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Mac Support: Fonts: Mac vs. PC

Font Issues: Mac vs. PC

Make sure that you choose fonts that will be "standard" font types on a PC. One noteable font on a Mac is Helvetica. Generally, Helvetica is no longer standard fare on a PC system. So, if you use Helvetica then show it on a PC, the font will be replaced with a similar font, probably Arial but it won't look the same and may ruin your slide layout.

Best advice: Don't use Helvetica. Use Arial instead. And, as always, check your presentation on a PC before taking it to a PC-based classroom or you run the risk of finding out that it won't play properly.

To help ensure that your presentation is not affected by font issues it may be best to stick to PC-friendly fonts. For more information about font compatibility, visit this article on common fonts to Windows and Mac (or "browser-safe fonts"). It provides a list of the fonts that come standard on Windows machines and what their Mac equivalents would be. While the article is from 2008, the information provided in it is still relevant today. If you would prefer to browse a more recent article, check out "15 Best Web Safe Fonts that Work with HTML & CSS", posted in March of 2017.

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