What Font Is Used in APA Format? Academic Standards

APA format does not require a single font. The APA Publication Manual (7th edition) lists 6 approved typefaces, all chosen for legibility and accessibility. Times New Roman at 12pt is the most widely used, but it is no longer the only accepted option.

Both serif fonts and sans-serif fonts are permitted, which is a notable shift from earlier editions of the manual.

What Fonts Are Accepted in APA Format?

The APA 7th edition lists the following approved typefaces for body text:

Each font comes with a specific recommended size. You cannot swap sizes freely. Using Calibri at 12pt, for instance, does not match APA guidelines.

The manual also specifies one additional rule: whichever font you choose, use it consistently throughout the entire paper, including headings, body text, the references page, and running head.

What Type of Font Does APA Format Use?

APA accepts both geometric and humanist typefaces, so there is no single typographic classification that defines “APA fonts.”

Times New Roman is an old-style serif typeface, originally commissioned by The Times newspaper in 1931 and designed by Stanley Morison and Victor Lardent.

Calibri is a humanist sans-serif font designed by Lucas de Groot, released by Microsoft in 2007 as the default Office font. It has a slightly rounded feel and generous x-height, which makes it very readable on screens.

Georgia, designed by Matthew Carter in 1993 for Microsoft, was built specifically for on-screen readability. It reads cleanly even at smaller sizes.

The common thread across all 6 fonts: they all contain full character sets including math symbols and Greek letters, which are common in academic writing.

Who Created These Fonts?

Each APA-approved font comes from a different designer or foundry:

• Times New Roman: Stanley Morison and Victor Lardent, commissioned by The Times of London (1931), now licensed through Monotype
• Georgia: Matthew Carter for Microsoft (1993)
• Computer Modern: Donald Knuth, created for the LaTeX typesetting system (1978)
• Calibri: Lucas de Groot for Microsoft (released 2007)
• Arial: Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders for Monotype (1982)
• Lucida Sans Unicode: Charles Bigelow and Kris Holmes (1985)

None of these fonts were created specifically for APA. The American Psychological Association selected them from existing typefaces based on readability and broad availability across operating systems and word processors.

Are APA Fonts Free to Use?

Most APA-approved fonts are pre-installed on Windows and macOS, so most writers already have access without paying anything extra.

Computer Modern is the only fully open-source option. It ships with LaTeX and is free to download and use in any context.

Times New Roman, Georgia, Arial, Calibri, and Lucida Sans Unicode are proprietary fonts licensed by Microsoft or Monotype. They come bundled with Microsoft Office and most Windows installations, but they are not free to purchase separately as standalone licenses.

If you are writing in Google Docs and need a close substitute, here are the nearest available options:

• Use Times New Roman directly (Google Docs includes it)
• Substitute Merriweather for Georgia
• Use Arial directly (also included in Google Docs)

For LaTeX users, Computer Modern is the default font and requires no additional setup.

What Font Did APA Require Before the 7th Edition?

Under the APA 6th edition, the only officially accepted font was Times New Roman at 12pt. Full stop.

The 7th edition, published in October 2019, dropped that single-font rule and opened the list to 6 typefaces. The reasoning was straightforward: digital publishing had replaced print as the primary reading format, and sans-serif fonts like Calibri and Arial perform better on screens than Times New Roman.

The APA also acknowledged that accessibility tools allow users to adjust font preferences, which made strict enforcement of a single typeface less practical and less inclusive.

This is one of the more significant formatting changes between the two editions. Many instructors still default to requiring Times New Roman out of habit, even though the current manual no longer mandates it.

What Are the Best Free Alternatives to APA Fonts?

If you need fonts that match the look and typographic feel of APA-approved typefaces but want open-source options, here are solid alternatives:

All 5 are available at no cost and include full character sets suitable for academic papers. Libre Baskerville in particular is worth considering if you want Georgia-like readability in a format that works well in Google Docs.

How to Set the Correct Font in Your Word Processor

Microsoft Word

Go to Home > Font, select your chosen typeface and size, then click Set as Default and choose “All documents based on the Normal template.” This saves you from resetting it every time you open a new document.

Worth noting: Word’s default is now Calibri 11pt, which actually matches APA 7th edition requirements out of the box.

Google Docs

Select all text, choose your font and size from the toolbar, then go to Format > Paragraph styles > Normal text > Update to match. This sets it as the default for that document.

You can also add fonts to Google Docs through the “More fonts” option in the font dropdown, which gives access to the full Google Fonts library if you need alternatives like Libre Baskerville.

Figures and Tables

APA specifies different rules for figures and tables. Within figure images, use a sans-serif font between 8 and 14pt, regardless of your body text font choice. For computer code blocks, use a monospace font such as Courier New (10pt) or Lucida Console.

Why Does APA Specify Font Requirements?

The APA’s font guidelines come down to 3 priorities: readability, accessibility, and cross-platform consistency.

Readability is the main driver. Academic papers often include dense text, mathematical notation, and Greek characters. Fonts that handle these well without becoming illegible at standard sizes are preferred. That is why stylized, decorative, or script fonts are explicitly excluded.

Accessibility became a bigger factor in the 7th edition. The APA acknowledged that readers using assistive technology need fonts that render clearly at various sizes and on different display types. Allowing sans-serif fonts like Calibri was partly driven by this.

Consistency matters for peer review and publication. When every manuscript uses fonts from the same small approved list, editors and reviewers can focus on content rather than presentation. It also means papers look roughly the same regardless of the author’s software or operating system.

The APA has never specified fonts based on aesthetics alone. Every choice in Section 2.19 of the Publication Manual is grounded in typography research on legibility and reading performance. That said, plenty of professors still just say “use Times New Roman” because they learned APA under the 6th edition and have not updated their instructions since 2019.

APA Font Rules: Quick Reference

Here is a summary of the key rules from APA 7th edition Section 2.19:

• Choose one font from the approved list and use it throughout the entire paper
• Body text font applies to headings, running head, page numbers, and references
• Figures: sans-serif font, 8–14pt (regardless of body font)
• Tables: sans-serif font recommended (Arial, Calibri, Futura, or Helvetica), 8–14pt
• Computer code: monospace font such as Courier New 10pt or Lucida Console
• Footnotes may use a smaller point size but must stay within the same font family

One thing that trips people up: the font size rules are tied to each specific font. Georgia at 11pt is not the same as Georgia at 12pt for APA purposes. The manual lists specific pairings for a reason, and sticking to them keeps your paper compliant.

If your instructor or institution specifies a different font requirement, follow that. APA itself says to defer to publisher or institutional guidelines when they differ from the manual’s recommendations.

FAQ on What Font Is Used in APA Format

Does APA format require Times New Roman?

Not anymore. The APA 7th edition lists 6 accepted fonts. Times New Roman at 12pt is still the most common choice, but Calibri, Arial, Georgia, Lucida Sans Unicode, and Computer Modern are all valid options.

What font size does APA format require?

It depends on the font. Times New Roman and Aptos use 12pt, Calibri and Arial use 11pt, and Lucida Sans Unicode uses 10pt. Each approved font has a specific paired size. You cannot mix and match freely.

Can I use Calibri for an APA paper?

Yes. Calibri at 11pt is fully accepted under APA 7th edition guidelines. It is actually Microsoft Word’s default font, which means most students are already set up correctly without changing anything.

What font did APA require before the 7th edition?

The APA 6th edition required only Times New Roman at 12pt. The 7th edition, published in October 2019, expanded the list to include both serif and sans-serif fonts to better support digital reading.

Is Arial acceptable for APA format?

Yes, Arial at 11pt is on the approved list. It is a clean, neutral sans-serif font that works well on screens. Just make sure you use it at the correct size and apply it consistently throughout the paper.

Does the font requirement apply to the references page too?

Yes. APA requires the same font across the entire document, including the title page, body text, headings, running head, page numbers, and references page. There are no exceptions for different sections.

What font should I use for figures in APA format?

APA specifies a sans-serif font between 8 and 14pt for text inside figures, regardless of your body font choice. Arial and Calibri are both commonly used. This rule applies to labels, captions within the image, and axis text.

Can I use Georgia for an APA paper?

Georgia at 11pt is accepted under APA 7th edition. Designed by Matthew Carter for Microsoft in 1993, it was built specifically for screen readability. It is a solid choice if you prefer a serif font that reads well digitally.

What font does APA recommend for computer code?

For code blocks, APA recommends a monospace font such as Courier New at 10pt or Lucida Console. This keeps code visually distinct from body text and maintains consistent character spacing, which matters for readability in technical and scientific papers.

Does my instructor’s font requirement override APA guidelines?

Yes. The APA Publication Manual explicitly states that publisher or institutional guidelines take priority. If your instructor requires Times New Roman specifically, follow that. APA’s list is a recommendation for when no other requirement has been given.

Conclusion

Knowing what font is used in APA format comes down to one core rule: pick an approved typeface, use the correct point size, and apply it consistently from the title page to the references page.

The APA Publication Manual 7th edition gives you real flexibility, with accepted options spanning both serif and sans-serif classifications.

Whether you go with Georgia, Calibri, or the classic Times New Roman, font legibility and manuscript consistency matter more than the specific typeface you choose.

When your instructor specifies something different, follow their guidance. APA font guidelines are a baseline, not a hard override.

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Bogdan Sandu

Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008.

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