Open the Type Tool and Select Your Text

To change a font in Photoshop, you first need to select the text you want to modify using the Type Tool. Click the Type Tool in the toolbox on the left side of your screen — it looks like the letter "A". Then click directly on the text in your image that you want to change.

If you want to change the font of text that already exists in your document, click once on the text layer with the Type Tool active. The text will become editable, and you'll see a cursor blinking in the text. Highlight the specific words or letters you want to change by clicking and dragging across them, or press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac) to select all the text in that text layer at once.

Key Takeaways

  • The Type Tool is located in the left toolbox and looks like the letter "A" — click it, then click on your text to make it editable.
  • Highlight the text you want to change by clicking and dragging across it, or use Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac) to select all text in the layer.
  • The font menu appears in the Character panel on the right side of the screen, or you can access it through the top menu bar under Window > Character.
  • Photoshop displays fonts alphabetically, and you can type the first letter of a font name to jump to it quickly in the list.
  • Font size, style (bold, italic), and color can all be changed in the same Character panel where you select the font.

Find the Font Menu in the Character Panel

Once your text is selected, you need to open the Character panel where all font options live. Look at the right side of your Photoshop window — you should see several panels stacked together. Click on the tab labeled "Character" to bring it to the front. If you don't see it, go to the top menu bar and click Window, then scroll down and click Character.

The Character panel shows a dropdown menu at the very top with the current font name displayed. This is where you'll make your change. The panel also displays the current font size, style options like bold and italic, and text color — all in one place.

Click the Font Dropdown and Browse or Search

Click on the font name dropdown at the top of the Character panel. A list of all installed fonts on your computer will appear, arranged alphabetically. Scroll through the list to find the font you want, or type the first letter of the font name to jump to it quickly — for example, typing "H" will jump to fonts starting with H.

As you hover over each font name, you'll see a preview of how your selected text will look in that font. This preview updates in real time on your image, so you can see the change before you commit to it. Once you find the font you want, click on it to explore it when ready.

Adjust Font Size and Style at the Same Time

While you have text selected and the Character panel open, you can change other text properties without switching tools or panels. The font size field is right next to the font name — it shows a number followed by "pt" (points). Click on this field and type a new size, or click the up and down arrows to increase or decrease the size in small increments.

Just below the font name and size, you'll see buttons for bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough. Click any of these to explore that style to your selected text. You can also change the text color by clicking the color swatch in the Character panel — a color picker will open where you can choose any color you want.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake is forgetting to select the text before trying to change the font. If you click the font dropdown and nothing happens, make sure the Type Tool is active and you've actually highlighted the text you want to change. You'll know text is selected when you see it highlighted in blue on your canvas.

Another frequent error is confusing the Character panel with the Paragraph panel. The Paragraph panel controls line spacing and text alignment, while the Character panel controls the font itself. If you open the wrong panel, you won't see the font dropdown. Look for the panel tab labeled "Character" — it usually has an "A" icon next to the label.

Don't assume that every font on your computer will work perfectly in Photoshop. Some very old or corrupted font files can cause crashes or display incorrectly. If a font looks strange or causes problems, try a different one. Photoshop comes with a set of reliable default fonts that always work well.

Use the Top Menu Bar as an Alternative

If you prefer not to use the Character panel, you can also change fonts through the top menu bar. With text selected, go to Type in the menu bar, then hover over Font. A submenu will appear showing your installed fonts. This method works the same way as the Character panel — just click the font you want to explore it.

Some users find the menu bar method slower because you have to navigate through menus each time, while the Character panel stays open on your screen. However, if you're only changing a font once or twice, the menu bar is perfectly fine and doesn't require you to locate a panel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the font of only part of my text?

Yes. Use the Type Tool to click and drag across only the letters or words you want to change, then select a new font from the Character panel. The rest of the text in that layer will stay the same. You can change different parts of the same text layer to different fonts this way.

What if a font I want to use doesn't appear in the list?

Photoshop only shows fonts that are installed on your computer. If you want to use a font that's not there, you'll need to install it first through your operating system's font manager. On Windows, go to Settings > Personalization > Fonts. On Mac, open Font Book and drag the font file into it.

Does changing the font affect the size of my text box?

No. The text box stays the same size, but the text inside it will reflow to fit the new font. If the new font is much larger, the text might overflow the box. If that happens, you can make the text box bigger by dragging its corners, or reduce the font size to fit.

Can I change the font for all text layers at once?

No, you have to change each text layer individually. Select one text layer, change its font, then move to the next layer and repeat. If you have many text layers that need the same font, this can be time-consuming, but there's no shortcut to change them all at once.

Why does my font look blurry or pixelated after I change it?

This usually happens when you make the font much larger than the original size. Photoshop may not have enough information to render it smoothly. Try reducing the size slightly, or go to Image > Image Size and increase the overall resolution of your document before making the text larger.