Local magnetic properties and magnetization distributions on the air-bearing surface of a thin-film magnetic head have been studied by using scanning magneto-optical Kerr microscopy. The examined head was a merged MR read/inductive writing head with a write gap equal to 0.3 µm. Sizes of top and bottom pole-tips on the air-bearing surface of the writing head were equal to 3 µm × 3 µm and 3 µm×30 µm, respectively. The measured magnetic characteristics on the head air-bearing surface were found to be very sensitive to the head design. In particular, magnetization distributions were discovered to have asymmetrical shape. Maximum magnitudes of the magnetization were located near the shorten pole-tip. So, it was experimentally proved that more magnetic flux emanates just from this part of the air-bearing head surface.