Default System Fonts & Leading

Various versions of the Microsoft Reader use different default system fonts. The default font sizing is automatically determined when the Reader opens. Reader selects the font so that the line lengths display as close to 66 characters per line as possible (33 characters per line for Pocket PC devices). The leading is automatically generated as a multiple of the font size, as shown in Auto-Leading Parameters.

For information about default heading leading, see Heading Leading.

Figure 4. Default System Fonts

System Fonts Reader 1.0 (PPC) Reader 1.5 (laptop)
Serif           — Berling Antiqua
San-serif Frutiger Linotype Frutiger Linotype
Monospace Courier New Lucida Sans Typewriter

The system fonts are standardized for six different sizes, and you can select each of them using the Reader's Guidebook. The default font size for the text is set by the content author when the HTML is written; that font size for the entire book can be changed by the reader using the Quick Settings feature in Reader.

Reader selects the default size is during startup. The font it selects depends on the screen size and resolution; typically, this means it chooses the size (from "Fine" to "Extra Big" in Figure 5, System Font Sizes) that most closely matches a line length of 66 characters per line (33 characters per line for Pocket PC devices).

Figure 5. System Font Sizes

Frutiger Linotype Fine Standard Standard+ Big Big+ Extra Big
xxSmall 6 7 9 10 12 16
xSmall 7 9 10 12 14 22
Small 9 10 12 14 16 23
Medium 10 13 14 16 18 26
Large 13 14 16 18 20 30
xLarge 14 16 18 20 22 32
xxLarge 16 18 20 22 24 36
H1 20 22 24 26 28 40
H2 18 20 22 24 26 38
H3 16 18 20 22 24 36
H4 14 16 18 20 22 34
H5 12 14 16 18 20 30
H6 10 12 14 16 18 28
Running Head 9pt Italic 10pt Italic 11pt Italic 12pt Italic 14pt Italic 20pt Italic
Page Number 9pt Roman 10pt Roman 11pt Roman 12pt Roman 14pt Roman 20pt Roman
Berling Antiqua Fine Standard Standard+ Big Big+ Extra Big
xxSmall 7 10 11 13 14 18
xSmall 10 11 13 15 16 26
Small 11 13 14 16 18 30
Medium 13 16 16 18 22 32
Large 16 18 18 22 26 34
xLarge 18 20 22 26 28 36
xxLarge 20 22 26 28 30 38
H1 20 24 26 26 28 48
H2 18 22 24 24 26 44
H3 16 20 22 22 24 40
H4 14 18 20 20 22 36
H5 13 16 18 18 20 34
H6 11 14 16 16 18 30
Running Head 11pt Italic 13pt Italic 13pt Italic 14pt Italic 16pt Italic 24pt Italic
Page Number 11pt Roman 13pt Roman 13pt Roman 14pt Roman 16pt Roman 24pt Roman
Lucida Sans Typewriter Fine Standard Standard+ Big Big+ Extra Big
xxSmall 6 7 8 10 12 16
xSmall 7 8 10 12 14 22
Small 8 10 11 13 16 23
Medium 10 12 13 16 20 28
Large 12 14 16 20 22 32
xLarge 14 18 20 22 24 34
xxLarge 18 20 22 24 26 36
H1 22 26 28 30 32 36
H2 20 24 26 26 30 34
H3 18 20 24 24 26 32
H4 14 18 20 20 24 28
H5 12 14 18 18 20 26
H6 10 12 14 14 18 24
Running Head 8pt Italic 10pt Italic 10pt Italic 12pt Italic 14pt Italic 20pt Italic
Page Number 8pt Roman 10pt Roman 10pt Roman 12pt Roman 14pt Roman 20pt Roman

The leading parameters vary by font, as shown. Notice that Berling Antiqua requires the least leading, and that unknown fonts require the same leading defaults as shown.

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