Microsoft Introduces New Default Font “Aptos” to Replace Calibri
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Microsoft has announced that it will be replacing its default font Calibri with Aptos, a new sans-serif typeface inspired by mid-20th-century Swiss typography. Aptos, previously known as Bierstadt, was chosen as the new default font after years of feedback and the development of five custom fonts for Office in 2021.
Si Daniels, a principal program manager at Microsoft, stated in a design blog post that Aptos will start appearing as the default font across Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel for hundreds of millions of users. The transition will take place over the next few months, gradually becoming the default font for all Microsoft Office customers.
Aptos was created by leading type designer Steve Matteson, who is also known for developing the Segoe font, previously used as the Windows default font. Matteson’s expertise in type design includes working on the development of the original Windows TrueType core fonts. The name “Bierstadt” was changed to Aptos in honor of Matteson’s favorite unincorporated town in Santa Cruz, California.
Unlike the rigid grid-based typography of fonts like Helvetica, Aptos features slightly softened stroke endings for a more modern and accessible aesthetic. It aims to strike a balance between precision and approachability, offering a fresh alternative to Microsoft’s previous Arial font.
While Aptos will replace Calibri as the default font, Calibri will still be available as an option in the font menu alongside Times New Roman and Arial. Calibri has been the default Office font since 2007, replacing Times New Roman. Its popularity even led to its use as a key piece of evidence in a corruption investigation in Pakistan.
Interestingly, the US State Department only recently directed its employees to use Calibri for memos this year. Prior to that, they had been using Times New Roman since 2004. Given the State Department’s slow transition to Calibri, it is likely that it will take them a considerable amount of time to adopt Aptos, possibly waiting another decade or more.
The other four fonts that were considered but not selected as the default – Grandview, Seaford, Skeena, and Tenorite – will still be available in Office. Microsoft will also retain the Bierstadt font name in the drop-down picker for users who have become familiar with it.
According to Si Daniels, the introduction of Aptos is part of Microsoft’s efforts to make Microsoft 365 more expressive and inclusive. In addition to the new default font, Microsoft will be rolling out a newly designed font picker experience, along with new themes, colors, and backgrounds.
With the introduction of Aptos, Microsoft aims to provide a modern, visually appealing default font that enhances the overall user experience across its suite of Office applications.