How to identify the font? 5 key tools.
In the world of graphic design and printing, knowing the type of letter used in an image or document can be essential. Sometimes, we see an attractive font on a poster, website, or printed document and want to use it in our own designs but don't know how to identify it. Fortunately, there are specialized tools that make this task easier.
In this article, we'll explain the best ways to discover a font and present five essential tools to help you identify what type of letter you're seeing.
How to Know Which Font Has Been Used?
To identify a font, the first thing to do is analyze its appearance. Some features that can help you recognize a font are:
Serif or Sans Serif
Serif fonts have small decorative strokes at the ends of letters, while Sans Serif fonts are cleaner and more modern.
Stroke Thickness
Some fonts have thicker or thinner strokes.
Proportion and Spacing
Observe whether the letters are condensed or spaced further apart.
Style and Decoration
Fonts can be handwritten, geometric, calligraphic, or even inspired by specific themes.
X-height
In typography, the height of the lowercase "x" can help identify a font family.
Curves and Details
Observe if the letters have rounded details, angular shapes, or decorative elements.
If you can't identify the font at a glance, don't worry. There are tools specifically designed to automatically recognize fonts.
5 Tools to Identify a Font
1. WhatTheFont
It is one of the most popular tools for identifying fonts. It belongs to MyFonts and works by uploading an image of the text you want to recognize. The AI analyzes the image and offers the most similar fonts from its database.
Advantages:
- Quick and easy to use.
- Available as a web version and mobile app.
- Can recognize different styles within the same text.
2. WhatFont
If you want to know the font of a website, WhatFont is a browser extension that helps you. Simply activate it and hover over the text, and it will show you the font used on the page.
Advantages:
- No need to capture or upload images.
- Ideal for web designers and developers.
- Identifies not only the font but also the size and color used.
3. Font Squirrel Matcherator
Font Squirrel offers a font recognition tool from images. Just upload an image with the text, and the platform will suggest both free and commercial similar fonts.
Advantages:
- Includes free fonts in its results.
- Great for finding similar alternatives if the exact font is unavailable.
- Provides direct links to download the fonts.
Try Font Squirrel Matcherator
4. Adobe Fonts (formerly Typekit)
Adobe Fonts allows you to search for fonts visually from an image. It also has a huge font library, so if you use Adobe design tools, it can be a great option.
Advantages:
- Integrated with Photoshop and other Adobe tools.
- Large font database.
- Allows you to activate fonts to use directly in design software.
5. WhatFontIs
Another excellent online tool that allows you to identify fonts by uploading an image. Unlike other options, WhatFontIs compares to a database of over 800,000 fonts, including both free and commercial ones.
Advantages:
- Option to filter for free fonts.
- Extensive database.
- Provides a match percentage to assess the accuracy of the result.
Additional Tips for Identifying Fonts
Use Different Tools
Not all tools have the same databases, so trying multiple ones can increase accuracy.
Improve the Quality of the Image
An image with good resolution and contrast will make font identification easier.
Check Distinctive Characters
Certain letters like "g", "a", or "e" can help distinguish between similar fonts.
If you've ever wondered what font has been used in a design, these tools will make your life much easier. From identifying fonts on websites to recognizing them in images, there are options for every need.
Explore these tools and discover the world of typography with ease. You'll be able to use your favorite fonts in your next creative projects!
At SprintCopy, we know how important it is to choose the right font for every project. We have extensive experience in printing and design, ensuring the best quality for your documents and corporate materials. If you need high-quality prints with the perfect font, don't hesitate to contact us. We’d be happy to help bring your designs to life!