Center text alignment on Android: from XML to app code

Aligning text to the center Android is a task faced by both novice developers and experienced users who customize the interface. Depending on the context (application, widget, system menu), centering methods differ: in some places a couple of clicks in the designer are enough, and in others you will need to edit XML-markup or write code in Kotlin/Java. In this article we will analyze all the current methods - from basic to advanced - including nuances for different versions Android (from Nougat 7.0 to Android 15).

We will pay special attention to typical errors: why the text “moves out” when changing the language, how to avoid cutting long lines and what to do if centering works in the preview, but breaks down in the real one device. For clarity, we will provide a comparative table of methods and their applicability, and also add interactive checklists for checking the results.

1. Centering text in XML markup (for developers)

The most common way to center text is to use attributes android:gravity or android:layout_gravity in the markup file (usually activity_main.xml or fragment_layout.xml). The difference between them is critical:

• 🔹 android:gravity —aligns the contents of the inside element (for example, text inside TextView).
• 🔹 android:layout_gravity —aligns the element itself inside the parent container (for example, position Button in LinearLayout).

Example of centering text in TextView:

<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Hello, Android!"
android:gravity="center"
android:layout_centerInParent="true"/>

To center on both axes (horizontally and vertically), use the value center. If you need to align only horizontally - center_horizontal, vertically - center_vertical. the container has a fixed width (for example match_parent), and TextView — wrap_content, the text may not be centered. In this case, add android:layout_width="match_parent".

2. Programmatic alignment in Kotlin/Java

When the markup is generated dynamically or you need to change the alignment on the fly, use programmatic code. There is a method for this Kotlin And Java there is a method for this setGravity().

Example on Kotlin:

val textView = findViewById<TextView>(R.id.my_text_view)
textView.gravity = Gravity.CENTER

For Java the syntax is similar, but with an explicit indication of the class. Gravity:

TextView textView = findViewById(R.id.my_text_view);
textView.setGravity(Gravity.CENTER);

If you need to center the text only horizontally, use Gravity.CENTER_HORIZONTALTo combine flags (for example, horizontal centering + top alignment) use bitwise. OR:

textView.gravity = Gravity.CENTER_HORIZONTAL or Gravity.TOP

3. Studio: visual editor

For those who prefer to work without code, Android Studio has a built-in visual markup editor (Layout EditorTo center the text:

1. Open a markup file (for example, activity_main.xml).
2. Switch to the tab Design at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select an element with text (for example, TextView or Button).
4. In the panel Attributes (on the right) find the section text or layout.
5. For gravity select the value center from the drop-down list.

The visual editor automatically updates the XMLcode, so changes can be immediately seen in the preview. However, be careful: sometimes the editor adds. unnecessary attributes (for example, tools:context), which do not affect the work, but clutter the markup.

4. Centering text in widgets and system menus

Text alignment in on desktop widgets or system menus (for example, in settings Android) has its own characteristics. Here you cannot edit XML-markup directly, but there are workarounds:

• 📱 For widgets: Use libraries like Android Widget Library or configure alignment in widget code via RemoteViews:

RemoteViews views = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(), R.layout.widget_layout);
views.setTextViewText(R.id.widget_text, "Centered text");
views.setInt(R.id.widget_text, "setGravity", Gravity.CENTER);

• ⚙️ For system menus: Centering is possible only on rooted devices through file editing /system/app or using Xposed Framework (modules like GravityBox).

Important: changing system files can lead to unstable operation of the device or loss of warranty. For most users, the best option is to use launchers with customization support (for example, Nova Launcher or Action Launcher), where you can adjust the text alignment under the icons.

Set the minimum widget width to AndroidManifest.xml

Check android:minWidth i android:minHeight in the markup

Use RemoteViews.setTextViewTextSize() to adjust the font size

Test on different screen sizes (there are emulators for Android Studio there are emulators for mdpi, hdpi, xhdpi)-->

5. Centering in WebView and HTML content

If your application displays text through WebView (for example, to load web pages or rich HTML content), use the standard CSSproperties for centering. Example:

<WebView
android:id="@+id/my_webview"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"/>

In code, load HTML with centered. text:

val webView = findViewById<WebView>(R.id.my_webview)
webView.loadData(
"This text is centered!",
"text/html",
"UTF-8"
)

To dynamically change the alignment, use JavaScript:

webView.evaluateJavascript(
"document.body.style.textAlign = 'center';",
null
)

Please note: some may not be supported in WebView modern CSS-properties (for example, Flexbox or Grid), if you are using an outdated version Android System WebView. Update it via Google Play.

6. Common errors and their solutions.

Even experienced developers encounter problems when centering text. Here are the most common cases and how to fix them:

Another common mistake is ignoring text direction (textDirection) in multilingual applications. For languages with right-to-left writing (Arabic, Hebrew), centering may be lost. Solution:

<TextView
...
android:textDirection="locale"
android:textAlignment="center"/>

7. Centering in custom views and libraries

If you use custom interface elements (for example, MaterialButton from Material Components or LottieAnimationView), standard centering methods may not work. In this case:

• 🎨 For MaterialButton:

  <com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButton
  ...
  app:iconGravity="textStart"
  android:gravity="center"/>

  The attribute app:iconGravity controls the position of the icon relative to the text.

• 📊 For RecyclerView or ListView:

  Centering the text in elements list, configure it in the item markup (for example, item_layout.xml), and not in the adapter.

When working with libraries (for example, Glide for loading images with text), check their documentation - some override standard attributes gravity. For example, in Coil to center text over an image, you will need a custom ImageView with overlay.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about text centering

AlertDialog.Builder(this)
.setView(R.layout.custom_dialog_layout) // your layout with a centered TextView
.show()

<TextView
...
app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"
app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
android:gravity="center"/>

<EditText
android:gravity="center"
android:textAlignment="center"
android:inputType="text"/>

If neither one of the methods did not work, check the version Android on the target device - some attributes (for example, textAlignment) are not supported on versions lower API 17 (Android 4.2). In this case, use software alignment via setGravity().