Guide

AutoCAD Text Style : A definition of text appearance, including font and size

This guide explains AutoCAD text styles in clear, practical detail: what they are, why and when to use them, step‑by‑step how to create and edit them, alternative approaches, common errors and fixes, and actionable tips to keep your drawings consistent and professional.

What is a Text style?

A text style in AutoCAD is a saved definition of text appearance that controls the font, height, width factor, oblique angle, and other text properties used by single-line text (TEXT) and multiline text (MTEXT). A style lets you apply a consistent visual standard across a drawing or a whole template (DWT).

Key components of a text style:

  • Font (TrueType TTF or SHX polygonal)
  • Text height (can be fixed or set to 0 so object height is specified when placing text)
  • Width factor (controls horizontal compression/stretch)
  • Oblique angle (slant)
  • Annotative flag (for scale-aware text)

Why use text styles?

Using text styles provides several practical benefits:

  • Consistency: ensure all notes, labels, and annotations use the same fonts and sizes.
  • Efficiency: change appearance globally by editing a single style rather than every text object.
  • Standards compliance: enforce office or discipline standards (e.g., title block text vs. note text).
  • Scalability: use annotative styles so text automatically scales by viewport annotation scale.
  • Template control: store styles in a template to ensure new drawings start with approved settings.

When to use annotative vs fixed-height text

  • Use annotative text when you need the text to scale automatically to match viewport/annotation scales (typical for plan, elevation, detail views at different scales).
    • Set Text Height = 0 in the style and enable the Annotative property.
  • Use fixed-height text when the text must always be a specific plotted size regardless of annotation scale (less common for notes; common for title blocks).
    • Set a nonzero Text Height in the style, or lock height at object creation.
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How to create a text style — step-by-step

  1. Type STYLE in the command line and press Enter (or open the Text Style manager from the ribbon).
  2. Click New, give the style a descriptive name (e.g., NOTES_3mm, TITLEBLOCK).
  3. Select a Font Name:
    • Choose a TrueType (TTF) font for consistent OS rendering and PDF output.
    • Choose an SHX font for traditional CAD font look and lighter files.
  4. Set Height:
    • Use 0 if you plan to set the height when creating each text object (recommended for annotative text).
    • Use a fixed value (e.g., 2.5 mm) for title blocks or when text must be exact.
  5. Set Width Factor (default 1.0) and Oblique Angle if required.
  6. Check Annotative if you want style to be annotation-scale aware.
  7. Click Apply / Close.

Notes:

  • After creating the style, choose it as the current style for TEXT and MTEXT when placing new text.
  • For MTEXT, select the style in the MTEXT editor or properties.

How to apply a text style to existing text

Method A — Properties palette:

  1. Select the text objects (TEXT or MTEXT).
  2. Press Ctrl+1 to open Properties.
  3. Change the Style property to your desired style.

Method B — Match Properties:

  1. Create a sample text object with the desired style.
  2. Use the MATCHPROP command (or the Match Properties toolbar button).
  3. Select the source object, then the target objects to apply the style and other properties.

Method C — Replace via command:

  1. Use the -STYLE or STYLE dialog to edit the style. Existing objects referencing that style update automatically when you change the style (unless the object has overridden properties).

How to edit text styles

  1. Type STYLE and press Enter.
  2. Select the style to modify.
  3. Change properties: Font, Height, Width Factor, Oblique Angle, Annotative.
  4. Click Apply. Objects using that style update immediately.
  5. If text doesn’t update visually, run REGEN or REGENALL.

Special cases:

  • To change the font for many drawings, consider updating a template (DWT) or using a script/batch replace process.
  • For block-contained text, you must edit and redefine the block if text in the block uses the style or override properties.
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Alternative methods & related workflows

  • Use Layer-based control for logical grouping (e.g., NOTES, DIMENSIONS) and combine with styles for uniform appearance.
  • Use Dimension Styles (DIMSTYLE) for dimension text; dimension text is controlled by DIMSTYLE, not regular text styles.
  • Use text height of 0 in a style and control actual size by annotative scaling, or by setting object height at creation.
  • Use text override in blocks sparingly — prefer attributes and consistent styles so updates are easier.
  • Use DWT templates to store approved text styles for office standards.

Common errors and fixes

Error: Text appears as a different font or as boxes/garbled characters

  • Fix: The exact font is not installed on the computer. Install the missing TTF or SHX file or map the font in FONTALT or acad.fmp.

Error: Annotative text doesn’t change size in viewports

  • Fix: Ensure the style is set as Annotative, the text height is 0 (if intended), and the viewport has the correct annotation scale. Use ANNOUPDATE or refresh annotation visibility.

Error: Text too large or too small after changing style

  • Fix: Check if the style has a nonzero Text Height. If you want size controlled by object, set style height to 0 and specify height when placing text or use annotative scaling.

Error: Fonts look different when plotting or exporting to PDF

  • Fix: Switch between TTF and SHX fonts depending on output needs. Use system-installed TTFs for consistent PDF rendering.

Error: Block text doesn’t update after style change

  • Fix: Edit the block (REFEDIT or BLOCKEDIT), update the text style inside the block, then REDEFINE the block or explode and recreate if necessary.

Error: Stacked fractions or special symbols not displaying correctly

  • Fix: Use MTEXT with the stacked fraction or special character formatting, and ensure the chosen font supports the characters.

Tips and best practices

  • Use clear, consistent naming conventions (e.g., NOTES_2.5mm, DIM_TEXT, TITLE_5mm) to make styles easy to select.
  • Store standard styles in a DWT template to ensure new drawings use the same standards.
  • Prefer annotative styles for general annotation across multiple scales — but avoid excessive Annotative objects which can bloat files.
  • Use Text Height = 0 for styles intended to be scaled per object or per viewport.
  • Keep a small set of fonts (and ensure they are installed on all users’ machines) to avoid substitution issues.
  • Use SHX for classic CAD look and lower file sizes; use TTF when exporting to PDF or when you need advanced font features.
  • Use Match Properties to quickly apply style changes to many objects without disturbing layer assignments or other properties.
  • Document your office standards (font names, heights at various scales) and add them to your template.
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FAQ

How do I make text automatically match the viewport scale?

Enable Annotative on the text style and set the style’s Text Height to 0. Create the text with the proper annotation scale or add the required annotation scale to the object. Verify the viewport’s Annotation Scale matches the desired scale.

What is the difference between SHX and TTF fonts and which should I use?

SHX are AutoCAD shape fonts (lightweight, traditional CAD appearance). TTF are Windows TrueType fonts (more typographic features and consistent PDF rendering). Use SHX for classic CAD output and performance; use TTF for presentation, office standards, or when precise typographic rendering in PDFs is required.

Why does text look different on another computer?

Because the other computer may not have the same fonts installed. Install the missing fonts or include them as part of your office standard and templates.

How can I change the font for all text of a certain type across many drawings?

Update the text style in your template (DWT) and use batch scripts or the DesignCenter/“Insert drawing as block” approach to pull styles into other drawings, or use a script to open each drawing and replace text styles.

My block contains text and it didn’t update after editing the style — how do I fix it?

Open the block in the block editor (BEDIT), update the text objects (ensure they reference the style or remove overrides), and then save block to redefine it. If necessary, explode and recreate the block.

Why are fractions not stacking correctly in my text?

Use MTEXT and the stacked fraction formatting (select fraction and press the stacked fraction button in the MTEXT editor). Ensure the chosen font supports stacked fraction glyphs or use AutoCAD’s stacking feature.

Can I make dimension text use the same text style?

Dimension text is controlled by Dimension Styles (DIMSTYLE), not regular text styles. Set the Text Style inside your DIMSTYLE to match your regular text if you need uniform appearance.

How do I fix text that appears as question marks or boxes?

This typically indicates unsupported characters or missing font glyphs. Install the correct font (TTF or SHX) and ensure you’re using a font that supports the required character set (for example, Unicode fonts for non‑Latin scripts).

Should text height be set in the style or at object creation?

If you need consistent fixed plotted size, set the height in the style. If you need flexibility or annotative behavior, set the height to 0 in the style and specify height at object creation or rely on annotative scaling.

How do I prevent accidental overrides after applying a style?

Avoid manually changing individual text properties after applying a style. Use Match Properties or edit the style itself to implement global changes. Consider creating stricter templates and using layer locks or naming conventions to prevent ad hoc overrides.

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