Is there anything more important than choosing the right TikTok fonts? And no, we will not accept “birth of your first child” or “when you graduate from college” answers.
It feels like we’re exaggerating (and okay good, but like any other design decision, your font choice says a lot about your brand identity and the audience you’re trying to appeal to on TikTok.
While the decision is important, choosing the right font for TikTok doesn’t have to be daunting.
We’ll teach you what TikTok’s fonts are, what they say about your video, and answer your frequently asked questions about them.
What are TikTok’s fonts?
TikTok fonts are font styles available in the app. While technically they should be called “TikTok post formats”, we’ll save the pedantic “font vs. typeface” definitions for another day.
You can choose from Classic, Typewriter, Neon, and Serif when adding text to your video or photo. Each comes with its own flavor, so to speak, so choose wisely.
Here’s our take on TikTok’s fonts.
Classical
It is classic, simple and clean. And if it reminds you of the good parts of 2020 (when everyone was stuck at home making trending TikTok), it was because of the font TikTok used back then.
TikTok’s Classic font is very similar to Proxima Nova, a font that was ubiquitous in the early 2000s and is still popular. It has been the primary font for many online giants including BuzzFeed, Mashable, NBC News, and Wired.
Classic sincere and simple. It does not distract from your content, so it can be your choice for any body copy in your videos. It also provides easy reading in how-to videos or infographics.
Try mixing it up by pairing it with a more capable font and bang: You have a sensible design.
Typewriter
The typewriter is reminiscent of old-school private eyes chaining cigarettes in the pouring rain while spying on a femme fatale. It gives off the great grunge/nostalgia vibe of the 1950s.
The nostalgic feel of the typewriter makes it perfect for nostalgic or retro content, but it’s also a great choice for more poetic or dreamy writing.
Just a caveat: We don’t recommend using Typewriter for long blocks of text. If you need to write a paragraph, classic might be a better font choice.
Hand writing
TikTok’s Handwritten font is perfect for the summer core buddies out there. This font is more feminine, so it’s great for any beauty or trendy content creator.
However, avoid using Handwriting to write more than a few words. Although beautiful, this font can be difficult to read. It works best as a headline, headline or accent.
Neon
Geometric, bright and exploding, Neon has a slight art deco twist. You could also argue that Neon has a Vegas vibe and you wouldn’t be wrong.
Use it to mimic old-school movie posters or to give your content a bold Hollywood feel.
Remember: This font is designed to pop up out of nowhere, so don’t make it compete with itself. Neon can stand alone.
You won’t want to use it for writing long paragraphs either. One to three words should suffice.
Sheriff
The Serif font, the only serif on this list, is a classic serif font. (Serifs are decorative lines added to the main form of a letter, for your information.)
Serifs are often read as more high-end or luxury, so using this font can evoke a sense of occasion, like weddings or the Queen’s visit.
You can relax a little more with your serif use. Small Serif works for body copy so you can write longer chunks of text. In all caps, it can work well as a headline or headline.
How to add text to TikToks?
There are two main ways to add text to your TikTok videos: using the TikTok app or a third-party TikTok font generator.
External tools may give you more font options, but that’s not always the best call. Read on for more on that!
Adding text in TikTok app
Add text to your content in four easy steps:
Step 1: Open your TikTok app
Go to: plus icon in the middle of your bottom row. Here you can shoot a new TikTok or upload your content.
Step 2: Click the Text button at the top right
Then scroll through your fonts and colors and choose one that gives you the mood you want.
Step 3: Shoot Completed in the upper right corner
Fill your caption and add any hashtags you want.
Step 4: Publish your content to mail!
This much!
Add text using a third-party desktop tool
You can use several tools to add text to your TikTok, so the method you follow will depend on the tool you have. But with intuitive options like Canva or Vimeo, the process should be pretty simple.
For example, for Canva, the steps would be:
Step 1: Get a template or upload your own video
Step 2: Click on the text
Step 3: Adjust as needed
Step 4: Download and upload to TikTok as you normally would
Unlike TikTok’s rather limited font options, using an external tool opens up a whole world of fancy characters you can add to your content.
But for your information, TikTok that looks like it’s made in-app are often better received than super-flashy marketing videos. So even if you created the video in a third-party app, you may want to use TikTok’s fonts regardless.
Why should you use text in your TikTok?
Adding text is an easy win for your TikTok content. Here are a few reasons.
And remember, if something isn’t working, try something else! Experiment with different texts and font types until you find something suitable for your brand.
Sharpness
The For You page is a relentless waterfall of content. If you want to stand out, you have to catch people from the start. Place attention-grabbing text in the thumbnail and first few seconds of your video.
Your on-screen text can also highlight important parts of your message that you don’t want viewers to miss.
@oil shore Replying to @Aussie_Cnt another day Another massacre from Gen Z 🫡 #genzlife #genzoffice #corporatelife #workhumour #emailsignoffs #corporatetiktok
♬ original sound – oil shore
If you’re still not seeing the success you deserve, try TikTok marketing strategies and track it down with TikTok tricks.
Accessibility
Not everyone watches the videos with sound. You can reach a wider audience by adding text to your videos.
You can also use text to help you break up longer pieces and make it easier for the audience to understand what you’re saying.
Also, TikToks with text components is more accessible to Deaf and hard of hearing audiences, which means you can reach more people.
@noahandlori Ignore our alphabet copy pages 😂 #alphabetchallenge #abcchallenge #couplestiktok #husbandwife #couple #trend #marriage #nailedit
♬ original sound – Noah and Lori
SEO
The TikTok algorithm is less mysterious than it was in the past, and video SEO is a real thing.
You can also optimize your TikTok SEO by adding keywords to your screen text.
TikTok also said that using its features like effects and text will positively impact your content’s ranking on the For You page.
Frequently asked questions about TikTok fonts
What font does TikTok use?
TikTok uses the Classic font, which is almost identical to Proxima Nova – Semibold.
How do you get a font username on TikTok?
It’s easy to figure out how to get a font username on TikTok or use special characters or cool fonts in your TikTok bio. Just use a third-party text generator like this one from Fontalic. Enter the text you want, choose your favorite output text and then paste your fancy font on your TikTok profile.
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