Efficient Typography in Adobe XD - Step-by-Step Guide

Typographyis a central element in design that is often overlooked. The choice of the right font can have a massive impact on the perception and readability of your design. In this article, you will learn how to work effectively with fonts and typography in AdobeXD. You will find out how to find, install, and optimally use fonts in your project.

Key findings

• You can source fonts from Google Fonts and Adobe Fonts.
• There are two basic text tools in Adobe XD: Point Text and Text Frame.
• Text size and line spacing are crucial for readability.
• With defined character styles, you save time and effort in text design.

Step-by-step guide

1. Find and install fonts

First, you need to find out where to find the best fonts foryour project. A great source is Google Fonts. Visit the page fonts.google.com. There you can browse a variety of free font families suitable for both web and print.

To download a font, select a font family and click on the plus symbol. After you have selected the desired font, you can install it directly on your system.

Alternatively, you can also use Adobe Fonts. Go to fonts.adobe.comand select your fonts there. Adobe Fonts is particularly useful because you can sync the fonts with your Creative Cloud without having to install them manually.

2. Create text frames and point text

With Adobe XD, you can now start creating text. Use the shortcut T to activate the text tool. You can either create a text field by clicking or draw a text field to create a text frame.

Consider the difference: When you click in a point text field, the text is entered in a single line. In a text frame, the text is automatically wrapped to the next line as soon as the available width is reached.

3. Adjust text style and size

If you have already entered some text, you can adjust the font size and font weight in the right panel of Adobe XD. Set the font size to approximately 30 pixels and select the weight "Medium."

To make the text field larger or smaller, you can simply drag it at the handles. It is important that the text field always has enough space to display the entered text.

4. Set spacing and line height

The Typography design requires a certain degree of sensitivity, especially when it comes to spacing. In the right panel, you can adjust the letter spacing and line height. Experiment with these values to ensure that the text is easy to read and looks pleasant.

Note that thinner font weights may require a larger font size to ensure readability. It may be necessary to choose a slightly bolder font weight when you are using smaller font sizes.

5. Define multiple font styles

You can set different font styles for headlines, subheadings, and body text. For example, create different text fields in sizes 50px, 40px, 30px, and 20px, and don't forget to choose an appropriate font weight.

Then arrange the fonts side by side on the right. This gives you a quick overview of the styles you have defined.

6. Save character styles

A particularly practical feature in Adobe XD is the ability to save character styles. If you have already created a headline, you can save that formatting and easily apply it to other text later. Name the formatting in a way that describes what it is, such as "Headline H1" or "Paragraph," to maintain clarity.

7. Apply text formatting to existing texts

To quickly apply the formats, you can apply the previously defined style to new texts through the character style menu. This streamlines your workflow tremendously because now you don't have to make each change manually.

8. Edit text in the document

If you make changes to a style, for example adjusting the font weight or size, you can do this in the character style, and the adjustments will be immediately applied to all texts in the document that use that format.

Summary – Optimize text and typography in Adobe XD

In this guide, you learned how important it is to choose the right fonts. You learned how to find, install, and effectively apply them in Adobe XD. You can save character styles to stay consistent and optimize your workflow. Don't forget that typography must be not only beautiful but also functional to ensure readability.