{{short description|Neo-grotesque sans-serif typeface}} {{for|the "ransom note" typeface|San Francisco (decorative typeface)}} {{More citations needed|date=June 2021}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2014}} {{infobox typeface | name = San Francisco | image = File:SF Pro - Preview.svg | style = Sans-serif | classifications = Neo-grotesque | foundry = Apple Inc. | releasedate = November 18, 2014 | license = Proprietary | based_on = Helvetica <br /> FF DIN <br /> Roboto <br /> Arial | variations = SF Pro <br /> SF Condensed <br /> SF Compressed <br /> SF Expanded <br /> SF Compact <br /> SF Mono <br /> SF Camera | aka = SF | website = https://developer.apple.com/fonts/ | latest_release_version = 20.0d10e1 | arabic = yes | cyrillic = yes | greek = yes | ipa = yes | latin = yes }} '''San Francisco''' (also known as '''SF Pro''') is a neo-grotesque sans-serif typeface made by Apple Inc. It was first released to developers on November 18, 2014.<ref name="FastCoDesign"/><ref name="TNW"/> It is the first new typeface designed at Apple in nearly twenty years, and was inspired by Helvetica and FF DIN.<ref name="FastCoDesign"/>
==Variants== {| class="wikitable" !Name !Type !Introduced !Common Usage |- |SF Pro ''or'' SF UI |Normal |2015 |System font for Apple software |- |SF Condensed |Condensed |2016 |Apple News, Stocks, Maps |- |SF Compressed |Compressed |2020 |Apple News, Photos |- |SF Expanded |Expanded |2021 |Maps, Photos |- |SF Compact |Compact |2015 |watchOS, Camera (iOS 9), Photos, keyboards, product text |- |SF Mono |Monospaced |2016 |Monospaced body text in software such as Terminal, Console, and Xcode |- |SF Camera |Regular |2019 |Camera (iOS 13) |- |SF TV<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tbwamedia-arts-lab_at-mal-we-partnered-with-apple-tv-to-reimagine-activity-7391899271060582400-8OW9/ |title=TBWA/Media Arts Lab |website=LinkedIn |access-date=2025-12-16}}</ref> |Regular |2025 |Apple TV (service) |}
SF has the codename SFNS in macOS and SFUI in iOS, regardless of the official name.
Stylistic fonts exist, which are mainly present in the iOS 16 Lock Screen, Apple Cash, watchOS Watch Faces, and several promotional materials. These include chiseled, dotted, prisma, railed, slab-serif, and stenciled versions. Semi-rounded versions of the regular, railed, slab-serif, and stenciled versions also exist. Beyond this, other typefaces are used, such as a rounded geometric typeface used in watch faces, such as Numerals Duo, and a cursive typeface used for promotional materials and the setup screen since iOS 15.
Some variants have two optical sizes: "display" for large and "text" for small text. The letters in the "text" size have larger apertures and more generous letter-spacing than in the "display" size. The operating system automatically chooses the "display" size for sizes of at least 20 points and the "text" size for smaller size.<ref name="wwdc2015" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/2019/design-principles-applied-to-sf-fonts/ |archive-date=12 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212151245/https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/2019/design-principles-applied-to-sf-fonts/ |title=Design Principles Applied to the SF Fonts |website=Jim Nielsen’s Blog |date=2019-09-05 |access-date=2023-12-12}}</ref> Variable grades were eventually added in newer versions. A separate variable numeral font is used for the Lock Screen timer from iOS 26, where the numerals are boxier in regular widths, similar to SF Compact.
===SF Pro/SF UI=== UI font for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS. In 2017, a revised version, '''SF Pro''' was introduced, supporting an expanded list of weights, optical sizes, glyphs and languages.<ref>{{Cite web |archive-date=April 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421044214/https://www.designernews.co/stories/84408-ios-11-silently-introduces-sf-pro-with-almost-1000-new-glyphs-and-support-for-more-languages-|title=iOS 11 silently introduces SF Pro with almost 1000 new glyphs and support for more languages |url=https://www.designernews.co/stories/84408-ios-11-silently-introduces-sf-pro-with-almost-1000-new-glyphs-and-support-for-more-languages- |access-date=2019-04-21 |website=Designer News |language=en |url-status=dead}}</ref> '''SF Pro Text''' and '''SF Pro Display''' come in nine weights (the Text version had only six weights when introduced) plus corresponding italics. '''SF Pro Rounded''' (codename SFUIRounded), which comes in the same nine weights and has the same figure as the "Display" version but with rounded corners, was introduced in 2018.
These fonts, for use in different languages, can be found on the Apple website in their corresponding regions of use as variations of SF Pro: * '''SF Pro AR''' and '''SF Pro TH''' are fonts for Arabic<ref>{{Cite tweet|title=「SF Arabic beta」 新しいアラビックフォントが追加されました。 あまり使う機会がないかも知れないですが #WWDC21|user=NobtakaJP|number=1402064087920480283|language=ja}}</ref> and Thai scripts respectively. * '''SF Pro SC''', '''SF Pro TC''' and '''SF Pro HK''' are Chinese fonts; they are labeled as the PingFang family. * '''SF Pro JP''' is Japanese font; it is labeled as the AXIS Std family. * '''SF Pro KR''' is Korean font; it is labeled as the Sandoll GothicNeo1 family.
SF Pro is a variable font that also has variable widths in conjunction with weights, optical sizes, and grades. One of them is a print-optimized variant, '''SF Hello''', which is restricted to Apple employees and permitted contractors and vendors, and is therefore unavailable for public use.<ref>{{Citation |title=Apple Identity Guidelines |url=https://training.apple.com/content/dam/appletraining/us/en/2022/documents/Apple_ID_Guidelines_Channel_180919.pdf |archive-date=16 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416225031/https://training.apple.com/content/dam/appletraining/us/en/2022/documents/Apple_ID_Guidelines_Channel_180919.pdf|access-date=2023-04-16}}</ref> Additionally, since iOS 16, the variable typeface is used for the lock screen clock, alongside the Metropolitan typeface introduced in watchOS 9. This allows for additional fonts derived from SF Pro as shown below.
====SF Condensed==== A condensed variant of SF Pro. '''SF Condensed Text''' has six weights, while '''SF Condensed Display''' has nine. Variants are internally named '''SF Cash''', '''SF Shields''', and '''SF Condensed Photos'''.
====SF Compressed==== A compressed variant of SF Pro. Vertical edges are fully straight and kerning is much closer, unlike in SF Condensed.
====SF Expanded==== Internally called SF Wide, it is an extended/widened variant of SF Pro.
===SF Compact=== The initial version introduced with the Apple Watch and watchOS, later rebranded as SF Compact with the introduction of SF UI at WWDC 2015. Its characters' round curves are flatter than those of SF Pro, allowing the letters to be laid out with more space between them, thereby making the text more legible at small sizes, which the Apple Watch's small screen demands.<ref name="wwdc2015"/> SF Compact Rounded was introduced in 2016.
Like SF Pro after it, SF Compact comes in Text and Display optical sizes as well as a Rounded version with the same figure as the "Display" version but with rounded corners. All three versions each come in the same nine weights as SF Pro (the Text version had only six when introduced), and likewise only the "Text" and "Display" versions have corresponding italics.
===SF Mono=== A monospaced variant. UI font for the Terminal, Console, and Xcode applications.<ref>{{Citation |url=https://medium.com/@shashikant.jagtap/getting-apples-sf-mono-font-in-macos-1de5183add84 |archive-date=18 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218144949/https://medium.com/@shashikant.jagtap/getting-apples-sf-mono-font-in-macos-1de5183add84 |title=Getting Apple's SF Mono Font in Mac OS |date=September 4, 2017|access-date=2019-01-03}}</ref> It was introduced at WWDC 2016.<ref name="DesignerNews"/> SF Mono comes in six weights with corresponding italics.
===SF Camera=== Introduced on September 10, 2019 at Apple's keynote; Phil Schiller mentioned it while summarizing the camera updates on iPhone 11 Pro. This variant has a boxier design than SF Pro, giving it an industrial and professional look. Its figure and tracking are similar to SF Compact Text. It was replaced with SF Compact Rounded in the Camera app in iOS 26.
===New York=== {{Main|New York (2019 typeface)}} [[File:NewYork2019Specimen.svg|thumb|The 2019 'New York' typeface]] New York is a serif variant of San Francisco. It was introduced as SF Serif (codename Serif UI) at WWDC 2018 as the UI font for the redesigned Apple Books app for iOS 12.<ref>{{Cite news |archive-date=11 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711022119/https://www.imore.com/apple-books-whats-new-ios-12 |title=Apple Books: What's new in iOS 12 |language=en |work=iMore |url=https://www.imore.com/apple-books-whats-new-ios-12 |access-date=2018-07-10}}</ref> It was officially released as 'New York' on the Apple Developer site on June 3, 2019.<ref name="Apple Developer Fonts" /> The typeface comes in Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large sizes, each in six weights and corresponding italics. It also includes OpenType features for lining and old-style figures in both proportional and tabular widths.
This typeface differs from, and is not related to, Apple's 1983 typeface named 'New York' for the original Macintosh.
==Variable fonts== Apple introduced the OpenType Font Variations feature of their SF fonts in WWDC20.<ref>{{Cite web |archive-date=11 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611221221/https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10175/ |title=The details of UI typography - WWDC 2020 - Videos |url=https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10175/ |access-date=2021-06-05 |website=Apple Developer |language=en}}</ref> It is included as a TrueType Font in the installer file on the Developer website. On WWDC22, variable width option is introduced to the font family.
* '''SF Pro''' feature variable weights, variable widths, and variable optical sizes of between "text" and "display". * '''SF Pro Italic''', and '''SF Compact''' feature variable weights and variable optical sizes of between "text" and "display". * '''SF Compact Italic''' features variable weights but has "text" optical size only. * '''New York''' and '''New York Italic''' feature variable weights and variable optical sizes between "small" and "extra large".
==SF Symbols== '''SF Symbols''' refers to symbols and icons used in the Apple operating systems. Apple's symbols are included as glyphs in the font file of SF Pro, SF Pro Rounded, SF Compact, and SF Compact Rounded (also in their variable font file). Each symbol is available in 3 sizes. These symbols change their thickness and negative space according to chosen weight and utilize the OpenType Variation feature. The SF Symbols app provides refined alignment, multicolor, and localization of symbols.<ref>{{Cite web |archive-date=18 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250218223806/https://developer.apple.com/sf-symbols/ |title=SF Symbols |url=https://developer.apple.com/sf-symbols/ |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=Apple Developer |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |archive-date=11 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611221226/https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10207/ |title=SF Symbols 2 - WWDC 2020 - Videos |url=https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10207/ |access-date=2021-06-05 |website=Apple Developer |language=en}}</ref> Different arrangement of some Unicode code points result in different symbols when switching between variants, and some symbols have noticeably fewer details in some variants.
These symbols are available for developers to use in their apps on Apple platforms only. Developers are allowed to customize it to desired styles and colors, but certain symbols may not be modified and may only be used to refer to its respective Apple services or devices as listed in the license description.
==Usage== Since its introduction, San Francisco has gradually replaced most of Apple's other typefaces on their software and hardware products and for overall branding<ref name="appletvui">{{Cite web |author=Apple |date=2015 |archive-date=6 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006185348/https://developer.apple.com/tvos/human-interface-guidelines/visual-design/ |title="Visual Design - Apple TV Human Interface Guidelines - Apple Developer" |access-date=2015-10-04 |url=https://developer.apple.com/tvos/human-interface-guidelines/visual-design/}}.</ref> and has replaced Lucida Grande and Helvetica Neue as the system typeface of macOS and iOS since OS X El Capitan and iOS 9.<ref name="Apple Watch HIG" /><ref name="Apple Developer Fonts" /><ref name="wired" /> Apple uses it on its website and for its product wordmarks, where it replaced Myriad Pro, which had been in use since 2002. It is also used on Magic Keyboard and on the keyboard of the 2015 MacBook and on the 2016 MacBook Pro, replacing VAG Rounded.<ref name="NextWeb2015" /> It is also used as Apple's corporate typeface since 2017.<ref>{{Cite news |archive-date=13 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413065649/https://www.macrumors.com/2017/01/24/apple-website-san-francisco-font/ |url=https://www.macrumors.com/2017/01/24/apple-website-san-francisco-font/ |title=Apple Adopts San Francisco Typeface for Apple.com Website |access-date=2018-04-21 |language=en}}</ref>
Apple restricts the usage of the typeface by others. It is licensed to registered third-party developers only for the design and development of applications for Apple's platforms.<ref name="Apple Developer Fonts" /> Only SF Pro, SF Compact, SF Mono, SF Arabic, SF Hebrew and New York variants are available for download on Developer website and they are the only SF variants allowed to be used by developers.
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' described the font as having nothing to do with the city and just being "Helvetica on a low-carb diet".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hartlaub |first=Peter |date=2021-04-19 |archive-date=19 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419191753/https://www.sfchronicle.com/oursf/article/San-Francisco-finally-has-its-own-font-And-the-16109954.php |title=San Francisco finally has its own font. And the inspiration was truly historic |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/oursf/article/San-Francisco-finally-has-its-own-font-And-the-16109954.php |access-date=2021-04-19 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref>
==See also== * Cantarell * IBM Plex * Roboto * Noto * Segoe * Product Sans *Typography of Apple Inc.
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="FastCoDesign">{{Cite news |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3038794/apple-releases-its-most-important-typeface-in-20-years |work=Fast Company |archive-date=15 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215223242/https://www.fastcompany.com/3038794/apple-releases-its-most-important-typeface-in-20-years |title=Apple Releases Its Most Important Typeface in 20 Years |first=John |last=Brownlee |date=November 19, 2014 |access-date=2023-02-15}}</ref> <ref name="TNW">{{Cite news |url=https://thenextweb.com/apple/2014/11/18/meet-apples-new-font-designed-watch/ |work=The Next Web |archive-date=22 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722091050/https://thenextweb.com/apple/2014/11/18/meet-apples-new-font-designed-watch/ |title=Meet Apple's new font, designed for its smartwatch |first=Owen |last=Williams |date=November 18, 2014 |access-date=June 13, 2015}}</ref> <ref name="Apple Developer Fonts">{{cite web |url=https://developer.apple.com/fonts/ |archive-date=13 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250613140723/https://developer.apple.com/fonts/ |title=Fonts - Apple Developer |website=Apple Developer | publisher=Apple Inc. |access-date=2015-06-13}}</ref> <ref name="Apple Watch HIG">{{cite web |url=https://developer.apple.com/watch/human-interface-guidelines/specifications/#typography |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615205457/https://developer.apple.com/watch/human-interface-guidelines/specifications/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2015-06-15 |title=Typography |work=Apple Watch Human Interface Guidelines |publisher=Apple Inc. |access-date=2015-06-13}}</ref> <ref name="NextWeb2015">{{cite news |last=Wright |first=Mic |archive-date=4 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704070128/https://thenextweb.com/apple/2015/03/09/the-new-macbook-shows-san-francisco-is-more-than-just-the-apple-watch-font/ |title=The new MacBook shows San Francisco is more than just the Apple Watch font |url=https://thenextweb.com/apple/2015/03/09/the-new-macbook-shows-san-francisco-is-more-than-just-the-apple-watch-font/ |work=The Next Web |date=March 9, 2015 |access-date=2015-05-29}}</ref> <ref name="wwdc2015">{{cite web |first=Antonio |last=Cavedoni |archive-date=5 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905102459/https://developer.apple.com/videos/wwdc/2015/?id=804 |title=Introducing the New System Fonts |website=WWDC 2015 |publisher=Apple Inc. |date=June 12, 2015 |url=https://developer.apple.com/videos/wwdc/2015/?id=804}}</ref> <ref name="wired">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2015/06/apple-abandoned-worlds-beloved-typeface/ |title=Why Apple Abandoned the World's Most Beloved Typeface |first=Liz |last=Stinson |magazine=Wired | date=June 9, 2015 |access-date=2015-06-13 |archive-date=13 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613234206/https://www.wired.com/2015/06/apple-abandoned-worlds-beloved-typeface/}}</ref> <ref name="DesignerNews">{{cite news |last=Nowell |first=Peter |url=https://www.designernews.co/stories/67681-apple-reveals-san-francisco-monospaced-font |title=Apple Reveals San Francisco Monospaced Font |archive-date=October 19, 2016 |access-date=July 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019003838/https://www.designernews.co/stories/67681-apple-reveals-san-francisco-monospaced-font |url-status=dead}}</ref> }}
==External links== * [https://developer.apple.com/fonts/ San Francisco] on Apple's developer website {{OS X typefaces}} {{Monospaced fonts}}
Category:Apple Inc. typefaces Category:Sans-serif typefaces Category:Monospaced typefaces Category:Typefaces with optical sizes Category:Computer-related introductions in 2014 Category:Typefaces and fonts introduced in 2014 Category:Cyrillic typefaces Category:Display typefaces Category:Greek typefaces Category:Latin-script typefaces