To make your PowerPoint presentation convincing, readability and style are crucial. This requires not only the right font but also a sense for the effective arrangement of text.

The skillful use of text boxes and fonts in PowerPoint significantly reinforces the core message of your presentation. This article provides you with numerous tips and tricks to effectively use fonts in PowerPoint yourself.

How do your fonts appear professional, modern, or playful? Which fonts can you combine? Why are fonts so crucial in PowerPoint? – Here you'll find practical tips and examples.

Excursion: Typefaces

After Johannes Gutenberg invented standardized printing in the mid-15th century, mass communication experienced a significant boom. Various typefaces and designs developed historically from different tastes and intentions. They can be divided into three main categories: serif typefaces, sans-serif typefaces, and sans-serif typefaces.

• Serif typefaces: the first typeface used for mass production, also known as "blackletter," consist of separate letters that had to be assembled correctly. Traditional serif typefaces were intentionally designed to resemble handwriting. However, due to their relatively poor legibility, they are now primarily used for decorative purposes.

• Serif typefaces: the more modern version of the serif typeface is also called "slab serif." While the individual strokes are still finished with serifs, the bolder, blockier design makes the typeface far more legible than its predecessor. This advantage quickly made it a favorite in the 19th century.

Common variants today : Constantia, Cambria, Garamond or Georgia.

• Sans-serif typefaces: The first official sans-serif typeface was published in 1896. This minimalist typeface quickly gained popularity, particularly in the technical field. As this field subsequently underwent a groundbreaking global evolution, sans-serif typefaces also became widespread and world-renowned.

Common options today : Arial, Calibri, Myriad Pro, Corbel, Gill Sans, Tahoma

The most common versions of the various font types are Windows Standard Fonts and therefore all included in PowerPoint. Another advantage of these is that they are recognized by most computers and displayed consistently across all applications. This ensures a certain degree of visual consistency.

The different types of fonts are now clear. Now it's time to find the perfect font for your PowerPoint presentation.

Common fonts in PowerPoint

Since the 1980s, "Arial" has steadfastly maintained its leading position as the standard font in many presentations. It was developed by Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders, who wanted to design a font specifically suited for screen displays. In this way, it quickly established itself as the Windows system font and maintained this position for over 20 years.

In 2013, Arial was officially replaced by the newer "Calibri" . According to the design principles of today's typographers, Arial now appears disproportionately distorted and simply outdated.

The classic: Arial

Companies often argue that Arial is installed on all computers and therefore usable everywhere when choosing a font. Of course, from a purely technical standpoint, there's nothing wrong with using Arial as the standard font, especially since it's used not only in PowerPoint presentations but also in Word and email correspondence.

Increasingly, however, there is also a trend towards consciously differentiating oneself from other presentations through the choice of font . Therefore, the primary recommendation is to select a font that matches your corporate design . Many companies have incorporated their own corporate identity fonts into their design, which they primarily use in marketing and communication.

Strengths and weaknesses: Arial appears very solid and bold, which certainly enhances readability. However, especially with dense text slides containing bullet points and approximately 400 words per slide, PowerPoint slides can quickly appear cluttered. Due to its very dark gray value, the font can give the impression of being bold, which can sometimes appear heavy-handed and overly graphic.

Opinions about Arial vary widely. Some find the forms of many letters too closed, and therefore unaesthetic and outdated. Others see this characterless typeface as an expression of seriousness.

The alternatives: Calibri and Calibri Light

At PresentationLoad, we've been using Calibri and Calibri Light in all our templates for quite some time. Both are included and installed in newer Office suites from 2013 onwards. Having multiple "versions" (typefaces) of a font also offers more design options.

Calibri Light in particular appears more modern and lighter, meaning the lines of the typeface are finer, which definitely aligns with current design trends featuring "light" typefaces.

In combination with the standard Calibri font, which can also be set to "bold" via the font function, this results in three different text formatting options. Why not try out the different combinations?

Which font is right for me?

Tired of Microsoft's standard, uniform designs? Want to create your own unique style and personal design ? Here you'll find essential tips and tricks for creating professional and compelling typography in PowerPoint . This includes both specific fonts and combining different fonts within a single slide.

PowerPoint slides contain titles and body text :

1. Body text : It provides all the important information. The font should therefore be sans-serif and easily legible.
2. Title : The font used for the title should be based on the body of the text. They should harmonize with each other.

• • Quick solution: Use the same font but a larger font size or darker text color (larger or darker font conveys a hierarchical, superior impression).
  • Tip: Create deliberate contrasts: Combine bold with narrow or sans-serif with serif (bold titles with serifs stand out stylishly from the narrow sans-serif body text).

Which fonts can be combined?

Finding the right combination of different typefaces isn't always easy: The sheer number of modern, stylish fonts can quickly become overwhelming. Therefore, it's important to make a preliminary selection. We've done that for you here:

Fonts that work on all Windows and Mac OS computers:

Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Candara, Century Gothic, Consolas, Constantia, Corbel, Courier New, Garamond, Georgia, Tahoma, Times New Roman, Trebuchet and Verdana.

The following graphic shows examples of which combinations work and which do not.

The classic font Arial differs only slightly from its successor Calibri . There are no strong contrasts. However, these are absolutely necessary to clearly and effectively convey the form of the presentation to your audience.

The opposite example is the combination of Garamond and Comic Sans . The mix of seriousness and playfulness is far too extreme here. They neutralize each other's respective intentions.

Cambria and Calibri work together: The serifs in the title create the contrast. Otherwise, the shape and hardness are similar. In this subtle way, a harmonious typeface can be created.

Another key to success: Georgia Pro Black and Georgia Pro . These two exemplary typefaces come from the same typography family. The strong contrast is therefore primarily created by different stroke weights.

Tip: Too many different fonts in one presentation? This trick will help you correct all your slides in no time:

PowerPoint's "Replace Font" command allows you to change any unwanted fonts on all slides. Here's where you'll find this somewhat hidden function:

Can't find a suitable font? - Download fonts or integrate your own.

As a designer, you're constantly on the lookout for new, affordable fonts for PowerPoint presentations. The internet now offers many services for this – some even free. Here's a list of reputable providers:

• Fontshop.com: mostly paid fonts, some free fonts.
• Myfonts.de: mostly paid fonts, some free fonts.
• fonts.google.com: (in English), all fonts are free.
• dafont.com/de: many fonts are free and organized into categories.

Learn more about embedding fonts in the article " Embedding PowerPoint fonts ".

How to integrate new fonts into PowerPoint:

A common source of problems is the use of fonts that are not the default. For example, if you use custom company fonts, they may be displayed differently or incorrectly on other computers or for clients.

This can lead to unsightly and unwanted effects. However, the problem can be easily solved by simply saving (embedding) the fonts within the presentation.

Caution: Due to licensing restrictions, embedding is not always possible or permitted with all fonts. This is because, as a company, you typically don't purchase the fonts themselves, but rather the right to use them. For further questions, please contact your font provider directly. Information regarding licensing can often be found in the FAQ section of their website.

Embedding fonts in PowerPoint (2010, 2013, 2016, 2019):

1. Start PowerPoint 2010 / 2013 / 2016 / 2019 / 365 etc. and open your presentation.

2. Click on the File tab and then on Options .

3. Select Save in the left-hand menu.

4. Select the " Embed fonts in file" checkbox and then click OK .

(You can choose whether to embed only the characters used in the presentation or all characters of the font. This will increase the file size, but the text can be easily expanded or edited at any later time.)

Detailed instructions and further tips on embedding fonts can be found in this article .

Google Fonts - Free fonts as a modern typeface for your presentation

Another option for designers to find new fonts is offered by Office itself: Google Fonts . Microsoft's huge selection of web fonts can easily be used in all Office programs.

These Google Fonts can significantly help give your PowerPoint presentation a more individual and modern look. They are free and available everywhere online, which is why they are often referred to as cloud fonts .

Tip: Cloud Fonts are only available from PowerPoint 2019 and Office 365 onwards. Their major advantage is that embedding the fonts is no longer necessary. On all other computers with Office 365, the missing font is automatically downloaded. In Office programs, you can recognize Cloud Fonts by the small cloud icons to the right of them.

Currently, fonts.google.com offers an additional selection of over 1000 font families, which can be viewed using a search function with filter options. There are five main categories: Serif, Sans Serif, Display, Handwriting , and Monospace . For PowerPoint, "Sans Serif" fonts (French for "without serifs") are particularly suitable.

Sans-serif fonts look modern and are the most legible for everyone during the presentation. To make your titles and subtitles more engaging, you should primarily choose fonts from the "Display" category. These look particularly striking and stylish at large sizes. Under "Popular Pairings," you'll also find suggestions for popular combinations with your selected font, which can provide inspiration.

Caution: Be careful not to use too many different fonts; generally, a maximum of two is recommended. Otherwise, your presentation will quickly appear chaotic or cobbled together.

Step-by-step: Download and install additional Google / Cloud Fonts

1. Visit fonts.google.com

2. Search/Filter the fonts (you can type your personal example sentence above)

3. Click on the desired font and then on “+ Select this Style”

4 A side menu will automatically slide out, allowing you to review your selection as in a shopping cart and then download it via "Download all" .

5. Unzip the ZIP file anywhere on your PC. The files in the folders that matter are in .tff format (TrueType fonts, which, like vector graphics, can be distorted without loss of quality).

6. Search for "Fonts" in your Windows search bar on your PC. You can now add the new fonts to the existing ones using drag and drop.

7. If you now open any Office 365 program (e.g., PowerPoint), the new fonts will be available immediately.

How images can catch the eye through the right font.

The right combination of font and background image can evoke specific emotions, independent of the text content. As the beginning of your presentation or as an introduction to a new topic, images often have an even stronger impact than without a title. Depending on your intention, you can then freely adjust the font. Here are a few practical examples:

The first background image was labeled " Corbel" . The narrow, straight-lined font creates a modern, yet rather businesslike impression. This makes it ideal for financial reports or contemporary corporate presentations.

The text in the middle image is called "Broadway" . As the name suggests, it is categorized more in the entertainment industry than in the business world. In this way, it wonderfully introduces topics in the fields of art, architecture, or culture.

The handwritten, familiar look of the "Freestyler Script" font on the right appears casual and homemade. Your viewers can expect relaxed or deliberately fun topics here.

Text layout without bullet points in PowerPoint

Besides combining different fonts, there are also design options that manage with just one font. The goal remains to present content in a stylish and logically structured way – even without using bullet points.

Everyone is familiar with the standard bullet points from Word or similar Office applications. Especially in PowerPoint, these bullet points can be formatted in various ways or even replaced with custom symbols, shapes, or icons.

The classic text slide with 5 bullet points in PowerPoint. Its disadvantage: The line spacing is uniform. Aside from the bullet points themselves, there's no discernible structure to the content, making the presentation less than ideal. Moreover, a lot of unused space remains on the slide. (Font used: Calibri Light 24 pt)

At PresentationLoad, we focus on a look with "more space." Using consistent line spacing and tab stops, you can set defined gaps between text to better structure content. With our PowerPoint expertise, we'll show you two examples of how to transform a simple text slide without having to become a graphic designer.

Initially, we would insert spaces after all paragraphs, around 15pt. This makes the individual spaces between the bullet points or lines clearer, significantly improving not only readability but also the structure.

This makes it clear that you actually don't need bullet points anymore . By creating clear differentiation through spacing after line breaks, the five text elements are easily distinguishable even without bullet points. In two further small steps, you can also simply arrange the text in columns. This creates even clearer distinctions. In PowerPoint, you'll find the "Columns" function under the text options. Select "More Columns" and enter, for example, 5 columns and a column spacing of 1 cm.

This formatting allows you to quickly organize your text . You may need to adjust the font size (here Calibri Light 18 pt) because the text wraps earlier due to the column arrangement. Combined with images or icons, this easily creates attractive PowerPoint slides that quickly transform your text blocks into infographic-style charts.

All you need for new typography ideas is to move away from standard lists and bullet points and, if necessary, rearrange the reading direction. If you like the new slide design, we recommend taking a look at our templates . You'll have access to clear text layouts and suitable icons for infographics.

Infographics – Numbers:

This template already includes many pre-arranged column layouts with attractive text design for visualizing key figures, all of which are freely editable.

Business icons:

Here you'll find an extensive collection of over 400 business icons that you can easily edit, scale, or recolor in PowerPoint. You'll also find further ideas for infographics with icons that you can quickly and easily customize and edit yourself.

Conclusion: Choosing the right font is crucial for the success of your presentation.

Typefaces have a long history. Even today's common typefaces sometimes evolved over several centuries. Every typeface is intended to serve a specific purpose and create an effect. Unusual typefaces often manage to evoke more emotions and thoughts through their appearance alone than through their content. However, this effect of external form is at least partially utilized by all other standard typefaces as well.

Titles simply appear more impactful when they are large, bold, dark, and serif, positioned above the body text. Information presented in longer text formats, on the other hand, should be conveyed in sans-serif, more practical fonts. This not only improves the readability of your content but, more importantly, its comprehensibility and persuasiveness. Free font portals or Microsoft itself can provide inspiration for new typefaces and font combinations.

To help you use Google Fonts in your presentation, we've put together a short tutorial above. The suggestions for formatting and arranging individual text blocks also provide inspiration from professional presentation designers.

Get creative and use our tips & tricks to become your own PowerPoint designer! And if you need something faster, feel free to browse the PresentationLoad shop for ready-made slide templates or other inspiration!

Do you have questions about fonts or PowerPoint in general? Feel free to contact us by email at info@presentationload.de . We're happy to help!

Are you looking for professionally designed slide templates to support your key message? Feel free to browse our shop. We have numerous slides on a wide variety of (business) topics available for download. Take a look today! ► To the shop

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