iOS 4.2 features: Change fonts in Notes [buh bye Marker Felt!]

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

iOS 4.2 brings with it the ability to change fonts in Notes, traditionally locked down to -- what many type snobs would call the torturous -- Marker Felt.

The new default is Chalkboard, a new option is the system standard Helvetica, and Marker Felt is demoted to last.

Oh happy day. Settings pane after the break.

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Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

25 Comments
  • Could we see what it looks like please? Personally I couldn't care less, but great that they're doing it. I know that alot of people whine about it. How bout putting it on Sprint? So many people still want one but don't want to or can't because of their company switch. I just got done talking with someone who was switching from a Samsung droid thing to a BB Bold, unhappily, but it stuck on Sprint. I know, I know, been said a thousand times and totally off topic, but I'm just sayin...
  • I want to see the difference please.
  • Nice
  • Well that just put HelvectiNote out of business.
  • I love Helvetica. Marker Felt is like Apple's Comic Sans. I don't want my notes to look like they were written in Sharpie lol.
  • Yes! Finally! I prefer Helvetica because it is easier to read than the Marker Felt font.
  • Yay. Sick and freakin' tired of that marker font. Also sick and tired of turning Japanese input on and off just to convert to the international font (which looks sort of like Helvetica.)
  • Yay for Helvetica!!!!! This almost makes me want to go back to the Notes app. Hey Apple!! Add in sync support for SimpleNote!!! :P
  • When I wanted to get rid of that font before, I simply changed my keyboard to a Chinese one, pressed space, then changed the keyboard back and volia: no more Chalkboard for that particular note.
    However, I'm glad to see you can change it in settings now: much easier.
  • Non-issue if you sync your notes with mac os mail. Change the type of font there (Mail->preferences–> fonts and colors) and it changes in iPhone's notes as well.
  • Typical Apple, now instead of the worst font, we will be able to select from the two worst fonts and the mist boring.
    Why not just add Arial to the list.
    iOS includes a nice selection of fonts. Just like I have over 200 ringtones on my iPhone and iOS enforces the dying cricket sound for calendar alarms.
  • What is that Default Account: Google part about?
    Can you now sync your notes to Google? Google what? Tasks? Docs?
  • If you go to a font download site on your iDevice, you can select whatever font you would like to use for you notes. You can paste different colours and fonts right into notes!
  • At Last! I thought the previous typeface is somewhat comical.
  • Well it's about damn time. That font was nothing but an eyesore!
  • dont care for this, change the push notfication system please apple.
  • There should be an option to change font within the notes app.
  • Now can we please change the colors in calendar? Drives me crazy!!!
  • You guys were actually bothered by this? lol..
  • Some of you who have perfect eyesight don't quite get it.
    The Felt Marker Font is a PITA if you could not grab a pair of readers to see the note.
    Your on a shopping mission, what ever, and need to see it.
    I figured out a way around it, to make the Font anything I wanted.
    Nothing is easier to read than Optima Modern Type Font, from your font file.
    In Mail, on the Mac, you simply pull up the Note-Notes that were sync'd from iPhone.
    Reformat the Note to the font chosen from the computer, close out of mail.
    Now re-sync on iTunes, and all the Notes will now display the font as you wish.
    No where on Apple site will you find this, and it took me a year to figure it out.
    Cheers
  • jtsglbhlfjubkooixlr, delo zaposlitev, cLrspSzU.
  • Great info, but how do you change the fonts?
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  • I was changing some other settings and saw the different font - and just wanted to see what it looked like - but when I reset it and went to notes it immediately without warning or a chance to say no - threw away all my notes!!! Is there anyway to recover??