Your eyes aren't fooling you - the default font for Microsoft 365 has changed

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By Craig Hale
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Aptos has landed for Microsoft 365

Aptos, Microsoft's new default font for Office in 2023
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft 365 users are waking up to a major change in how they view their files after the office software's default font finally began to change.

Aptos, which was previously known as Bierstadt, replaces Calibri, a long-serving font that became the default for the Microsoft 365 in 2007.

Microsoft describes Aptos as a “precise, contemporary sans serif typeface inspired by mid-20th-century Swiss typography.”

Microsoft has changed your default font

Aptos belongs to the “grotesque sans serif” genre, which is characterized by its block-style letters without calligraphic flourishes or contrast between thick and thin strokes, according to the new font’s designer, Steve Matteson, citing Helvetica as one of the genre’s most famed examples, which was created by Switzerland’s Haas Type Foundry in 1957.

Redmond first shared that it had started looking for a new default font in 2021, and by July 2023, it confirmed that Aptos would be rolling out to “hundreds of millions of users” of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook users in the months following the announcement.

Principal Program Manager for fonts and Typography, Microsoft Office Design, Si Daniels, said that the new font should embody “professionalism, adaptability, subtle flourishes of expression, and more clarity.”

Given that few users opt to select another font other than the default, it clearly has a lot to live up to. Documents written in Aptos will now circulate in every single sector in a variety of capacities, highlighting the need for versatility above all else.

Besides Regular, Aptos is available in Light, SemiBold, Bold, ExtraBold, and an even heavier Black.

Moreover, Microsoft 365 users will continue to notice design tweaks and improvements beyond font changes - the company has also revealed a new theme, encompassing a new color palette, text styles, and more.

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Craig Hale
Craig Hale

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!