What the sources say
In August 2019 It's Nice That reported that IKEA had dropped Verdana for Noto, a type family made by Monotype and Google, and that the change appeared first in the 2020 catalogue. Noto was built to cover a very wide range of languages and scripts, which suits a brand that prints in many markets. IKEA's own website confirms the result today: its stylesheet declares a font family called Noto IKEA in regular, bold and italic styles.
Evidence for this attribution ↓No paid font selected
Free alternatives
Compare the actual letterforms with the same text. These are editorial alternatives, not fonts attributed to IKEA.
Free alternative
Noto Sans
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Regular · Latin specimen
The free family IKEA's version is based on, so the letter shapes come from here. Any changes in IKEA's own version are not public, but most readers will not spot a difference.
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Jost
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Regular · Latin specimen
A geometric sans inspired by 1920s German typefaces, close in spirit to the Futura-based Ikea Sans of the old catalogues. It is not a match for the current Noto look.
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Inter
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Regular · Latin specimen
A neutral screen-friendly sans with a similar plain tone to Noto Sans. Its letters are a little tighter and more technical, so treat it as a mood match.
View fontThe Verdana years (2009–2019)
IKEA moved its catalogue from Futura to Verdana in 2009. ABC News covered the backlash at the time and quoted the company saying it needed one font that worked in both print and digital media. Verdana was designed by Matthew Carter for Microsoft, specifically for reading on screens. IKEA's spokeswoman told ABC that the objections came mostly from font experts rather than the general public.
Evidence for this attribution ↓Before 2009: Ikea Sans and Futura
For decades before Verdana, IKEA set its catalogue in Ikea Sans, which both It's Nice That and type.today describe as an adaptation of Futura. It's Nice That adds that the own-brand font lacked Asian characters, one reason the company looked for a typeface with wider language support. If you want the older, geometric IKEA look, a Futura-style face is the one to reach for.
Evidence for this attribution ↓How to get the look
For today's IKEA style, set text in Noto Sans: it is the free family IKEA's version is built on, so it is as close as you can get without the in-house files. Use bold for short headlines and regular for body copy, keep the layout plain and give it plenty of white space. For a retro catalogue feel, try Jost, a free geometric sans in the Futura tradition.
Common questions
Is the IKEA font free?
Noto IKEA itself is IKEA's in-house version, and we found no public release of it. Noto Sans, the family it is based on, is free under the Open Font License on Google Fonts.
What font did IKEA use before Noto?
Verdana from 2009 to 2019. Before that, IKEA used Ikea Sans, an adaptation of Futura.
Why did IKEA switch from Verdana to Noto?
Coverage of the 2019 change points to language support: Noto was made to cover a very wide range of scripts, which helps a brand that publishes in many countries.
Sources & evidence
Editorial review completed November 10, 2026.
- It's Nice That — Ikea swaps its brand typeface to Google and Monotype's Noto
Design publication
- IKEA — ikea.com font stylesheet (declares Noto IKEA)
Official website
- ABC News — Ikea defends new catalog typeface after backlash (2009)
News report
- Microsoft Learn — Verdana font family
Official docs
- type.today — Type Digest, August 2019
Design publication
- Black Foundry — IKEA Noto pegboard case study
Type studio