How to identify a font
Quick answer
Take a clear screenshot or photo of the text and upload it to a free font finder such as WhatTheFont (by MyFonts), Font Squirrel Matcherator or WhatFontIs. For a font on a website, use your browser’s Inspect tool or a font-identifier extension.
Identify a font from an image
- Crop the imageCrop the image so only the text is visible, as straight and large as possible.
- Upload itUpload it to WhatTheFont, Font Squirrel Matcherator or WhatFontIs.
- Check the lettersCheck that the tool has detected the letters correctly and fix any it got wrong.
- Compare matchesCompare the suggested matches, paying attention to letters like a, g, R and Q.
The main font finders
| Tool | Best for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| WhatTheFont (MyFonts) | Photos and screenshots, also has a phone app | Free |
| Font Squirrel Matcherator | Finding free alternatives | Free |
| WhatFontIs | Large database including free fonts | Free with paid extras |
| Adobe Fonts visual search | Matching fonts in Adobe Creative Cloud | With a subscription |
Fonts on a website
Websites tell your browser which font to use, so you can look it up directly:
- Right-click the text and choose Inspect.
- In the panel that opens, look at the Computed tab for font-family.
Browser extensions such as WhatFont do the same with a single click.
Tips for better matches
- Use more text. A whole word gives better results than one letter.
- Avoid curved or angled text. Straighten the image first if you can.
- Look at distinctive letters. The tail of a Q, the shape of a g and the leg of an R are where fonts differ most.
- Expect close matches, not always exact ones. Logos often use custom or modified lettering that isn’t available as a font.
If the text is inside a PDF, you may be able to see the font name directly: open File → Properties → Fonts in a PDF reader. Need to edit the document too? Here’s how to convert PDF to Word.
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