UI Design

20 Common Typography Mistakes in UI Design

Typography mistakes can throw off the look and feel of your design. Whether it’s using too many fonts or poor alignment, these mistakes can confuse users and make your interface less effective.

Typography plays a big role in how people engage with your content, so getting it right is key. In this article, we’ll break down some of the most common typography mistakes and how to fix them so your design looks clean and easy to read.

Let’s dive in!

Angry 3D female character with glasses thinking about typography

1. Inconsistency

Making typography mistakes is common, and inconsistency is one of the most often-seen issues. Being inconsistent with spacing, sizes, typeface usage, and font usage can all be a massive sign of amateurism.

To achieve consistency, we highly recommend using a type system or type scale. If you choose not to follow it and use the same style for different purposes, you’re still being inconsistent. But fear of being inconsistent can lead to something that is quite often seen: having many unused styles.

Beginners, for example, often define six levels of headings with every design they make. But in reality, they only use two or three. We suggest that you only introduce and define a new style if there is a specific need and use case for it.

Inconsistent typography one of typography mistakes in UI Design

2. Linear Scaling

One of the common typography mistakes is linear scaling. It is often recommended, especially by graphic designers. But it is also too limiting for UI purposes.

Using linear scaling can lead to massive type sizes that simply do not fit in web and mobile apps. Instead of linear scaling, go for a contextual or responsive scaling system. That way, you can adjust text sizes more responsively and ensure better readability.

Example of type scale

3. Cheesy Typefaces

One of the most overused typography mistakes by designers is using cheesy typefaces. They can feel different, interesting, and attention-grabbing all at once. 

Beginners often think they should use those typefaces because they have the power of a graphic tool. But we know that this is not the case. A neutral typeface will beat overly designed and cheesy typefaces every single time.

Cheesy typefaces

4. Using Off-Brand Typefaces

Let’s say you are working for a bold new startup ready to disrupt an entire industry. You wouldn’t want to use a safe, neutral typeface for it.

Using off-brand typefaces is next on our list of typography mistakes. We recommend that you seek attributes that you would love your design to communicate. It’s vital to select the typefaces you use based on their suitability.

Using off-brand typefaces

5. Abusing Styling Options

Another one on the list of common typography mistakes is abusing styling options.

Don’t overuse styling options to increase contrast. Remember that you don’t have to italicize, bold, underline, and change the color of a line of text all at once. Less is more, and we really can’t stress this enough.

Abusing styling options, good and bad example

6. Using Display Typefaces for Body Text

Using display typefaces for body text is one of the more crucial typography mistakes you can make. We highly recommend that you avoid doing that

The other way around is possible, and sometimes even with no or minimal adjustments. Display typefaces aren’t made for long paragraphs and small sizes. Their function is to catch the eye

Display fonts are great for large headings. But at smaller sizes, they are hard to read. This is a problem for body text, where readability is key. That is why simpler, more neutral fonts are the preferred choice for body text.

Using Display Typefaces for Body Text

7. Clashing Type Personalities

Another one on the list of common typography mistakes is clashing type personalities. Unless the brand you’re designing for is eccentric, don’t clash with the personalities of the typefaces you use. 

A good example would be if one typeface communicates trustworthiness and professionalism. While the other communicates playfulness and childishness.

Clashing Type Personalities

8. Pairing Very Similar Typefaces

One of the common typography mistakes you can make as a designer is pairing similar typefaces. When you pair typefaces too similar typefaces that are too similar, it becomes hard to tell them apart, making the design look like an error

It’s important to make sure there’s enough contrast between the typefaces you have chosen to make them work. It’s also important that you assign meanings to both and stick to them. That works for any style in a type system, even if you’re working with one typeface.

Another crucial tip we have for you is that you don’t use label styling for body text if you already have a style created for it. Instead, apply the pre-set body text style with consistency throughout the design. That way, you’ll ensure readability and visual consistency.

Pairing Very Similar Typefaces is one of Typography Mistakes

9. Always Using Two Typefaces

As we mentioned before, we recommend you don’t use more than two typefaces. But sometimes, even using two is too much. 

This one is not as big of a mistake as other typography mistakes you can make, but it’s one worth noting. Again, only introduce a new typeface when and if there’s a need and advantage for it.

Sometimes even using two typefaces can be too much, use different weights

10. Going Too Light

If you’re using typefaces that are too light, you’re ruining legibility, which can be one of the harshest typography mistakes you can make. 

Especially if you use too light typefaces for headings. Sometimes there’s just not enough contrast for them to really work. Yes, they can make the brand feel a little more luxurious, but you must ensure there’s a balance to it.

Using too light weight is really common typography mistake in UI Design

Get 3 Free Preview Lessons

Sign up now, and you’ll receive 3 free video lessons from our The Ultimate UI Typography Masterclass.

"*" indicates required fields

Can we contact you about freebies and educational resources we release in the future? We won’t spam and you can unsubscribe at any time in case you change your mind.*

11. Extreme Widths

Too extended and too condensed widths only work in specific cases. We recommend avoiding these if you are a beginner

We recommend that you avoid using these widths if you are going to use them for small screen sizes. They can easily become illegible, making this one of the most eye-catching typography mistakes you can make. 

UI design must be adaptable across various screen sizes, from mobile to desktop. Extreme widths may look acceptable on one device but become unreadable or awkward on others. This can lead to poor scalability and affect the design’s responsiveness. By avoiding this mistake, you are ensuring a smooth and enjoyable user experience.

Typefaces with extreme wide or narrow width

12. No Letter Spacing

One of the most common typography mistakes designers make is forgetting about letter spacing. This is crucial if you intend to use font styling or if you use all caps. 

Letter spacing is crucial for users with visual impairments or reading difficulties. A lack of spacing can make the text harder to process, reducing the accessibility of your design. Avoiding this mistake will make your designs readable, clean, and professional. You’ll also improve the overall user experience.

No letter spacing

13. Missing Characters

You really don’t want to end up with missing characters, which is the next mistake on our list of typography mistakes. 

To avoid this mistake, we would highly recommend you check the characters of the typeface before you choose one. That way you’ll save yourself so much time, which is always very significant.

Example of a font family with missing characters

14. Rags, Widows, and Orphans

Rags, widows, and orphans are next on our list of typography mistakes, but first, let’s break down the differences between them.

Rags are uneven, irregular edges of a block of text that can be visually unappealing. By adjusting the text alignment or altering the text flow, you can control them.

Widows are single words or very short lines of text. They are the last line of a paragraph that appears alone. A widow can disrupt the flow of the text and look awkward. You can avoid widows by adjusting the text or spacing.

Orphans are also single words or very short lines of text, just as widows are. The difference is that orphans are the first line of a paragraph that appears alone on the page. Like widows, orphans can disrupt readability and flow. Proper text arrangement and adjustments can help eliminate orphans.

Avoiding rags, widows, and orphans is vital if you want to ensure that the text is not only visually appealing but also functional. With dynamic content, this might be impossible, but we highly recommend checking the characters of the typeface before you choose one. That way, you’ll save yourself a lot of time. We recommend you always test the potential copy and see how to style the text to avoid these mistakes.

Rags, Widows, and Orphans

15. Using Obliques

Next on our list of common typography mistakes is using oblique typefaces. They are slanted versions of regular ones. 

Oblique typefaces can reduce readability, especially in long texts or small sizes. The slant can make characters harder to distinguish, impacting the overall clarity of the text. You should avoid using oblique typefaces. 

Instead, you should always look for typefaces that have italics if you want to use this styling.

Obliques as an example of "fake" italic

16. Styling Text Directly In The Textbox

We highly recommend that you avoid styling text directly in the text box, which is the next mistake on our list of typography mistakes. Beginner designers commonly make this mistake.

They often style the text in the textbox using multiple styles. Doing that will make it extremely hard for developers, and it’s going to frustrate you if you have to edit parts of that text later. We would recommend using multiple layers for different styles.

Do not put different text style in the same textbox in Figma

17. Abusing Color

We all look for patterns and reasons behind design choices, and overusing color can lead users to gather unintended meanings. Too much use of color may signal interactivity to users. 

If those elements are not interactive, it can lead to a frustrating experience for users. To avoid that, use color to signal interactivity. You can also use color for accents, but do that rarely.

Abusing colors

18. Sloppy Typesetting

This might not seem like a big mistake, but in reality, it is. Sloppy typesetting can make your design look unprofessional and beginner-like

It’s crucial to take special care of punctuation, special characters, use hanging quotations, and the right dashes. This mistake also hurts readability. Incorrect punctuation or uneven spacing can break the reading flow. This makes it extremely hard for developers, and it will frustrate you if you have to edit parts of that text later.

Sloppy typesetting can look unprofessional

19. Not Testing Typefaces On Different Devices

This is the least common mistake on our list of typography mistakes, but it can happen. Sometimes, a typeface looks amazing in Figma but horrible on a different device. Yes, that can happen. 

That’s why it’s important to test the typeface and see how it looks on a different device before choosing to go with it.

A guy having a hard time reading a text from a phone

20. Type Rendering Problems

Type rendering problems are very common. The issue most often occurs on Windows machines when using custom web fonts.

To avoid this, you should always check the font compatibility, use web-safe fonts, and test across devices and browsers. That way, you’ll ensure the text looks sharp, legible, and consistent across various platforms.

Example of smooth sharp typography, and blurred typography

Conclusion

Avoiding these common typography mistakes is crucial. Not only will it make your designs functional, but it will also make them more visually appealing. Since typography plays a big role in how people engage with your content, getting it right is the key.

Are you ready to feel confident in your design decisions and become the design professional you always wanted to be? Then The Ultimate UI Typography Masterclass is what you need. It addresses every single one of your concerns to make your learning experience immersive and practical. Let The Ultimate UI Typography Masterclass exceed your expectations of online design education.

We hope you liked our Common Typography Mistakes guide. To deepen the conversation, please join our growing and wholesome community of product designers on Instagram.

If you want to widen your knowledge about typography by learning from industry professionals, check out The Ultimate UI Typography Masterclass!

For other valuable educational resources, explore our Learn section. Here, we offer heaps of courses, workbooks, and other resources that will help you improve your skills in UX/UI.

Happy designing! 🤗

The Ultimate UI Typography Masterclass

Master the most fundamental UI design skill and elevate your designs forever

Make your designs from average to stunning by enrolling in this engaging, practical, and all-inclusive video course. It’s time to learn all the secrets, feel confident in your design decisions, and become the design professional you always wanted to be!

You might like the following
Blog Articles