The ability to add custom fonts to your iPhone and iPad is still a work in progress and only select apps support it. But if you want to start adding them now you can.
Beginning with iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, Apple has added the ability to add custom fonts to the iPhone and iPad, respectively. As a concept, this sounds like a great new feature that will help you to further customize your device. For now, however, it’s more of a work in progress because only a handful of vendors are partnering with Apple to bring fonts to iOS and iPadOS. Additionally, the feature only works with certain apps.
Custom Fonts
Apple’s custom font API makes it possible to change the fonts used across iPhone and iPad. On iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 and later, you can find the listing of custom fonts by:
- Tap on the Settings app on our device’s Home screen.
- Choose General.
- Tap Fonts.
By default, there are no custom fonts installed in iOS 13 and iPadOS. You’ll need to find these through apps on the App Store.
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Installing Custom Fonts
When iOS 13 launched in September, the most noticeable freemium font-related app in the App Store was Font Diner. Since then, the biggest name in graphics, Adobe, joined in the fun. Better still, you don’t need to subscribe to one of Adobe’s graphics packages to take advantage of the company’s free apps. Instead, you can use the Creative Cloud app for iOS and iPadOS.
Add Fonts from Apps
Using Font Diner as the example, here’s how to add fonts from apps on iOS and iPadOS:
- Download the supported app on the App Store.
- In the newly downloaded app, tap Activate next to the font or font pack you wish to use.
- Tap Install in the popup window. The newly installed apps are now located in the Settings app under General > Fonts.
Here’s the same process using the Adobe Creative Cloud app:
- Tap Install Fonts below the font group you wish to install under Browse Adobe Fonts.
- Choose Install in the popup window. The newly installed apps are now located in the Settings app under General > Fonts and also under the Installed Fonts section in the Creative Cloud app.
Using Custom Fonts in iOS and iPadOS
As noted above, custom fonts are only usable in select apps in iOS 13 and iPadOS. Besides select Adobe apps, custom fonts are available in native Apple apps such as Mail, Pages, and Keynote.
Changing Fonts
In the following example, the font is modified in the official Mail app on iOS.
- Tap anywhere in the body of your message.
- Select the angle bracket (it looks like a less than sign) on the top of the keyboard at the right to access the quick toolbar.
- Tap on the Aa icon to view the formatting options.
- Choose Default Font.
- Select a new font.
- Tap the X to the right of Format to close the options.
- Beginning typing with the new font.
To change existing text, repeat the first three steps above, then:
- Highlight the text you wish to change.
- Choose Default Font.
- Select a new font.
- Tap the X to the right of Format to close the options.
- Click on the body of the message to bring up the keyboard.
- Continue typing to finish the message with the new font.
Reviewing and Deleting Custom Fonts
To see currently installed custom fonts on your device:
- Tap on the Settings app on our device’s Home screen.
- Choose General.
- Tap Fonts.
- Select on an installed font.
- Make a selection under One Typeface. Scroll to see the font in action.
To delete an installed custom font:
- Tap on the Settings app on our device’s Home screen.
- Choose General.
- Tap Fonts.
- Select on an installed font.
- Tap Remove at the top right.
- Choose Remove this font family? from the popup menu.
The font is now deleted.
Custom fonts on iOS and iPadOS are finally here, and it will be interesting to see where they go from here. For now, however, they are limited to only supported apps. Stay tuned.