A thin-film magnetic head includes at least one inductive write head element and at least one read magnetic head element, capable of controlling a spacing between a magnetic recording medium and the at least one magnetic read head element by heating. A gain SG (nm/.degree. C.) of the spacing is greater than a spacing gain threshold SG.sub.THLD (nm/.degree. C.) defined by the following expression: SG.sub.LIMT=A*dPTP+B A=1.4642E-02*exp(-6.6769E-05*LRD.sub.MF) B=4.9602E-01*exp(-2.0423E-03*LRD.sub.MF) where dPTP represents an amount of change in protrusion (nm) of a top end of the at least one inductive write head element and/or the at least one read magnetic head element by heating, and LRD.sub.MF represents a line recording density (kFCI) at a frequency half of the maximum recording frequency.