Darkmode: the typeface you didn't know you needed

(Image credit: Dalton Maag)

You'd be forgiven for wondering why anyone would need to create a typeface which works across light and dark mode – surely it simply involves changing the colour from black to white? But as independent type foundry Dalton Maag's illuminating new typeface Darkmode reveals, there's a little more to it than that.

The rise of 'dark mode' across several operating systems and their UIs has created an unexpected challenge for those looking to create a consistent visual identity (don't forget to check out our best free fonts if you're looking for inspiration). According to Dalton Maag, white-on-black text is often subconsciously perceived as larger and bolder than the same text presented black-on-white.

Enter Darkmode, a new typeface using "innovative variable font technology". Dalton Maag calls it the first retail font family to offer a ready-built solution to the problem. Darkmode offers two slightly different variants for each weight, which have been "carefully crafted to give a consistent appearance when switching between normal and inverse modes." In other words, the typeface offers two slightly different thicknesses: DarkmodeOn and DarkmodeOff (below).

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Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles. He has interviewed leaders and designers at brands including Apple, Microsoft and Adobe. Daniel's debut book of short stories and poems was published in 2018, and his comedy newsletter is a Substack Bestseller.