How to identify a font from an image or a logo

The logo was made five years ago, the designer has vanished, and now you need a sign “in the same font”. Five ways to find the name – and what to do when there is no exact match.

A typical situation: the logo was made five years ago, the designer has vanished, and now you need a sign “in the same font”. Or you liked the lettering on a package and want the same in your menu. The name of a font can be found from a picture – almost always.

“Almost” – because there are hundreds of thousands of fonts, and some logos are drawn by hand or based on a font that was then altered. In that case you look for the closest in character.

How-toHow to identify a font from an image: 3 steps

1. Upload a picture with letteringOpen the Font finder and upload a logo, a screenshot or a photo of a sign with clear text.
2. Wait a few secondsThe tool reads the lettering and compares the letters with more than a hundred fonts.
3. Compare the optionsYour lettering is set in each similar font, with a link to Google Fonts next to it, where the font can be downloaded for free.

PreparationWhich picture gives the best result

1. One line of textCrop the picture so that only the lettering in the font you need remains.
2. Straight, no perspectiveA photo of a sign at an angle distorts the letters. Shoot from directly opposite.
3. ContrastDark text on a light background or the reverse. Text over a photograph is recognised worse.
4. More different lettersA word with six different letters identifies a font more accurately than two.
5. Sufficient sizeLetter height of 50 pixels or more. Zoom in before taking a small screenshot.

WaysFour more ways to find out a font

On a website. Right-click the text → “Inspect”. In the panel on the right find the font-family line – that is the name of the font. Simpler still is a browser extension such as WhatFont: hover the cursor and see the name.

In a PDF. Open the file in a PDF viewer → “Document Properties” → the “Fonts” tab. It lists every font in the document.

In a vector file. If the source file of the logo survives (AI, CDR, SVG) and the text has not been outlined, the software shows the font name as soon as you select the lettering.

Ask. In designer communities a font is often named from a picture within minutes – especially if it is a popular one.

No matchWhat to do if there is no exact font

That is normal. The letters in a logo may have been adjusted by hand, the font may be paid and rare, or drawn for the project altogether.

In that case a companion font is chosen: similar in proportions, weight and character. Look at three things: whether there are serifs, how round the letters “o” and “a” are, and how thick the strokes are. If these match, only a designer will notice the difference.

That is how the tool works: if there is no exact match, it offers the closest fonts and says so plainly. A similar font is fine for text in a menu, on a website, in a presentation – anywhere it stands next to the logo, not instead of it.

RightsMay you freely use the font you found?

A font is software with a licence. Fonts from Google Fonts are free for commercial use: in a logo, on a website, in print. Paid fonts need a licence for your specific use – licences for a website, an app and print are different.

If the font from a competitor’s logo turns out to be paid and you would rather not buy it, a free equivalent is a perfectly workable way out.

GlossaryHow to describe a font: the main kinds

If you have to search for a font by hand or explain it to a designer, a few words come in useful.

TipHow to pair a font with a logo

Finding the logo font is half the job. For a website, menu and presentations you also need a font for ordinary text.

Contrast, not similarity. An expressive logo font is paired with a calm sans serif for text. Two similar but different fonts side by side look like a mistake.

No more than two. One font for headlines, one for text. A third is almost always unnecessary.

Check the character set. Many attractive fonts cover basic Latin only. If you write in a language with accents or in another script, type a word with those letters straight away.

HonestlyThe tool finds a similar font. Unique lettering is created by a designer

The tool compares your lettering with a library of free fonts and honestly shows the similarity percentage. It is not an expert examination: it will not name a paid or hand-drawn font but will offer the closest one.

A font from an open library is used by thousands of companies. A logo with unique lettering and a matched pair of brand fonts is what we design: logo design.

Found the font of your logo? Write the name down in the brand book. Next time you will not have to look for it.

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