Variable fonts

When you apply a static font to text, you can often choose from several font styles, such as Regular, Bold and Condensed. Variable fonts,though, allow you to adjust specific aspects of their design, known as axes of variation, or simply axes, along a continuum of values.

Common axes of variable fonts
Examples of font variations along common axes: (A) weight (B) optical size (C) width.

Each axis can be adjusted individually, which allows for many more possible combinations than are available when using static fonts.

Depending on a font designer's intent, you may be able to make other adjustments to a font's appearance, such as :

Axis availability

You may see fewer axes in Affinity than are mentioned in a font's marketing materials. Affinity respects the OpenType specification's provision for font designers to mark any axis as hidden.

To reveal and modify hidden axes, select Font Variations and then select Show hidden axes.

Width and weight matrix
A matrix of font variations along the (A) width and (B) weight axes.
Font Variations To adjust a variable font's settings:

With text selected that is formatted with a variable font:

  1. Do one of the following:
    • On the context toolbar, select Font Variations.
    • On the Character panel, select Font Variations.
  2. Adjust the axes' settings as required.

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