How to Reduce Space After a Title Once in LaTeX

If you want to tighten the gap after just one title, make a local adjustment immediately after the command that produces that title. This avoids changing the spacing of every title in the document.

For the document title created by \maketitle, put \vspace after \maketitle. For a section heading, put it after that particular \section command. A negative amount moves the following text upward; start with a small value, such as -0.5\baselineskip, and adjust as needed.

Reduce space after the document title

Here is a complete example using the standard article class. It needs no extra packages.

\documentclass{article}

\title{A Short Report}
\author{Alex Reader}
\date{\today}

\begin{document}

\maketitle
\vspace{-0.5\baselineskip}

The first paragraph begins closer to the title than it would by default.

\end{document}

The \vspace command inserts vertical space at that point. Since its value is negative, it reduces the distance between the title block and the first paragraph. The adjustment applies only there; it does not alter the spacing of other title blocks or headings.

Change -0.5\baselineskip to a smaller or larger negative value to tune the result. For example, -0.25\baselineskip makes a subtler change. Avoid starting with a large negative skip, because the title and following text can collide.

Reduce space after one section heading

If “title” means a section heading, apply the same local idea after that heading:

\section{Background}
\vspace{-0.4\baselineskip}

This paragraph starts with less space below the heading.

This changes only the gap following this occurrence of \section. Other sections retain their normal spacing. You can use the same pattern after a \subsection or another heading command, but the amount that looks right may differ by document class and heading level.

Why not change the section spacing globally?

Packages such as titlesec let you configure heading spacing for a whole document. That is useful when every heading needs a different layout, but it is unnecessary for a one-time correction and can affect headings you did not mean to change. A local skip is the simpler option when the adjustment is exceptional.

If you are using a class with its own sectioning controls, such as a KOMA-Script class, prefer that class’s documented settings for global changes. For one isolated adjustment, test the local skip first; class-specific title commands may add their own spacing.

Common mistakes

• Putting the skip before the title command: This changes the space above the title, not below it. Put the adjustment after \maketitle or the relevant heading command.
• Using a positive value: A positive skip adds space. Use a negative value to reduce it.
• Making the skip too large: Excessive negative space can make text overlap or create an awkward transition. Increase the adjustment gradually.
• Assuming the same amount works everywhere: The title block, section level, font size, and document class affect the visible gap. Compile and inspect the specific page.
• Using a global setting for a one-off change: Global settings can unintentionally alter every heading. Keep the fix local unless you want consistent changes throughout the document.

If the space changes unpredictably near a page break, check the surrounding content as well: LaTeX may move material to another page, and negative vertical space can affect that layout decision.