diff --git a/ROADMAP.md b/ROADMAP.md
index d60a6bf49..31bdd97f8 100644
--- a/ROADMAP.md
+++ b/ROADMAP.md
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ list) · [roadmap.md](docs/roadmap.md) (milestones, plan) · [parity-checklist.m
 
 Newest first.
 
+- **2026-10-15** · A kerning value chosen in the Character panel or Properties at a caret kerns the pair at the caret (the character before it takes the value, in one undo step), and the field shows that pair's kerning; at the start of a story or paragraph it is kept for the next typing, and a selection is kerned as before (`type.kernPair`). No readiness percentage change.
 - **2026-10-14** · The Type tool draws a new text frame over a locked empty frame, as InDesign does, instead of turning the locked frame into a text frame. No readiness percentage change.
 - **2026-10-14** · 100% black shows as pure black on screen by default, as InDesign's Appearance of Black does out of the box (Display All Blacks as Rich Black); Preferences › Appearance of Black › Display All Blacks Accurately still shows it as the dark grey it prints, and a saved choice is kept. No readiness percentage change.
 - **2026-10-14** · Pathfinder keeps the frontmost object, as InDesign does: a photo placed over shapes and intersected with them shows through the shapes (it was dropped, and the shapes kept their black fill); Add, Exclude Overlap and Minus Back take the front object's fill too, Subtract still keeps the back one. No readiness percentage change.
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs
index 432297f35..64142cdd9 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/text.rs
@@ -155,6 +155,15 @@ pub fn specs() -> Vec<CommandSpec> {
             has_text_or_frames,
             |s, p| format_chars(s, p.get("attrs").unwrap_or(p))
         ),
+        cmd!(
+            "type.kernPair",
+            "Kerning",
+            [],
+            None,
+            "{kerning: {kind: metrics|optical|none}|{kind: manual, value: 1/1000 em}|null} — at a caret in text, the pair at the caret (the character before the caret takes it); at the start of a story or paragraph, the next typing; a selection or frames take it like `type.char`",
+            has_text_or_frames,
+            kern_pair
+        ),
         cmd!(
             "type.para",
             "Paragraph Formatting",
@@ -1122,6 +1131,44 @@ pub(crate) fn format_chars(s: &mut Session, attrs: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
     })
 }
 
+/// Kerning spaces a character from the next one, so the pair at a caret is kerned through the
+/// character before it. With no such pair (story or paragraph start, a selection) this is
+/// `type.char`.
+fn kern_pair(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
+    const ID: &str = "type.kernPair";
+    let kerning = p.get("kerning").ok_or_else(|| bad(ID, "missing `kerning`"))?;
+    let targets = format_targets(s);
+    if let [t] = targets.as_slice()
+        && t.range.is_empty()
+        && s.doc()?.selection.text.is_some()
+        && let Some(start) = s.doc()?.doc.text_story(t.story, t.cell).and_then(|st| pair_start(&st.text, t.range.start))
+    {
+        let mut a = CharAttrs::default();
+        a.set_json("kerning", kerning).map_err(|e| bad(ID, e))?;
+        let cleared = if kerning.is_null() { vec!["kerning".to_string()] } else { vec![] };
+        let pair = Target { story: t.story, cell: t.cell, range: start..t.range.start };
+        // Kerning chosen earlier for typing at this caret would hide the pair's value.
+        if typing_format(s).is_some()
+            && let Some(f) = &mut s.typing_format
+        {
+            f.attrs.kerning = None;
+            f.cleared.retain(|k| k != "kerning");
+        }
+        return s.edit(|d, _| {
+            apply_char_attrs(d, &[pair], &a, &cleared);
+            ok()
+        });
+    }
+    format_chars(s, &json!({ "kerning": kerning }))
+}
+
+/// Byte offset of the character before `pos` when it starts a kerning pair with the text at `pos`
+/// (not a paragraph break).
+fn pair_start(text: &str, pos: usize) -> Option<usize> {
+    let c = text.get(..pos)?.chars().next_back().filter(|c| *c != '\n')?;
+    pos.checked_sub(c.len_utf8())
+}
+
 /// Character attributes `a` (and the overrides `cleared` removed) over each target's text.
 pub(crate) fn apply_char_attrs(d: &mut designcraft_doc::Document, targets: &[Target], a: &CharAttrs, cleared: &[String]) {
     for t in targets {
@@ -3045,3 +3092,55 @@ mod placeholder_tests {
         assert!(text.len() > 1500, "the frame is filled: {}", text.len());
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod kern_pair_tests {
+    use designcraft_doc::{Kerning, StoryId};
+    use serde_json::json;
+
+    use crate::Session;
+
+    fn avatar() -> (Session, StoryId) {
+        let mut s = Session::new();
+        s.execute("file.new", &json!({})).unwrap();
+        let r = s.execute("frame.create", &json!({"rect": [72, 72, 300, 200], "content": "text", "text": "AVATAR"})).unwrap();
+        (s, StoryId(r["story"].as_u64().unwrap()))
+    }
+
+    fn kern_at(s: &Session, story: StoryId, pos: usize) -> Option<Kerning> {
+        s.doc().unwrap().doc.story(story).unwrap().format_after(pos).over.kerning
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn kerning_at_a_caret_kerns_the_pair_in_one_undo_step() {
+        let (mut s, sid) = avatar();
+        s.execute("text.select", &json!({"story": sid.0, "anchor": 1, "focus": 1})).unwrap();
+        let steps = s.doc().unwrap().history.undo.len();
+        s.execute("type.kernPair", &json!({"kerning": {"kind": "manual", "value": -80}})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(kern_at(&s, sid, 0), Some(Kerning::Manual(-80.0)), "A, before the caret, spaces the A|V pair");
+        assert_eq!(kern_at(&s, sid, 1), None);
+        assert_eq!(s.doc().unwrap().history.undo.len(), steps + 1);
+        let shown = s.execute("type.selectionAttrs", &json!({})).unwrap()["chars"]["kerning"].clone();
+        assert_eq!(shown, json!({"kind": "manual", "value": -80.0}), "the caret shows the pair's kerning");
+        s.execute("edit.undo", &json!({})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(kern_at(&s, sid, 0), None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn kerning_a_selection_or_at_the_story_start_works_like_type_char() {
+        let (mut s, sid) = avatar();
+        s.execute("text.select", &json!({"story": sid.0, "anchor": 2, "focus": 4})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("type.kernPair", &json!({"kerning": {"kind": "manual", "value": 20}})).unwrap();
+        let kerned: Vec<_> = (0..6).map(|i| kern_at(&s, sid, i)).collect();
+        let m = Some(Kerning::Manual(20.0));
+        assert_eq!(kerned, [None, None, m, m, None, None]);
+        // No character before the caret: the value is for the next typing.
+        s.execute("text.select", &json!({"story": sid.0, "anchor": 0, "focus": 0})).unwrap();
+        let steps = s.doc().unwrap().history.undo.len();
+        s.execute("type.kernPair", &json!({"kerning": {"kind": "none"}})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(s.doc().unwrap().history.undo.len(), steps);
+        assert_eq!(kern_at(&s, sid, 0), None);
+        s.execute("text.insert", &json!({"text": "X"})).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(kern_at(&s, sid, 0), Some(Kerning::None));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/properties.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/properties.rs
index 52ce7e688..49db7c131 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/properties.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/properties.rs
@@ -1283,8 +1283,9 @@ fn language_menu(app: &mut DesignApp, ui: &mut Ui, cur: &str) {
     }
 }
 
-/// Kerning for the text selection: the label shows Metrics, Optical, 0 or the manual value; its
-/// menu sets one of the first three or a manual value in 1/1000 em (typed or stepped).
+/// Kerning for the text selection, or at a caret for the pair at the caret: the label shows
+/// Metrics, Optical, 0 or the manual value; its menu sets one of the first three or a manual value
+/// in 1/1000 em (typed or stepped).
 fn kerning_control(app: &mut DesignApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui, id: &str, k: &Value, width: f32) {
     let kind = k["kind"].as_str().unwrap_or("metrics");
     let manual = k["value"].as_f64().filter(|v| kind == "manual" && v.is_finite());
@@ -1300,16 +1301,16 @@ fn kerning_control(app: &mut DesignApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui, id: &str, k: &Value,
     egui::Popup::menu(&resp).close_behavior(egui::PopupCloseBehavior::CloseOnClickOutside).show(|ui| {
         for (text, v) in [("Metrics", json!({"kind": "metrics"})), ("Optical", json!({"kind": "optical"})), ("0", json!({"kind": "none"}))] {
             if ui.selectable_label(label == text, crate::rtl::widget(ui, crate::i18n::tr(&app.ui.language, text))).clicked() {
-                let _ = app.run("type.char", json!({"attrs": {"kerning": v}}));
+                let _ = app.run("type.kernPair", json!({"kerning": v}));
                 ui.close();
             }
         }
         ui.separator();
-        // A manual value: between the selected character and the next, in 1/1000 em.
+        // A manual value in 1/1000 em: after each selected character, or between the two at a caret.
         let field = format!("{id}_manual");
         if let Some(v) = NumField::number(&field, Some(manual.unwrap_or(0.0)), "", 0).width(90.0).spinner().step(5.0).range(-1000.0, 10000.0).show(ui)
         {
-            let _ = app.run("type.char", json!({"attrs": {"kerning": {"kind": "manual", "value": v}}}));
+            let _ = app.run("type.kernPair", json!({"kerning": {"kind": "manual", "value": v}}));
         }
     });
 }
@@ -2668,6 +2669,26 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(kerning(h.state_mut()), json!({"kind": "manual", "value": -40.0}));
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn a_manual_kerning_value_at_a_caret_kerns_the_pair() {
+        let mut app = text_app();
+        let story = app.session.active().unwrap().selection.text.unwrap().story;
+        app.run("text.select", json!({"story": story.0, "anchor": 1, "focus": 1})).unwrap();
+        let mut h = panel_harness(app, character_panel);
+        h.run_steps(3);
+        h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::ComboBox, "Kerning").click();
+        h.run_steps(2);
+        let field = h.get_all_by_role(egui::accesskit::Role::TextInput).last().unwrap();
+        field.focus();
+        field.type_text("-80");
+        h.run_steps(1);
+        h.key_press(egui::Key::Enter);
+        h.run_steps(3);
+        let st = h.state_mut().session.active().unwrap().doc.story(story).unwrap().format_after(0).over.kerning;
+        assert_eq!(st, Some(designcraft_doc::Kerning::Manual(-80.0)), "A of the A|V pair");
+        assert_eq!(kerning(h.state_mut()), json!({"kind": "manual", "value": -80.0}));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn clicking_a_swatch_chip_in_the_appearance_fill_menu_applies_it() {
         let mut app = DesignApp::new(designcraft_engine::Session::new(), crate::Services::default());