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### 5.32 How do I change Emacs’s idea of the `TAB` character’s length?

Set the default value of the variable `tab-width`. For example, to set `TAB` stops every 10 characters, insert the following in your `.emacs` file:

    (setq-default tab-width 10)

Do not confuse variable `tab-width` with variable `tab-stop-list`. The former is used for the display of literal `TAB` characters. The latter controls what characters are inserted when you press the `TAB` character in certain modes.