RTL: Do & Don't
Practical guidance for working with rtl in Arabic typography and digital layouts.
Text Alignment
Right-align Arabic body text. This follows the natural reading direction and gives the eye a clean, anchored starting edge.
Left-align Arabic paragraphs. Readers have to search for the start of each line on the wrong side.
Layout Flow
Start your layout from the right. Navigation, logos, and primary actions should begin on the right edge.
Keep the same layout as the English version. Users will look for the starting point on the wrong side.
Directional Elements
Mirror arrows and progress indicators. A "next" arrow should point left in RTL — that is the forward direction.
Leave directional icons pointing in their English orientation. A right-pointing "next" arrow sends RTL users backward.
Numbers in Context
Keep numbers and their units together as a single visual group, regardless of the surrounding text direction.
Let numbers float freely. They can jump to unexpected positions when mixed with Arabic text without proper grouping.