Microsoft has just announced a major change to its popular office suite for the first time in 15 years, with the default font being changed.
According to GizChina, the current default Calibri font will be replaced with Aptos – a new font designed by Steve Matteson. In a post on Medium, Si Daniels – Director Set program designer Microsoft Office explains that Calibri has been a favorite default font for 15 years, but it’s time for a change. Aptos will be the new default font in Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel for hundreds of millions of users
Aptos is a sans-serif font, which means it doesn’t have small lines or capital strokes appearing at the end of letters, called serifs. This makes the letters simpler and easier to read. The letter shapes are also simple and uniform, further enhancing readability. According to Microsoft, Aptos is a “humanist sans-serif font”, “modern yet accessible” and “professional but not too formal”.
Aptos designer Steve Matteson is also responsible for creating TrueType and Segoe fonts. After the new font was announced, the design community appreciated it with many compliments for its clean and modern look.
The change to Aptos as the default font will happen in an upcoming update to Office. The exact release date is yet to be announced by Microsoft. This is seen as one of the big changes for Microsoft because default fonts are an important part of the Office experience.
The changelog to Aptos is an important update to the Microsoft Office suite. With a modern and accessible design, the new font is sure to appeal to many users. However, it remains to be seen whether it will become as iconic as its predecessor Calibri font. The change demonstrates Microsoft’s commitment to constantly improving and updating its products to deliver the best possible user experience
