[ARCHIVED] What is the default font-family in Canvas?

[jpettey]

I am trying to determine the default font-family used in Canvas. I need to have that information to report it in a grad school course that I am taking.  I have searched all over for it, but don't see it anywhere.  Any help would be appreciated!  Thanks!

Janette Pettey

[cesbrandt]

Overall, the fonts you'll find will be:

1. Helvetica Neue
2. Helvetica
3. Arial
4. Sans-Serif

Which font will be used depends upon what fonts are available to the user accessing the page (if Helvetica Neue is missing, but Helvetica, Arial, and Sans-Serif are present, then Helvetica will be used as it is higher on the list). Instructure does not provide a form of these fonts, so it is possible that any of these four fonts will be used if all the fonts before it are missing from the user's computer. It's highly unlikely that these will be missing as they are pretty much generic fonts provided by default to most OS', but that's no guarantee.

If, in the highly unlikely event that, all four of fonts are missing from the user's computer, then the font used will be dependent upon the default font of the OS. So, if the user has Symbols configured as the default font for the OS, then that is what will be used if the other four fonts are missing.

Note: These are the default fonts as set by Instructure. If your institution deploys custom CSS, these may not be the correct fonts. You should check with your Canvas administrators to confirm what fonts are correct for you.

[Stef_retired · Accepted solution]

A new default font, Lato, for Canvas is currently in beta. Please refer to the User Interface section of the Canvas Beta Release Notes (2016-11-28)​ for details.

[cesbrandt]

I just want to elaborate on this update. The Lato font is being streamed from the Instructure servers, so it should be the font displayed for all major browsers. However, if the font fails to be loaded remotely, it will follow the same determination pathing as before, there's just the addition of Lato that a user may have installed.

So the new font priority is:

1. Lato
2. Helvetica Neue
3. Helvetica
4. Arial
5. Sans-Serif
6. Browser Default Font (if applicable)
7. OS Default Font

[ashleyhughes93]

I have downloaded all the fonts, but Canvas is still using bold lettering for everything. How do I change this? 

[hedbergskan]

Hi all,

is Lato still the default font family? 

All the best,

Maria Hedberg

[cesbrandt]

Yes. The fonts in place are in this order of priority:

1. LatoWeb
2. Helvetica Neue
3. Helvetica
4. Arial
5. sans-serif

[hedbergskan]

Excellent, thank you for the quick answer!! 

Best,

Maria 

[ronmarx]

As of today, (at least this is when I discovered this in a Canvas course we're using to publish a monthly digital newsletter), "LATOWEB" is not / no longer recognized by Canvas. Only LATO calls the correct font in its normal weight and style.

Was something changed in Canvas from the last few updates?

#latoweb‌

[cesbrandt]

Good catch. Yes, it looks like they have switched from the "LatoWeb" font to "Lato" as the primary font. The rest of the font priorities remain untouched.

I, honestly, don't know when if was changed, only that when I last checked for the font families in March it was what I'd mentioned.

[James]

It changed with the May 11, 2019, release, but didn't get documented because Canvas didn't think anything would change. See Erin's correct answer here: https://community.canvaslms.com/message/145112-re-have-the-basic-font-changed-in-canvas 

[RasmusDB]

So, what about now? the link that James links to doesn't work.

[Chris_Hofer]

Hello there, @RasmusDB ...

The links you are looking at were when the Canvas Community was using a different platform interface (pre Summer 2020).  So, although many of the links from the old platform re-direct to their new (current) place here in the Community, there are times when some links to not re-direct.  Here are the two links referenced in this post that might be of help to you:

• Canvas Production Release Notes (2016-12-10) - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)
• Solved: Have the basic font changed in Canvas? - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)

Hopefully these links will be what you are looking for.  Let Community members know if you have any other questions about this...thanks!

[BenBanks]

 Greetings -

Just wondering if Lato is still the default font family in Canvas?