The Problem
In multi-line text layouts, uneven line breaks can create a poor visual experience. Headlines, card descriptions, and sidebars often suffer from awkward spacing, making the design look unpolished and harder to read. Standard line-breaking behavior doesn’t optimize for aesthetic balance, leaving developers to find tedious workarounds.
Solution
CSS introduces the text-wrap: balance property to solve this issue. This feature ensures that text wraps evenly across multiple lines, distributing words more aesthetically.
p { text-wrap: balance;}This approach is perfect for improving readability in titles, blockquotes, and captions where balanced spacing greatly enhances the user experience.
Example
See the difference with these two titles from a landing page:
With
We competently optimize maintainable customer service to promote extensive growth strategies.
Without
We competently optimize maintainable customer service to promote extensive growth strategies.
Considerations
- Browser Support: While text-wrap: balance is supported in modern versions of Chrome (v115+) and Edge, it’s not yet universally adopted. Developers should use feature detection or fallback styles for unsupported browsers.
- Performance: Overusing text-wrap: balance in content-heavy sections could impact rendering performance, as the browser calculates optimal line breaks. Use it selectively where visual balance is critical.
Takeaway
text-wrap: balance is a simple yet powerful addition to your CSS toolkit. Use it to elevate designs while keeping browser compatibility in mind.