Aptos is the new default font for Microsoft

Recently, Microsoft abandoned its long-serving font Calibri, which was the default font since 2007. The new default font that has replaced it is Aptos, formerly known as Bierstadt.

You will now see this default font in Microsoft productivity apps like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. You probably didn’t know, but Aptos was in the font list all along with the name Bierstadt.

However, if you are wondering why the name changed, according to Steve Matteson, the font’s creator, some people didn’t take the name seriously, leading Microsoft to choose a new one for the font.

Aptos comes from the grotesque sans serif genre, which includes classic Helvetica, and Microsoft describes it like this:

Aptos is a precise, contemporary sans serif typeface inspired by mid-20th-century Swiss typography.

Along with Regular, Aptos is also available as Aptos Display, Aptos Narrow, Aptos Light, Aptos Dark, and more.

Back in 2021, Microsoft introduced five new fonts: Grandview, Bierstadt, Skeena, Seaford, and Tenorite, which gave us the hint of this happening in the near future, but nobody knew Bierstadt or Aptos would be the winner.

Aptos has this unique coastal climate, where it’s a beach, and all the way up to the redwoods. It’s what I loved about California is the diversity, and it kind of told me that there’s all these different moods and experiences you can have. Similarly, with Aptos, you have all these different voices you can speak in without distorting the message

Steve Matteson

Even though the font name has changed and it is rolled out as the default font, it will still be available in the font list under the old name for people who are used to it.

Also, you can still choose any other font type as per your preference, even the old default font, Calibri.

Furthermore, as Microsoft announced that the new theme is on its way, you will continue to notice new design changes and improvements, including text styles, new color palettes, and more.

Have you tried the new default font, Aptos, yet? Tell us what you think about it in the comments section below.