Microsoft is changing the default font in Office

Calibri will soon be sent into the retirement he deserves. Since 2007, the sans serif font has been the standard font for Microsoft Office applications. Now 5 new designs have been introduced. One contender will be the new standard font in Office 365 applications starting in 2022. You can choose from Tenorite, Bierstadt, Skeena, Seaford, and Grandview.

Tenorette It was developed by Erin McLaughlin and Wei Huang and is the most traditional of the new designs. It reminds us of classic lines like Times New Romans, but it should look a lot more modern and friendlier. Bold characters and clear punctuation should be easy to read.

Berstadt It was developed by Steve Mattinson, who is based on 20th century Swiss typography. Clear edges are used here, and the font is reminiscent of Arial and Helvetica.

KnifeDeveloped by John Hudson and Paul Hanslow, he wants to be “humane” and stands out in a clear contrast between thin and bold coordination. It should be suitable for long texts as well as presentations and brochures.

Seaford It was developed by Tobias Frere-Jones, Nina Stössinger and Fred Shallcrass. It is organic and asymmetric. Designers found inspiration in old chairs. The design is actually reminiscent of classic serif fonts. It should guarantee better readability, especially with long texts.

Big Show Written by Aaron Bell is the most extravagant new font. It was inspired by German traffic lights. It should be clearly legible, for example in presentations, but also flattering for long texts.

It has not been determined which of the five lines will eventually become the new norm. Microsoft wants to discuss the designs in the coming months. They are already available as cloud fonts and can therefore be used in all Microsoft Office 365 applications. They are published as cloud fonts and therefore do not need to be downloaded separately. If you open the Office 365 app and have an active internet connection, new fonts should already be available.