Live preview: SF Pro font
Preview shown in Inter, a free open-source font similar to SF Pro (SIL Open Font License). SF Pro itself is not included here.
Inter: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
The SF Pro font is the main member of San Francisco, the system font Apple uses on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Every menu, notification and settings screen on a modern iPhone is set in it. The Apple San Francisco font is also why people want it for app designs, presentations and "iPhone style" edits.
Apple does offer SF Pro as a download, but with strict rules on how it can be used. This page explains the San Francisco font family, where the official SF Pro font download is, what you are allowed to do with it and which free font to use instead. The preview above uses Inter, a free font with a similar feel.
What Is the San Francisco Font?
San Francisco is Apple's own sans serif family. It first appeared on the Apple Watch around 2014 and 2015, then became the system font on iPhone with iOS 9 and on Mac with OS X El Capitan in 2015. It replaced Helvetica Neue, which Apple had used before.
People shorten it to "SF font". The family has several parts:
- SF Pro: the main font for iPhone, iPad and Mac.
- SF Compact: narrower, with flatter round letters, made for small screens like Apple Watch.
- SF Mono: a monospaced version for code, used in apps like Terminal and Xcode.
- New York: a serif partner, used in places like Apple Books and News.
SF Pro Display, SF Pro Text and SF Pro Rounded
SF Pro is not one design for every size. Apple tunes it for how big the text is:
| Style | Used for | What is different |
|---|---|---|
| SF Pro Display | Large text, titles, headings | Tighter spacing, finer details |
| SF Pro Text | Small text, body, labels | Wider spacing, sturdier shapes for clear reading |
| SF Pro Rounded | Friendly UI, badges, fitness and widget numbers | Soft, rounded stroke ends |
The SF Pro Rounded font is popular for friendly icons and number-heavy widgets. On Apple devices the system switches between Display and Text by itself depending on the size. Newer releases also come as a variable font, where one file covers many weights and sizes smoothly. When you design an iPhone mockup by hand, use SF Pro Display for big text and SF Pro Text for small text so it looks like the real thing.
SF Pro Font Download: The Official Way
Many people search for "sf pro display font free download" or "sf pro text font free download" on random sites. You do not need those. To download SF Pro font files legally, go to Apple. Apple offers SF Pro, SF Compact, SF Mono and New York for free on its developer site: developer.apple.com/fonts. The download is a Mac installer.
Now the important part. Free to download does not mean free to use anywhere. Apple's licence lets you use these fonts to design and build for Apple platforms, such as mockups of an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch app. It does not allow using SF Pro for:
- a logo or brand identity,
- a general website or poster,
- Android or Windows app designs.
Read the licence that comes with the download before you use it. If your project is not an Apple-platform design, pick a free alternative instead. Copies of the San Francisco font download on third-party sites do not change these rules.
Free Font Similar to SF Pro
The best free choice is Inter. It was built for screens, has a tall x-height, neutral shapes and many weights, so it feels very close to SF Pro in apps and websites. It is free under the SIL Open Font License, so you can use it for logos and commercial work too.
Other options:
- Roboto: Android's familiar system font, slightly more mechanical.
- Nunito or Nunito Sans: if you want a font similar to SF Pro Rounded, these have soft, round shapes.
- JetBrains Mono: a free stand-in for SF Mono in code.
For websites, use the system font stack: font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Inter, "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif;. Apple visitors see San Francisco from their own device, which is allowed, and others see Inter or their own system font.
San Francisco Font for Android and Instagram
Many Android users search for a San Francisco font download for Android or a San Francisco font APK. Here is the honest answer about the San Francisco font on Android:
- Apple's licence does not allow SF Pro on Android, so there is no legal Android San Francisco font download.
- Apps or APK files that claim to install it are unofficial. Some carry ads or unsafe code, so avoid them.
- Changing the whole phone font depends on your brand. Some phones have a font option in settings or a theme store, but they offer their own fonts.
- For an Android app design, use Inter or Roboto instead of San Francisco font for Android screens.
On Instagram, SF Pro is not a set of letters you can copy and paste. On an iPhone your bio already shows in San Francisco because it is the system font, but others see your text in their own phone's font. For an iPhone-like look on Android, read our iPhone font guide. For styled text that looks the same on every phone, try the Unicode styles in our font generator.
Common questions
Is the SF Pro font free?
It is free to download from Apple's developer site, but the licence only allows using it to design for Apple platforms. For logos, general websites, posters or Android designs, use a free font like Inter.
What is the difference between SF Pro and San Francisco?
San Francisco is the whole family name. SF Pro is its main member for iPhone, iPad and Mac, next to SF Compact, SF Mono and the New York serif.
Should I use SF Pro Display or SF Pro Text?
Use SF Pro Display for large text such as titles and headings, and SF Pro Text for small text like body copy and labels. Apple's own guidelines switch around the 20 point size.
Can I use SF Pro in Figma or Canva?
In Figma you can install SF Pro from Apple's site and use it for Apple-platform app mockups. Canva does not include SF Pro, and the licence does not cover general graphic design, so use Inter there.
Is there a San Francisco font text generator?
Not a real one. San Francisco is a system font file, so text you copy keeps no font, and each phone shows it in its own font. Our font generator gives Unicode styles that paste anywhere instead.
What font did Apple use before San Francisco?
Apple used Helvetica Neue on iPhone and Mac for a few years, and Lucida Grande on the Mac before that. San Francisco replaced Helvetica Neue in 2015. See our Helvetica font page.
Is SSF font the same as SF Pro?
"SSF font name" is usually a typo for SF font. SF stands for San Francisco, and SF Pro is the main font in that family.