Logo clear space and minimum size: how to set the rules
Clear space keeps other things away from the logo; minimum size keeps it legible. How to measure both from the logo itself, typical values, and how to make the rules checkable instead of aspirational.
Beginner2 min readUpdated 27 September 2026Studio · Brand guideline builder, Client brands
Choosing the clear space
| Rule | When |
|---|---|
| ¼ of the logo height | Tight spaces: app headers, footers, co-branding strips |
| ½ of the logo height | The usual default: posts, documents, most layouts |
| 1 × the logo height | A logo that needs presence: covers, packaging, signage |
Some brands measure from a letter in the logo (the height of the O, the x-height of the wordmark). The principle is the same: a unit taken from the logo, so the rule works at any size.
Choosing the minimum size
- Export the logo and view it at decreasing widths on a phone. Note the width at which a letter or detail fills in or disappears.
- Print it at decreasing sizes on the paper you use most. Note the size at which it stops reading at arm's length.
- Write both down: a screen minimum in px and a print minimum in mm. If the full logo fails early, define a simplified version (a mark without the tagline) for small sizes.
Make the rules checkable
In the guideline builder, Clear space (¼ H, ½ H or 1 H) and Minimum width (16, 24, 32 or 48 px) go on the Identity tab and onto the Clear space page of the guideline. Save the brand to Client brands in Studio, where Clear space is a share of the logo height and Smallest size is measured on a 1080 px wide design, so one rule works for a post, a story and a banner. On any job using that brand, the Editor lists logos under the minimum size and layers inside the logo's clear space, with a button that selects the offending layer.
Does the clear space include the tagline?
Decide and say so. Most guidelines measure from the mark and wordmark together, with the tagline counted as part of the logo when it is shown.
Can text touch the logo if it is part of a lockup?
Only in a lockup the guideline defines, such as a partner logo at a set distance. Everything else stays outside the clear space.