Calibri, which once served as the default font in Microsoft Office Word, has now had its time. For 15 years, many relied on the Calibri font for their professional, academic, and even creative writings. However, Microsoft Office likely found a better font to replace it, one that offers better resolution, sharpness, uniformity, and is great for display types. Eventually, replacing Calibri with the Aptos font. What does it look like? Why exactly did they replace it? What’s the point of using it? We got it all covered in this article.
What’s Aptos Font?
Microsoft recently introduced Aptos as the newest addition to its font family, marking a significant change in its default font across Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel. Aptos replaces Calibri, which had been the default font for 15 years. Crafted by Steve Matteson, Aptos embodies professionalism, adaptability, and clarity, with a touch of warmth and humanity.
Types of Aptos Font in Microsoft Office:
Aptos Regular
Aptos Italic
Aptos Bold
Aptos Bold Italic
What Are the Characteristics of Aptos Font?
These are some of the attributes that make Aptos font stand out from the rest of the fonts offered by Microsoft Office.
Horizontal and vertical stroke endings inspired by Helvetica, contrasting with Arial's slanted stroke endings.
Distinctive tail of lowercase letter "a" was removed and added to lowercase letters "l" and "t" to prevent confusion with uppercase letter "I".
Slightly irregular shapes of uppercase letters "O" and "R" and lowercase letter "a".
Features a double-story lowercase letter "g" with an angled stem, unlike Helvetica's single-story version.
Uppercase letter "G" is rounded and lacks a spur.
Unique swing tail of uppercase letter "R".
Wide contours of lowercase letters "b", "c", and "p", and uppercase letter "C".
Circular dots in punctuation marks and lowercase letters "i" and "j", differing from Arial and Helvetica's square dots.
Curved top flag of numeral "1" and slanted stem of numeral "7" are based on Arial.
Curved tail of the uppercase letter "Q" meets its bowl.
Includes characters from Latin, Latin Extended, Greek, and Cyrillic scripts.
Italics have been individually redrawn, with oblique forms for Cyrillic scripts instead of true italic forms like Calibri.
Why Aptos Replaces Calibri as Microsoft Office's New Default Font?
In short, Aptos was chosen as the new default font for Microsoft Office to provide users with a fresh and modern typography experience, catering to changing preferences and technological advancements. But there’s a little more to it and frankly it all makes sense:
Outdated Relationship: Microsoft announced its plan to replace Calibri with a new default font in 2021, citing the need for change after 17 years of Calibri's reign.
Higher Resolution Screens: The advent of higher resolution screens influenced Microsoft's decision to seek a successor to Calibri.
Font Search and Selection Process: Microsoft considered public feedback on five font finalists before announcing Aptos as the new default font.
Aptos Characteristics: Aptos, initially known as Bierstadt, was chosen for its versatility and universal appeal, with a slight humanist touch in its design.
Designer's Inspiration: Aptos was renamed from Bierstadt after designer Steve Matteson's favorite unincorporated town in Santa Cruz, California, reflecting the font's versatility.
Font Design: Aptos features horizontal and vertical stroke endings, distinct from Calibri's slanted endings, and offers unique letter modifications for improved clarity and readability.
Classic Design Influence: Aptos' design harkens back to the classic style of the 1960s, reminiscent of Helvetica, with a modern twist.
Mixed Reactions: Microsoft acknowledged mixed reactions to the font change, recognizing Calibri's enduring popularity and the evolving nature of font preferences over time.
How to Change the Default Font in Microsoft Office?
The default font in Microsoft Office apps is now Aptos. But, users can customize their font choices separately for each app. Let's see how to change the default font in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Microsoft Outlook:
Step 1: By default, Microsoft Outlook employs the Aptos font for composing emails.
Step 2: To modify this default setting, access the "File" menu positioned in the top-left corner of the Outlook interface.
Step 3: From there, select "Options" from the menu presented on the left-hand side.
Step 4: Within the Options dialog box, navigate to the "Mail" tab and then select "Stationery and Fonts".
Step 5: You'll then have the opportunity to customize the default font for both "New Mail messages" and "Replying or Forwarding messages" individually by opting for "Font".
Step 6: In the subsequent Font dialog box, head to the "Font" tab and designate a new default font for composing emails in the “Font” field.
Step 7: Once you've made your selection, affirm your choice by clicking "OK" to exit the Font dialog box.
Step 8: Finally, exit all remaining screens by clicking "OK" to return to Microsoft Outlook, where you'll notice the updated default font.
Microsoft Word:
Step 1: Open a new document in Microsoft Word, note that Aptos is currently the default font.
Step 2: To change it, click on the downward arrow in the font section.
Step 3: This opens the "Font" dialog box, now pick a new font, like Calibri in the “Fonts” field.
Step 4: Then, click "Set As Default" at the bottom left.
Step 5: You'll be prompted to apply this change to all future documents or just this one. Choose "All documents based on the Normal Template" and click "OK".
Step 6: Now, your Microsoft Word interface will show the font set to your new default.
Microsoft Excel:
Step 1: Let's start by creating a new workbook in Excel. Currently, the default font is set to Aptos Narrow.
Step 2: To change this setting, click on the "File" menu at the top left of the screen.
Step 3: Next, on the left-side panel, click on "More", then select "Options".
Step 4: In the Options menu, navigate to the "Display" tab and go to the "When creating new workbooks" section.
Step 5: Simply, in the "Use this font as the default font" field, choose your preferred font, then click "OK".
Step 6: A warning message will appear on the screen, asking you to restart Excel to apply the changes.
Step 7: Close and reopen Excel, and your new default font will be selected automatically.
Microsoft PowerPoint:
Step 1: Open PowerPoint and start a fresh presentation. Currently, the default font is set to Aptos Display.
Step 2: To change this, go to the "View" tab and choose "Slide Master".
Step 3: In the Slide Master view, find the "Font" option on the ribbon and pick a new font from the dropdown list.
Step 4: Exit Slide Master by clicking "Close Master View".
Step 5: Now, go to "File" and save the template with the new font settings.
Step 6: Select "Save as" or change the file type to *.POTX.
Step 7: Click "More options" to save the presentation as a template.
Step 8: Adjust the save location to "C:\Users[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates" and rename the file to "Blank".
Step 9: Hit "Save" to finalize the changes.
Step 10: When you create a new presentation, you'll see the updated default font.
Best Alternative to Microsoft Office - WPS Office
WPS Office is an office suite that has been around for some time now, and the word is finally getting out about how it could effectively and ultimately replace Microsoft Office for good. If you use Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, you will find the transition to WPS's Writer, Presentation, and Spreadsheet very smooth. It offers all the tools you would need to function professionally, giving you a very steady and smooth functioning experience.
Besides all of that, WPS Office retains the default Calibri style, a familiar choice for many users. This consistency may require some adjustment for MS Office users, yet within WPS Office, typing in Calibri or any other font is straightforward. Moreover, WPS Office is compatible across all operating systems, including Linux, Mac, and Windows, ensuring uninterrupted workflow regardless of platform.
What I loved about using WPS Office for the first time was its seamless integration across different operating systems. As someone who works on multiple platforms, the compatibility of WPS with Linux, Mac, and Windows was a game-changer. The user interface was refreshingly intuitive, making it easy to navigate between its various tools – from Writer to Presentation and Spreadsheet. But what truly stood out was the commitment to user comfort. Unlike other office suites, WPS Office respects individual preferences by allowing users to continue using familiar fonts like Calibri without any hassle.
FAQs
1. Does Aptos Font support multiple languages?
Yes, Aptos Font is designed to support a diverse array of languages, ensuring its suitability for global design endeavors and multilingual content creation.
2. What influenced Microsoft's choice of Aptos as the default font for Microsoft Office?
Microsoft chose Aptos Narrow as the default font in Office for its modern, clean, and easy-to-read design, perfect for on-screen viewing. Extensive research and testing aimed to enhance user experience. Aptos replaced Calibri as a modern successor, tailored for high-resolution screens, ensuring sharpness and consistency. This transition signifies a return to Microsoft Office's classic style.
3. What category of font does Aptos belong to?
Aptos is a sans-serif typeface, specifically categorized as a neo-grotesque style font. Developed by Steve Matteson, it was introduced in 2023 as the default font for the Microsoft Office suite, replacing Calibri.
Font Flexibility with WPS Office
Changing the font style may not seem significant to those unaffected by font choices and are solely focused on completing tasks efficiently. However, individuals accustomed to Calibri might find it challenging to transition to Aptos or may simply prefer their current font. WPS Office acknowledges this preference by offering the option to continue using Calibri, demonstrating a commitment to user comfort. Each font is carefully evaluated before implementation, ensuring a seamless experience for users. Download WPS Office now to experience its thoughtful approach to font selection.
