Guidelines
Clear-space calculator
Guidelines state clear space as a multiple of a measured part of the mark, commonly the x-height, the cap height or one module. Set that reference and the mark width, and every figure below is derived rather than assumed.
Live canvas
The dashed rule is the clear-space boundary. Nothing, including other logos and the edge of the page, may enter it. Scroll inside the canvas when the guide is larger than the preview.
How to set clear space from a guideline
- Choose the mark: the sample, an archive logo or your own file.
- Enter the mark width in pixels at the size you will use it.
- Measure the reference unit the guideline names, such as the cap height, in pixels at that same size.
- Set the multiple the guideline gives, for example 1× or 0.5× the unit.
- Read the minimum canvas and download the measurement guide for the designer or developer.
Worked example
A 3:1 wordmark shown 480 px wide, with a guideline asking for one cap height of clear space. The cap height measures 40 px.
| Clear space, each side | 40 px × 1× = 40 px (3.4 mm at 300 dpi) |
|---|---|
| Mark | 480 × 160 px |
| Minimum canvas | 560 × 240 px (47.4 × 20.3 mm at 300 dpi) |
Anything placed closer than 40 px to the mark, including another logo or the edge of a banner, breaks the guideline. For small uses, check the brand's minimum size as well: clear space does not make a mark legible if it is drawn too small.
Questions about clear space
What is clear space around a logo?
Clear space, also called the exclusion zone or safe area, is the empty margin that brand guidelines keep around a logo. No text, image, other logo or page edge may enter it, so the mark stays legible and is not read as part of something else.
Which reference unit should I use?
Use the unit your brand guideline names. Common choices are the height of a capital letter or of the x-height in the wordmark, the width of a symbol, or one grid module. Measure that part of the mark in pixels at the size you will use, then enter it with the multiple the guideline gives.
What if the brand has no guideline?
Pick a unit and multiple, apply them everywhere and write them down with the files. The logo size calculator on this site uses a quarter of the logo height on each side as its working default. That default is this site’s convention, not any brand’s rule.
Is my logo file uploaded?
No. Your own file is read and drawn in this browser and is not uploaded. The downloadable guide contains only the boundary, boxes and measurements, never the artwork.
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