LaTeX Bullet Points and Numbered Lists: itemize and enumerate

For bullet points in LaTeX, put each \item inside an itemize environment. For a numbered list, use enumerate instead. Use description for labeled terms, and add the enumitem package only when you need custom numbering, labels, or spacing.

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Choose the Right List Environment

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Quick Start

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Unordered Lists (Bullets)

Use the itemize environment for bullet points:

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Nested Bullet Lists

You can nest lists up to four levels deep:

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Ordered Lists (Numbers)

Use the enumerate environment for numbered lists:

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Nested Numbered Lists

Different numbering styles at each level:

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Description Lists

Use the description environment for term-definition pairs:

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Mixing List Types

You can combine different list types:

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Customizing Lists

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Custom Bullets

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How to Change Numbering in LaTeX

To change numbering in LaTeX, set a custom label on each \item for a short list, or use the enumitem package when the numbering style should apply consistently. The example below shows Roman numerals, a different start value, and letters.

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List Spacing

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Compact Lists

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Wide Spacing

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Advanced List Formatting

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The enumitem Package

For full control over lists:

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List Alignment

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Inline Lists

For lists within paragraphs:

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Common List Patterns

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To-Do Lists

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Pros and Cons

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Multi-column Lists

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Best Practices

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How to Change the Space Between Items

The gap between itemize or enumerate items is set by \itemsep. The clean way to change it is the enumitem package, which lets you set spacing per list without touching internal lengths. Load \usepackage{enumitem}, then:

• \begin{itemize}[itemsep=0pt] removes the extra space between items
• \begin{itemize}[noitemsep] is shorthand for the same thing
• \begin{itemize}[itemsep=1em] opens the list up
• \begin{itemize}[nosep] removes space between items and around the list

To apply it everywhere rather than per list, set it once in the preamble with \setlist{itemsep=0pt}, or target one type with \setlist[itemize]{itemsep=0pt}. Compact lists are a common request for CVs and slides, where the default spacing looks loose.

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Common Mistakes

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Troubleshooting

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List Not Appearing

Check for:

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Spacing Issues

Adjust with enumitem:

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Quick Reference

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Try a List in LaTeX Cloud Studio

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