Presentation fonts are one of the most underrated elements of slides, despite the fact that in practice they determine the readability, professionalism and perception of the entire message. Well-chosen typography organizes content, guides the viewer's eyes and supports business decisions. Poorly chosen - distracts, tires and reduces the credibility of the presentation.
This article is a comprehensive guide to fonts for presentations: from font selection, size and thickness to contrast, licensing and practical tools.
Font or font? A brief clarification
In this article I use the word „font”, because that's what most of my clients say and you know exactly what they mean :) Technically speaking, font is a physical element formerly used in printing, a font is its digital counterpart - a file installed in the computer. In design practice, the key typeface, which is the general appearance of the letters.
Why are presentation fonts crucial?
The recipient does not consciously analyze the typography, but feels its effect immediately. Fonts for presentation:
- affect reading speed and content comprehension,
- build a professional (or amateur) image,
- Build consistency with the company's other marketing materials,
- help organize the hierarchy of information.
Therefore, typography in the presentation is not a matter of aesthetics, but of communication tool.
Sans serif as a secure font base for presentations
Sans serif fonts (sans serif) work best in corporate presentations. They are readable on screens, visually neutral and scale well on different devices.
Serif fonts can work in image projects with a high level of craftsmanship, but in most business presentations they introduce an unnecessary risk of decreased readability.
So if we have a choice - it is worth choosing legible sans serif fonts.
Of course, if we are creating a presentation for a company that has a specific visual communication (brandbook) - then we follow the corporate identity (CI) guidelines.
Best and safe fonts / fonts for corporate presentation
Below is a list of fonts that load well on various devices and work well for business communications:
- Calibri
- Arial
- Helvetica
- Inter
- Roboto
- Summer
- Montserrat
- Poppins
- IBM Plex Sans
- Open Sans
Minimum font sizes
Presentations for events
One of the most common mistakes is using text sizes that are too small. The safe minimum on slides is:
- slide titles: 32-44 pt
- section headings: 24-28 pt
- main content: minimum 18-20 pt
If the text seems too big - that's a good sign. The presentation for the event is not a document for close reading.
Business presentations (sent online)
In presentations that are read alone (PDF, emailed PowerPoint, Google Slides), the text can be slightly smaller - but it still needs to remain comfortable to read on laptops and mobile screens.
The recommended minimum is:
- slide titles: 28-36 pt
- section headings: 20-24 pt
- main content: 12-16 pt
A business presentation is not a report. If you can fit „too much” on a slide - it's a signal that the content is worth simplifying or dividing into several slides.
💡 Pro tip
If you have to go below 12 pt - it's a sign that:
- slide is overloaded
- or the presentation tries to replace the document
And a good presentation leads the eye, does not force you to read the fine print
Font thicknesses - less is better
Instead of using all available thicknesses, choose a maximum of three. If a font offers the following thicknesses: extra thin, thin, regular, semibold, bold and extra bold - it is best to choose every other weight.
This makes the differences clear and legible, and the hierarchy of information clear.
Contrast and readability against a background
Fonts for presentations must have adequate contrast to the background. Too little contrast makes text tiresome or even unreadable.
Helpful tools for checking contrast: Coolors Contrast Checker >
Spacing, white space and rhythm of text
Readability is built not only by the fonts themselves, but also by the spacing:
- leading (line-height),
- paragraph spacing,
- margins and white spaces.
Overly clumped text makes the slide look heavy. White spaces help the viewer breathe and absorb information faster.
Content hierarchy built by font size
A good presentation has a clear hierarchy:
- Slide title - largest size,
- headlines - noticeably smaller,
- content - the most subdued.
Don't build a hierarchy with color or decoration. It's the size, weight and spacing that make the biggest difference.
Where to download fonts for presentations
The safest way is to use system fonts. This way your corporate presentation will open the same way on all devices. However, if you want to stand out, to select fonts to match the style of your communication, you can download fonts from available databases, such as Google Fonts (free fonts), Adobe Fonts.
Always check the license - not every font can be used in commercial projects.
Licenses - what to keep in mind
If your presentation is used commercially (sales, offer, customer materials), you must have a proper font license. Free font does not always mean free for commercial use.
When in doubt:
- check the terms of the license,
- Choose a font with clear usage rules,
- Or reach for proven libraries (e.g. Google Fonts).
Well-chosen fonts for presentations organize content, reinforce the message and make slides more effective. Typography does not decorate - it structures the communication.
If a presentation is not working, very often the problem is not in the content, but in the way it is written. Conscious choice of fonts is one of the fastest ways to improve the quality of a corporate presentation without changing the content.
