. Times New Roman (Classic Choice)
Times New Roman is universally supported. It's reliable. It's traditional. But honestly, it reads as a bit dated now. I use it only for academic or legal fields where traditional formatting is expected. For most industries, Arial or Calibri are better choices.
Specifications:
- Font size: 10.5-12pt (Times runs small)
- Line spacing: 1.15
- Margins: 0.75-1 inch
5. Verdana (Last Resort)
Verdana is fine. It parses well. But it's less common in professional resumes, so I only use it if I don't have access to the other options.
Specifications:
- Font size: 9.5-10.5pt
- Line spacing: 1.0-1.15
- Margins: 0.5-0.75 inch
Fonts to AVOID (They Break ATS)
I've learned what NOT to use through painful experience. Here are fonts that cause ATS parsing problems:
Comic Sans breaks ATS parsing and looks unprofessional. Never use it.
Decorative or fancy fonts (anything designed to look "cool") usually aren't recognized by ATS systems. They'll get mangled or ignored entirely.
Multiple fonts mixed throughout your resume confuses the parser about where sections start and end. Stick to ONE font throughout.
Courier or monospace fonts work technically, but they create spacing issues that confuse ATS about where sections begin.
Georgia, Cambria, or other unusual serif fonts sometimes parse inconsistently depending on the ATS system.
The rule is simple: stick to Arial, Calibri, Garamond, Times New Roman, or Verdana. Nothing else.
Optimal Spacing Guidelines
Font choice is just the first half. Spacing is the second half.
Line Spacing (Leading)
Optimal range: 1.0 - 1.15 line spacing
| Line Spacing | Result | ATS Readability |
|---|---|---|
| 0.8 or less | Too tight, hard to read | ❌ Poor |
| 1.0 | Standard, clear | ✅ Excellent |
| 1.15 | Slightly open, clear | ✅ Excellent |
| 1.5 | Too open, wastes space | ⚠️ Acceptable |
| 2.0 or more | Way too open, unprofessional | ❌ Poor |
Recommendation: Use 1.0-1.15 line spacing throughout.
Margins (White Space Around Edges)
Optimal range: 0.5 - 1 inch on all sides
| Margin | Pros | Cons | ATS Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 inch | Fits more content | Cramped feel | ✅ Good |
| 0.75 inch | Balanced | Standard | ✅ Excellent |
| 1.0 inch | Open, professional | Less content space | ✅ Excellent |
| 1.25+ inches | Very open | Wastes space | ⚠️ Acceptable |
| < 0.5 inches | Cramped | ATS parsing issues | ❌ Poor |
Recommendation: Use 0.75-1 inch margins on all sides.
Space Between Sections
Optimal: 6-12pt space between major sections
✅ CORRECT:
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
[6-12pt space]
Analyst Role | Company | 2020-2023
[3-4pt space between bullets]
• Managed reports
• Led team
[6-12pt space]
EDUCATION
[6-12pt space]
Bachelor of Science | University | 2020
❌ BROKEN:
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
No space here makes it hard to parse
Analyst Role | Company | 2020-2023
• Managed reports
EDUCATION
Indent & Tab Settings
Safe option: No indentation, use bullets
❌ Avoid:
- Tab indents (can be lost in conversion)
- First-line indents (confuse parsing)
- Custom indentation
✅ Use:
- Bullet points (•, -, *)
- Flush left with consistent spacing
- Standard tab stops (0.5 inch)
Section-by-Section Font & Spacing Rules
Contact Information Header
Font Size: 11-12pt (slightly larger)
Bold: Your Name only
Line Spacing: 1.0
Format:
John Smith
(555) 123-4567 | john.smith@email.com | LinkedIn.com/in/johnsmith
Section Headings
Font Size: 10.5-11pt (same or slightly larger than body)
Bold: Yes, always
Spacing before: 6-8pt
Spacing after: 4-6pt
Line spacing: 1.0
Example:
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
[6pt space]
Body Text (Bullet Points & Description)
Font Size: 10-10.5pt (standard)
Bold: No (unless emphasizing specific words)
Line spacing: 1.0-1.15
Margins: 0.75-1 inch
Bullets: Standard (•, -, *)
Example:
• Led team of 5 analysts to deliver 15+ reports monthly
• Optimized reporting process, reducing turnaround by 40%
Dates & Company Names
Format: Right-aligned OR inline (both work)
Font Size: Same as body text
Style: No special formatting needed
Examples:
Marketing Manager | ABC Company | Jan 2020 - Dec 2023
OR
Marketing Manager
ABC Company Jan 2020 - Dec 2023
Common Formatting Mistakes That Break ATS
Mistake 1: Using Tables for Layout
❌ BROKEN:
+─────────────────────────────────────────+
| Marketing Manager | ABC Company |
| 2020-2023 | New York, NY |
+─────────────────────────────────────────+
ATS cannot parse this. The information gets scrambled.
✅ CORRECT:
Marketing Manager | ABC Company | Jan 2020 - Dec 2023
New York, NY
Mistake 2: Multiple Columns
❌ BROKEN:
┌─────────────┬──────────────┐
│ EXPERIENCE │ SKILLS │
│ List │ • Python │
│ │ • SQL │
└─────────────┴──────────────┘
ATS reads this as one jumbled paragraph.
✅ CORRECT:
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
[content]
SKILLS
• Python
• SQL
Mistake 3: Text Boxes & Shapes
❌ BROKEN:
[Box with rounded corners containing text]
ATS cannot read text inside graphics/shapes.
✅ CORRECT:
Plain text with section headers and bullets
Mistake 4: Headers/Footers with Important Info
❌ BROKEN:
[Header: Your Phone Number]
[Footer: LinkedIn Profile]
Resume content in middle
Some ATS systems ignore headers/footers.
✅ CORRECT:
Put all important info in main body:
John Smith
(555) 123-4567 | john.smith@email.com | LinkedIn
Mistake 5: Inconsistent Spacing
❌ BROKEN:
EXPERIENCE[no space]
Marketing Manager | Company | 2020-2023[no space]
Achievement 1[no space]
Achievement 2[2 blank lines]EDUCATION
Bachelor's | University | 2020
ATS struggles with irregular spacing.
✅ CORRECT:
Consistent 1.0-1.15 line spacing throughout
Consistent 6-8pt space between sections
All bullets aligned
Before You Finalize: Your Formatting Checklist
When I'm finalizing a resume, I go through this quick mental checklist to make sure everything is ATS-safe:
Font choices: Am I using one of the five safe fonts? Just one font throughout, nothing mixed? Sizes are 10-12pt for body, 12-14pt for headings? Good.
Spacing: Line spacing is 1.0-1.15, not too tight or too open? Space between sections gives them breathing room? Consistent throughout? Great.
Layout: Single column, left-aligned, no tables or text boxes? No images or graphics? Contact info in the body of the document, not in headers/footers? Perfect.
File format: Saved as .docx (or PDF with selectable text)? Filename is simple and professional? Done.
If everything checks out, I'm confident the resume will parse correctly.
How to Implement Perfect Spacing in Microsoft Word
Step 1: Set Margins
- File → Page Layout → Margins → Set all to 0.75 inch
Step 2: Select All Text
- Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A)
Step 3: Set Font
- Font dropdown → Select Arial or Calibri
- Size → 10.5pt or 11pt
- Line Spacing → 1.0
Step 4: Set Paragraph Spacing
- Format → Paragraph → Spacing before: 6pt, after: 6pt
Step 5: Check Results
- Save as .docx
- Open in Google Docs to verify formatting preserved
- Test with ATS checker
Before & After Formatting Examples
Example 1: Cramped Resume
Before (Bad Formatting):
Arial 8pt, 0.8 line spacing, 0.25 inch margins
MARKETING MANAGER
ABC Company
2020-2023
Managed campaigns. Led team. Increased ROI 25%.
Education: Bachelor's, State University, 2020
(Looks squeezed, hard to read)
After (Good Formatting):
Arial 11pt, 1.0 line spacing, 0.75 inch margins
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Marketing Manager | ABC Company | Jan 2020 - Dec 2023
• Managed digital marketing campaigns across 5 channels
• Led team of 3 analysts, increasing ROI by 25%
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Marketing
State University | Graduated 2020
(Clear, professional, ATS-friendly)
Testing Your Formatting
Method 1: ATS Checker
Upload to RankMyCv - it validates formatting and shows any parsing issues.
Method 2: Manual Check
- Save as PDF
- Open in Adobe Reader
- Use copy/paste on a section
- Text should copy cleanly (not garbled)
Method 3: Upload to ATS
Most companies' applicant systems show how ATS parsed your resume. Check if all text is there.
Font & Spacing FAQs
Q: Can I use creative fonts to stand out? A: No. Stand out through content, not formatting. Creative fonts break ATS and won't be seen anyway.
Q: Is there a "best" font? A: For ATS, all the recommended fonts are equally safe. Choose based on industry: Arial/Calibri (tech), Garamond (finance), Times (academia).
Q: Can I use 1.5 line spacing for readability? A: Technically yes, but 1.0-1.15 is better. 1.5 wastes space and can confuse ATS on where sections begin/end.
Q: What if I use 9pt font to fit more content? A: Risky. Too small may get skipped by ATS. Stick with 10-12pt. If you can't fit content, cut it instead of shrinking font.
Q: Can I use colored text for emphasis? A: Not recommended. Use bold instead. Colored text may not convert properly to text-only ATS format.
Next Steps
Now that your formatting is ATS-perfect, focus on the content itself. Learn how to place keywords naturally in your resume to avoid sounding robotic while maintaining ATS compatibility.
Ready to check if your resume formatting is ATS-safe?
Analyze your resume's formatting with RankMyCv and get instant feedback on font choices, spacing, and layout issues. See exactly what ATS sees when it parses your file—completely free.
Last updated: January 15, 2025 Read time: 6 minutes Category: Resume Formatting