# Paperwhite fonts - which one are you using?



## sparklemotion (Jan 13, 2011)

Just curious which font everyone is using and liking the most? I keep playing around with them.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Right now I like Palatino. (Size 6)


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## LaRita (Oct 28, 2008)

Helvetica, size 3.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Me too. Palatino, that is. Size 4.

Sent from my Kindle Fire HD


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## SongbirdVB (Nov 18, 2008)

I've been playing around with them as well, but mostly using Helvetica (size 5).  The first two  books I read wouldn't allow me to change the font!     I got scared that the functionality didn't work with my new Kindle, but this third book has allowed me to change fonts.  Whew!!

I'm on vacation at my sister's house and had the Kindle delivered here.  She's so jealous!  LOL!  Now she's thinking SHE might need a new Paperwhite.  I'm thrilled with my newest Kindle!!


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## sparklemotion (Jan 13, 2011)

I was using Palatino yesterday, I really like that one. Now I'm using the Caecilia Condensed, (size 4) it's very nice!


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## CrystalStarr (Jan 17, 2011)

Futura size 5! Love it!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

On some books you're supposed to be able to opt for the font chosen by the publisher...I think you toggle it from the menu.

Sent from my Kindle Fire HD


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Whatever font it started with.  Have no idea what it is.  I did change the font size and line spacing however...

Betsy


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## caryanne2 (Jul 22, 2010)

Palatino size 2 or 3. I love the light, absolutely no complaints. I'm use to reading on a DX, so the PW is a huge change.


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## splitlenz (Oct 3, 2012)

LOL we have this in common too. Great minds think alike? 



CrystalStarr said:


> Futura size 5! Love it!


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## tomato88 (Sep 10, 2012)

Tea, Earl Grey, Hot.

Joke aside, Palentino, size 3. I feel like I'm actually reading faster on this screen.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Right now I am really liking Palatino on 4 with medium spacing. I also like the Baskerville, but its a little more stretched out and I need 5 on that one. I am more of a serif gal I guess.  

So how do I find this publisher font thingy?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

tomato88 said:


> Tea, Earl Grey, Hot.
> 
> Joke aside, Palentino, size 3. I feel like I'm actually reading faster on this screen.


It is very _Star Trek_ isn't it. 

Sent from my Kindle Fire HD


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> On some books you're supposed to be able to opt for the font chosen by the publisher...I think you toggle it from the menu.
> 
> Sent from my Kindle Fire HD





Atunah said:


> So how do I find this publisher font thingy?


I was wondering too...off to poke around.

Betsy


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

Helvetica, I think. My kindle is downstairs right now, but I think that is the darkest font that I tried.


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## tomato88 (Sep 10, 2012)

Ann in Arlington said:


> It is very _Star Trek_ isn't it.
> 
> Sent from my Kindle Fire HD


Just like what the bearded guy in the "What Kindle Owners Think" video said.


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## MsBea (Dec 2, 2008)

Futura 5 - I'm in awe of this screen. No more clip on lights!!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

So, in this book, I guess the publisher set the font, because I can't change it. I can change the size and the line spacing, but not the font.










Betsy


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Yeah, I hate that. I have a few books like that and sometimes even the sizing is totally messed up. I don't like reading in san serif and that seems to be what some publishers think I should read with. Its really annoying. 

I now have to start getting samples on books and maybe not get pre-orders anymore, just because of these issues. It's just making it more inconvenient to me. 

The whole point of my kindle is that I can read the way I want to. 

Hopefully everyone putting books up figures it out soon.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I never mess with the fonts anyway, so it's not a big deal for me overall, but I was kind of surprised.  Shows how often I try to mess with the fonts.  

Betsy


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

helvetica, 4/5.  today.... 
tomorrow?  who knows?


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Was using Heletica 4/5, now trying Palatino 5 - with the third choices for both line spacing and margins.


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## Dragle (Dec 10, 2011)

The first two books I loaded, I couldn't change the font style either (size and line spacing, yes; font, no).  They were by the same author/publisher, which may be part of the problem.  I checked them on my K3 and on that one I could change them without a problem (though the K3 has limited choices).  So, it's not just the book--there's something different about how the K3 and PW deal with the same file.  Other books I checked were OK.

I contacted CS and apparently the font face should be able to be changed.  She is escalating the issue and I'll be getting a follow-up email later.  (She had some problems on her end causing some long delays in her response time.  I told her that was OK since I was in a good mood from getting my new toy today, but she apologized for it by giving me a $5 promo credit.   )

ETA: I like the Palatino, too.


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## Speaker-To-Animals (Feb 21, 2012)

I fiddled around, but really didn't find anything I liked better than the defaults.


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## Tatiana (Aug 20, 2010)

Caecilia 4 or 5 but 5 is the best.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> So, in this book, I guess the publisher set the font, because I can't change it. I can change the size and the line spacing, but not the font.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Look in the main menu. . .I think you can toggle off 'use publisher fonts' there. . . .I read that somewhere. . .will try to find it as I may be mis-remembering.

Found it. . . . .location 229 in the users guide:

The Publisher Font option is available on select books that include the ability to view the fonts embedded by the publisher.

It implies it's in the Aa menu. . . . .

Further checking: I pulled down a sample that I know had some font issues. . .but it seems to be working fine and there are no publisher font options. . .'course, that could be because it's a sample. . . . .


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Caecilia Condensed, size 4.

Was on Caecilia for a bit, but size 3 was a tad small, and size 4 too big.  The condensed version on size 4 seems to be a happy medium for me.  I didn't really care for any of the others.


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## Dragle (Dec 10, 2011)

In the books where I couldn't change the font, I don't think it is because of a publisher-set font.  Regarding the menu option to turn off the Publisher Font, the User Guide says "The Publisher Font option is available on select books ..."; this option doesn't appear for my problem books, so that means they don't have a publisher-set font. 

Another weird thing about it is, although I can change the font when viewing it on my K3, I can't change it when viewing it on the Fire either.  And on the Fire, it appears as a serif-type font, while on the PW, it appears as a sans serif font.  So it's not even the same unchangeable font.  Looks like they must have several independent teams of programmers maintaining separate software for the different devices, because every device acts differently.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I guess this is what it would look like if there were publisher fonts


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## cagnes (Oct 13, 2009)

Luvmy4brats said:


> Right now I like Palatino. (Size 6)


Me too. I find the font is smaller on the PW. I compared the same book, and on my Touch, default font size 5 was the same size as Palatino size 6 on the PW.


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## coldwarunicorn (Oct 1, 2012)

I'm very happy/a little sad others are having the same issue I am with changing fonts. I hope it gets resolved eventually - hate the serifs!


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## tiggeerrific (Jan 22, 2010)

7 Helvetica-- middle on line spacing---3rd one in for margins


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## chocochibi (Jan 2, 2009)

I reported one of my books today that I couldn't change my font on. I explained I could change the size and line spacing, just not the font type. I'm not sure they even read it. Their reply:

Some Kindle books offer the option to display text on your Kindle in a font specified by the book’s publisher. If this is available for your title, you’ll see the Publisher Font option in the Font menu while reading. Publisher fonts are not available for all titles. 

To choose the Publisher Font option for a book: 

1.  While reading, tap the top of the screen, and then tap the “Aa” button.
2.  Select the radio button next to “Publisher Font.”


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## 93terp (Sep 22, 2010)

CrystalStarr said:


> Futura size 5! Love it!


That's my favorite, too!!


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## jheydt (Dec 16, 2008)

My wife taught speed reading and she said that a serif font was easier because of the "tails" of the letters which tended to make you go to the next word.  I hope I've explained that correctly.  The sans serif fonts like Helvetica don't do that.  Just wanted to throw that out.

John


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

In the cook that I'm currently reading, I like Palantino 4, but when I'm reading while walking on my treadmill, I find that Caecilian 5 is easiest to see.


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## metal134 (Sep 2, 2010)

I think I'm the only one that uses size 1.


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## booklover888 (May 20, 2012)

Palatino size 5, with medium line spacing, seems to be my favorite.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Strange enough, the next book I read in Palatino I had to go to 5 to get the same size in it than the last book, which I had at 4. So I tried a few more books and seems like I have to use 5 more times than 4. I think I have to go one size up on the PW from my KK. So when I put it at caecilia condensed, which I what I used on the KK, I have to do 5 instead of 4.

But I prefer the palatino. I might read the next book in baskerville which I like too, but in this book, I think I would have to go to 6 , while 5 is enough in palatino.



metal134 said:


> I think I'm the only one that uses size 1.


Terminator? . I am green with envy, but then I have been wearing glasses since I was 2 years old.


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## metal134 (Sep 2, 2010)

Atunah said:


> Terminator? . I am green with envy, but then I have been wearing glasses since I was 2 years old.


I'd make it smaller if I could. To tell you the truth, my vision is pretty terrible. When I get an eye exam, without my contacts, I can't even read the top line of their chart.


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## eidahl (Oct 16, 2009)

metal134 said:


> I think I'm the only one that uses size 1.


Wow, size 1 fonts are actually quite nice.. that higher resolution must be helping out here.


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## coldwarunicorn (Oct 1, 2012)

metal134 said:


> I think I'm the only one that uses size 1.


I use it too, somehow or another I feel like the smaller font makes me read a bit faster.

I also have awesome vision  20/10, loving it til I lose it.


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## metal134 (Sep 2, 2010)

eidahl said:


> Wow, size 1 fonts are actually quite nice.. that higher resolution must be helping out here.


Well, I can't comment for how it looks on Paperwhite because I don't have one yet, but on my Kindle 3 and Nook Glow I use the smallest size font.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

metal134 said:


> Well, I can't comment for how it looks on Paperwhite because I don't have one yet, but on my Kindle 3 and Nook Glow I use the smallest size font.


They'll be sharper. The extra resolution on the PW screen really helps with small fonts.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Atunah said:


> but then I have been wearing glasses since I was 2 years old.


Me too.....


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I use size 3 most of the time; sometimes low as 2.  In lower light I used to bump it up.  I guess I won't have to, now.  

Betsy


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## Tatiana (Aug 20, 2010)

Atunah said:


> I am green with envy, but then I have been wearing glasses since I was 2 years old.


I've been wearing them since age 5...I need size 5 on the Paperwhite. On the Touch I used 4.


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

My PW just came this afternoon. I've been playing with settings and fonts and came to the PC to find a new book to experiment on. And stopped by here to see what others are saying about their new PWs, of course. The only fonts I'm considering are the serif ones. San serif just doesn't look like a book to me. On mine the Caecilia regular and condensed are noticeably darker than the other fonts, and when I tried Palatino the quote marks which showed as curly in Caecilia and Baskerton were straight hash marks. You wouldn't think that would bother me, but it did. I'm trying Baskerton right now. It has a bit of a delicate look, but I think I like it.

I am settled on the middle setting for line spacing and margins as wide as they go.


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## w5jck (Aug 30, 2010)

Caecilia Condensed, size 4 on the PW and size 3 on the Touch.


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## bsabiston (Sep 16, 2010)

People that cannot change the font -- are they library books?  I have not been able to change the font on the two library books I have checked out.  Bezos doesn't want us reading for free.


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## coldwarunicorn (Oct 1, 2012)

bsabiston said:


> People that cannot change the font -- are they library books? I have not been able to change the font on the two library books I have checked out. Bezos doesn't want us reading for free.


Nope, the books I cannot change are two I purchased through Amazon and one from the Amazon Prime Lending Library.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

coldwarunicorn said:


> Nope, the books I cannot change are two I purchased through Amazon and one from the Amazon Prime Lending Library.


I suggest giving feedback to Amazon...it's the publishers not applying the new format properly. I'd use the feedback form at the bottom of the book page.

Sent from my Kindle Fire HD via tapatalk


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## coldwarunicorn (Oct 1, 2012)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I suggest giving feedback to Amazon...it's the publishers not applying the new format properly. I'd use the feedback form at the bottom of the book page.
> 
> Sent from my Kindle Fire HD via tapatalk


I've sent it in on two so far


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## CandyTX (Apr 13, 2009)

I'm still messing around with it, haven't found one I LOVE yet, but I'm using Caecilia Condensed on first line spacing and last margins. I always make the text bigger when I read on the elliptical or whatever without my glasses, obviously


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## bsabiston (Sep 16, 2010)

Until they fix it -- I was able to run my two library books through Calibre and get a version that allows me to change the font.  Plus it doesn't expire!


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## w5jck (Aug 30, 2010)

coldwarunicorn said:


> Nope, the books I cannot change are two I purchased through Amazon and one from the Amazon Prime Lending Library.


If the book contains embedded fonts then we should get the use publishers font option. I doubt this book in question has embedded fonts since that option doesn't appear.

I suspect the book you bought is simply one in which the dopey publisher tried to force a specific font via CSS (cascading style sheets).

I DLed a sample of a book causing this same problem, liberated it, and unpacked it. Just as I suspected the publisher has forced a font in the CSS. Every style he set up has the following code:


```
font-family: "Times";
```
I'm somewhat surprised the PW doesn't ignore this as it doesn't have a Times font installed. The PW might have something in the firmware that substitutes one of its serif fonts for Times.

Here is what I think is happening. The publisher sets the formatting via CSS to a specific font. If that font exists and is recognized by the Kindle PW, then you are forced to read the book without changing to another font. If the font doesn't exist but the firmware in the PW is set to substitute a font it has, then same issue. If this is true then Amazon needs to fix this so that we can override it.


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

I read on the PW for a couple of hours last night and think I've settled on Caecilia (5?) and narrowest line spacing. In the end I just preferred the darker, denser font and the most words on the "page." Wish I could settle on a light setting. I'm still fiddling with that every five minutes.


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## kevinpars (Nov 14, 2008)

I am using Futura at size 6.  

I did a comparison on the same book using my Kindle Touch and my PW (using Helvetica on both) and noticed that size 5 on the Touch is identical to size 6 on the PW.  I guess Amazon decided that with the improved resolution they could change the font sizes by bumping down each one a little bit - I assume that the Size 8 for Touch is gone and that size 1 on the PW is new and the smallest font size that we have seen on a Kindle.

I used the font hack on the Touch to add dejaVu sans but I find that Futura is going to work out great for me going forward.  When I read older books - for example i am reading some Dickens - I will change the font to Baskerville because it just seems serif fonts fit Dickens better than a sans serif.


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## drew0020 (Sep 30, 2010)

I like Futura at size 5, but I feel like the font looks lighter compared to Helvetica at size 5.  For some reason on my Paperwhite, Helvetica looks like it has significantly more contrast.  Anyone else notice this?


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

I like a darker font. I wish they had the ability to hit a "bold" icon, like you can do in most word processors. It would turn any font into the bold version. Would love to have that.

Steve


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## lindnet (Jan 25, 2009)

The font size issues is one of the reasons I returned my PW.  I could not get close to the same size I had been using on my K4.  It didn't really matter which font I chose, there was just nothing comparable on the PW.


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