Typography

FoundationsFoundations

Source: Apple Inc. Canonical content at https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/typography. This file is a structured index of that content, snapshot 2025-02-02. Apple HIG text and imagery are © Apple Inc.; this repository provides organization and cross-referencing for AI agent consumption only.

Typography

Ensuring legibility

Use font sizes that most people can read easily.

Test legibility in different contexts.

In general, avoid light font weights.

Conveying hierarchy

Adjust font weight, size, and color as needed to emphasize important information and help people visualize hierarchy.

Minimize the number of typefaces you use, even in a highly customized interface.

Prioritize important content when responding to text-size changes.

Using system fonts

Consider using the built-in text styles.

Modify the built-in text styles if necessary.

If necessary, adjust tracking in interface mockups.

Using custom fonts

Make sure custom fonts are legible.

Implement accessibility features for custom fonts.

Supporting Dynamic Type

Make sure your app’s layout adapts to all font sizes.

Increase the size of meaningful interface icons as font size increases.

Keep text truncation to a minimum as font size increases.

Consider adjusting your layout at large font sizes.

Maintain a consistent information hierarchy regardless of the current font size.

Platform considerations

iOS, iPadOS

macOS

When necessary, use dynamic system font variants to match the text in standard controls.

tvOS

visionOS

In general, prefer 2D text.

Make sure text looks good and remains legible when people scale it.

Maximize the contrast between text and the background of its container.

If you need to display text that’s not on a background, consider making it bold to improve legibility.

Keep text facing people as much as possible.

watchOS

Specifications

iOS, iPadOS Dynamic Type sizes

  • xSmall
  • Small
  • Medium
  • Large (default)
  • xLarge
  • xxLarge
  • xxxLarge

xSmall

Small

Medium

Large (default)

xLarge

xxLarge

xxxLarge

iOS, iPadOS larger accessibility type sizes

  • AX1
  • AX2
  • AX3
  • AX4
  • AX5

AX1

AX2

AX3

AX4

AX5

macOS built-in text styles

tvOS built-in text styles

watchOS Dynamic Type sizes

  • xSmall
  • Small
  • Large
  • xLarge
  • xxLarge
  • xxxLarge

xSmall

Small (default 38mm)

Large (default 40mm/41mm/42mm)

xLarge (default 44mm/45mm/49mm)

xxLarge

xxxLarge

watchOS larger accessibility type sizes

  • AX1
  • AX2
  • AX3

AX1

AX2

AX3

Tracking values

iOS, iPadOS, visionOS tracking values

  • SF Pro
  • SF Pro Rounded
  • New York

SF Pro

SF Pro Rounded

New York

macOS tracking values

tvOS tracking values

watchOS tracking values

  • SF Compact
  • SF Compact Rounded

SF Compact

SF Compact Rounded

Resources

Developer documentation

Videos

Change log


For the complete guidance, including worked examples and illustrations, see the canonical page: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/typography

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