How do you make dot points closer?

To make dot points closer, you need to adjust the line spacing and paragraph spacing settings of your bulleted list within your document or web design environment.

Adjusting Line and Paragraph Spacing

Controlling the vertical distance between your bullet points is primarily achieved by modifying line and paragraph spacing. Most word processors and web development environments offer specific settings for this.

In Microsoft Word

To precisely control the space between bullet points and ensure your list looks compact:

Select the entire bulleted list you wish to modify.
Navigate to the Home tab on the ribbon.
In the "Paragraph" group, click on the Line and Paragraph Spacing icon (it typically looks like several horizontal lines with up and down arrows).
From the dropdown menu, choose a smaller line spacing option (e.g., 1.0 or 1.15). For more granular control, select Line Spacing Options...
In the "Paragraph" dialog box that appears:
- Under the "Indents and Spacing" tab, locate the Spacing section.
- Set Before and After paragraph spacing to 0 pt (or a very small number like 3 pt) to eliminate extra vertical space between each bullet point.
- Adjust Line spacing to Single for the default tightest text lines, or use Multiple with a value less than 1 (e.g., 0.9) for an even tighter look within a single bullet point.
- Tip: Ensure the checkbox for "Don't add space between paragraphs of the same style" is ticked if you want to minimize space between list items formatted with the same style.

In Google Docs

Google Docs offers straightforward options to manage the spacing of your lists:

Highlight the bulleted list you want to make closer.
Go to Format in the menu bar.
Select Line & paragraph spacing.
From the submenu, you can:
- Choose a smaller preset line spacing (e.g., Single).
- Click on Remove space before paragraph and/or Remove space after paragraph to quickly eliminate default extra spacing between list items.
- For more precise control, select Custom spacing...
- In the custom spacing dialog, set Line spacing to 1 (Single) or less, and set Paragraph spacing before and Paragraph spacing after to 0.

For Web (HTML & CSS)

When styling bullet points in web content, you use CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to control their appearance:

To reduce the vertical space between list items (<li> tags within <ul> or <ol>):
- line-height: This property controls the height of each line of text. A smaller line-height value (e.g., 1.2em or 1) will make the lines of text within a single list item closer.
- margin-bottom: This property adds space below an element. Setting margin-bottom: 0; (or a small value like 0.2em) on the li elements will effectively reduce the space between individual list items.

ul li {
    line-height: 1.2em;   /* Adjusts spacing within a list item */
    margin-bottom: 0.2em; /* Adjusts spacing between list items */
}

For more details on CSS line spacing, refer to MDN Web Docs on line-height.

Practical Tips for Optimal Spacing

Prioritize Readability: While making points closer can save space, always ensure the text remains easy to read. Overly tight spacing can hinder comprehension.
Consistency is Key: Apply consistent spacing across all your bulleted lists throughout your document or website for a professional and polished appearance.
Consider Context: A short, impactful list might benefit from tighter spacing, while a list with longer sentences or paragraphs may need a bit more breathing room to avoid looking cramped.
Test and Preview: Always check how your adjustments look in the final output (e.g., print preview, web browser) before finalizing.

Understanding Different Spacing Types

It's important to differentiate between line spacing and paragraph spacing when adjusting bullet points, as they affect different aspects of your list's appearance.

Spacing Type	Description	Impact on Bullet Points
Line Spacing	The vertical distance between lines of text within a single paragraph (or list item).	Controls how close the lines of text inside a multi-line bullet point are to each other.
Paragraph Spacing	The vertical distance between separate paragraphs (or bullet points, as each point is often treated as a distinct paragraph).	Directly controls the vertical gap between one bullet point and the next. Reducing "spacing before" and "spacing after" for a list item makes them closer to the preceding and succeeding points.

Why Adjust Spacing?

Adjusting the spacing of your bullet points offers several benefits for your document or web page:

Enhanced Readability: Well-spaced lists are easier to scan and digest, especially for longer documents or presentations.
Improved Aesthetics: A balanced layout makes your document or web page look more professional and visually appealing.
Information Density: Tighter spacing can help fit more information on a page or screen without making it feel overly cramped or overwhelming.
Visual Hierarchy: You can use spacing to visually group related points or separate distinct sections, guiding the reader's eye.

Common Spacing Challenges & Solutions

Sometimes, even after adjusting settings, bullet points might have unexpected gaps.

Extra space after a list: Ensure the paragraph immediately following your list also has its "spacing before" set to 0 pt or a small value to avoid an unnecessary large gap.
Uneven spacing: Check for manual line breaks (Shift + Enter in Word) within bullet points, as these can affect line spacing differently than standard paragraph breaks. Also, ensure all list items use the same paragraph style.
Theme or Style Interference: Document themes or default styles in word processors (or global CSS in web design) can sometimes override custom spacing. Modify the specific list style itself or ensure your direct formatting overrides are applied correctly. For more on paragraph spacing in Word, see Microsoft Support.