Why OpenType Features Matter for Professional Typography
If you work with type in Adobe InDesign, you are sitting on a goldmine of typographic options that most designers never touch. OpenType features like ligatures, stylistic alternates, swashes, and contextual alternates can transform a flat block of text into something polished, refined, and unmistakably professional.
The problem? These features are often buried in menus and panels that are easy to overlook. In this guide, we will walk you through exactly how to use OpenType features in InDesign, where to find every option in the interface, when each feature is appropriate, and how they can enhance your editorial layouts and branding projects.
Whether you are designing a magazine spread, a book interior, or a brand identity system, this walkthrough will help you get the most out of every font you use.
What Are OpenType Features?
OpenType is a font format developed by Adobe and Microsoft that supports an extended character set and advanced typographic features. Unlike older font formats, a single OpenType font file can contain thousands of glyphs, including:
- Standard and discretionary ligatures
- Stylistic alternates and stylistic sets
- Swash characters
- Contextual alternates
- Small caps
- Oldstyle and tabular figures
- Fractions, ordinals, and superscript/subscript characters
Not every OpenType font includes all of these features. The availability depends on what the type designer built into the font. Premium fonts from quality foundries like those available at pixelfonty.com tend to include a rich set of OpenType features that give you far more creative control.
Where to Find OpenType Features in InDesign
There are several places in InDesign where you can access and activate OpenType features. Let us go through each one.
1. The Character Panel
The Character panel is your primary hub for type formatting, and it includes direct access to OpenType options.
- Open the Character panel by pressing Cmd + T (Mac) or Ctrl + T (Windows).
- Click the panel menu icon (the small hamburger menu in the top-right corner of the panel).
- Look for the OpenType submenu. Hover over it to reveal a list of available features.
Features that are supported by the currently selected font will appear as active options. Features that the font does not support will appear grayed out. This is an easy way to quickly see what a particular font offers.
2. The OpenType Menu in the Control Panel
When you have a text frame selected with the Type tool, the Control panel at the top of your screen also provides access to OpenType features. Look for the small OpenType icon (a stylized “O”) or use the panel menu on the right side of the Control panel to find the OpenType submenu.
3. The Glyphs Panel
The Glyphs panel gives you a visual overview of every character in a font, including all OpenType alternates.
- Go to Window > Type & Tables > Glyphs.
- Select a character in your text.
- In the Glyphs panel, you can filter by category to find alternates, ligatures, swashes, and more.
- Double-click any glyph to insert it directly at your cursor position.
This panel is especially useful for applying individual alternate characters on a case-by-case basis, rather than turning on a feature globally.
4. In-Context Alternates (On-Canvas Menu)
In recent versions of InDesign, when you select a character with the Type tool, a small blue badge may appear beneath it. Clicking this badge reveals available OpenType alternates for that specific character right on the canvas. This is a fast, visual way to swap glyphs without opening any panel.
OpenType Features Explained: What They Do and When to Use Them
Let us break down the most important OpenType features you will encounter in InDesign, what they do, and when you should consider using them.
Ligatures
Standard Ligatures replace awkward letter combinations like “fi”, “fl”, “ff”, “ffi”, and “ffl” with a single, more elegant glyph. In InDesign, standard ligatures are enabled by default, and for good reason. They prevent collisions between letterforms and improve readability.
Discretionary Ligatures are more decorative combinations (such as “ct”, “st”, or “Th”) that add stylistic flair. These are not turned on by default because they are not always appropriate for body text. They work well in headlines, titles, and branding applications where a touch of elegance is desired.
When to use them:
- Keep standard ligatures on for virtually all professional text.
- Use discretionary ligatures in display text, headlines, and luxury branding where readability is not compromised.
Stylistic Alternates
Stylistic alternates provide alternative designs for individual characters. For example, a font might offer a double-story “a” as the default and a single-story “a” as a stylistic alternate, or a more decorative version of the letter “g”.
To activate stylistic alternates in InDesign:
- Select the text you want to modify.
- Open the Character panel menu.
- Go to OpenType > Stylistic Alternates.
When to use them: Stylistic alternates are great for giving a headline a different personality without changing fonts entirely. They can also help resolve design issues where a particular default letterform does not sit well within a specific word or layout.
Stylistic Sets
While stylistic alternates apply broadly, stylistic sets allow you to activate specific, grouped collections of alternate characters. A font might have Set 1 for a more geometric look and Set 2 for a more calligraphic feel.
In InDesign, you can activate stylistic sets through the Character panel menu under OpenType. Sets are numbered (Set 1 through Set 20), and what each set contains varies by font. Check the font documentation or specimen to understand what each set changes.
When to use them: Stylistic sets are ideal when you want a consistent alternate look across a block of text rather than toggling individual characters. They are especially powerful in branding work where consistency matters.
Swash Characters
Swashes add flourishes and extended strokes to letters, typically on capitals or on the first and last letters of a word. They bring a calligraphic, elegant quality to text.
To enable swashes:
- Select the character or text.
- Go to the Character panel menu.
- Choose OpenType > Swash.
When to use them: Swashes are perfect for wedding invitations, editorial headlines, luxury packaging, and any design that calls for a sense of occasion. Use them sparingly. Overuse can make text feel cluttered and hard to read.
Contextual Alternates
Contextual alternates automatically adjust the shape of a character based on the characters around it. This is common in script and handwriting fonts, where connections between letters need to look natural and varied. Without contextual alternates, script fonts can look robotic because repeating letters would appear identical.
InDesign typically enables contextual alternates by default for fonts that support them. You can toggle this feature in OpenType > Contextual Alternates in the Character panel menu.
When to use them: Always leave contextual alternates on when using script or handwriting fonts. They are essential for making these fonts look authentic.
Titling Alternates
Some fonts include titling alternates, which are versions of characters specifically designed for use at larger sizes. These often feature finer details and more refined proportions that would be lost at small text sizes but shine in headlines.
When to use them: Use titling alternates for headlines and display sizes. They are a subtle but effective way to increase typographic quality in editorial design.
Figure Styles (Number Formatting)
OpenType fonts often offer multiple styles of numerals. This is one of the most underused yet impactful features for editorial typography.
| Figure Style | Description | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Proportional Lining | Uniform height, variable width | Headlines, display text, prices |
| Tabular Lining | Uniform height and width | Tables, financial data, columns of numbers |
| Proportional Oldstyle | Varying height (ascending/descending), variable width | Body text in books and editorial layouts |
| Tabular Oldstyle | Varying height, uniform width | Tables within classic or traditional designs |
To change figure styles in InDesign, use the OpenType submenu in the Character panel and select your preferred option under the figure settings.
Ordinals, Fractions, and Superscript/Subscript
OpenType can automatically format ordinals (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and fractions (1/2, 3/4) using properly designed glyphs rather than faking them with font size and baseline adjustments.
- Ordinals: Activate via OpenType > Ordinals. Useful for editorial and publishing work.
- Fractions: Activate via OpenType > Fractions. Essential for cookbooks, technical documents, and any content with measurements.
Applying OpenType Features Using Paragraph and Character Styles
One of the most powerful aspects of working with OpenType features in InDesign is the ability to embed them into your Paragraph Styles and Character Styles. This means you can automate OpenType feature application across your entire document.
- Open the Paragraph Styles or Character Styles panel.
- Double-click a style to edit it (or create a new one).
- Navigate to Basic Character Formats or, more specifically, the OpenType Features section within the style options.
- Toggle on the features you want, such as discretionary ligatures for heading styles or oldstyle figures for body text styles.
- Click OK, and every paragraph or text span assigned that style will automatically use those OpenType features.
This workflow is a massive time saver for editorial projects like books, magazines, and catalogs where typographic consistency across dozens or hundreds of pages is critical.
Real-World Examples: How OpenType Features Enhance Design Projects
Editorial Magazine Layout
Imagine a lifestyle magazine spread. The body text uses a serif font with standard ligatures and proportional oldstyle figures turned on, giving the text a classic, bookish feel. The headline uses the same font family but with discretionary ligatures and swash capitals activated, creating an elegant, eye-catching title that feels distinctly premium.
Brand Identity System
A luxury skincare brand uses a serif typeface with stylistic set 2 activated for all brand materials, giving the wordmark and marketing copy a unique character that differentiates it from competitors using the same font with default settings. The brand guidelines specify which OpenType features to activate, ensuring consistency across all designers and agencies involved.
Book Interior Design
A novel typeset in InDesign uses contextual alternates in drop caps, oldstyle figures throughout the running text, and true small caps (not faux small caps) for acronyms and abbreviations. The result is a reading experience that feels considered, comfortable, and professionally crafted.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overusing swashes and decorative alternates. A single swash capital at the start of a paragraph can be beautiful. Every capital as a swash becomes unreadable.
- Using faux small caps instead of true OpenType small caps. InDesign can scale down regular capitals to simulate small caps, but this distorts the letterforms. Always use the OpenType small caps feature when the font supports it.
- Ignoring figure styles. Lining figures in body text look clunky. Oldstyle figures in a data table look messy. Match the figure style to the context.
- Forgetting to check feature availability. Not all fonts support all OpenType features. If a feature is grayed out in InDesign, the font simply does not include it. Investing in well-crafted fonts with rich OpenType support will give you far more flexibility.
- Not embedding features in styles. Manually applying OpenType features character by character is inefficient and error-prone. Use paragraph and character styles to maintain consistency.
How to Check Which OpenType Features a Font Supports
Before you start designing, it helps to know what a font has under the hood. Here are a few ways to check:
- Font specimen or documentation: Quality foundries provide detailed information about included OpenType features.
- The Glyphs panel in InDesign: Open it and browse through the available characters. Use the filter dropdown to view specific categories like “Alternates” or “Ligatures.”
- The Character panel OpenType submenu: As mentioned earlier, features that are grayed out are not available in the selected font.
- Third-party tools: Applications like Font Goggles (Mac) or online tools like Wakamai Fondue can show you a complete list of OpenType features in any font file.
Quick Reference: OpenType Feature Shortcuts in InDesign
| Action | How to Access |
|---|---|
| Open Character Panel | Cmd + T (Mac) / Ctrl + T (Windows) |
| Open Glyphs Panel | Window > Type & Tables > Glyphs |
| Access OpenType Submenu | Character Panel Menu > OpenType |
| View On-Canvas Alternates | Select a character with the Type tool and click the blue badge |
| Embed Features in Styles | Paragraph/Character Style Options > OpenType Features |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use OpenType in InDesign?
Select your text, open the Character panel (Cmd + T on Mac or Ctrl + T on Windows), click the panel menu, and navigate to the OpenType submenu. From there, you can toggle features like ligatures, stylistic alternates, swashes, and more. You can also access alternates visually through the Glyphs panel or the on-canvas alternate picker.
How do I activate OpenType features?
In InDesign, OpenType features are activated through the Character panel menu under the OpenType submenu. Simply select the text you want to modify, then check the features you want to enable. You can also embed these settings into paragraph and character styles for document-wide consistency.
How do I add an OTF font to InDesign?
Install the .otf font file on your operating system. On Mac, double-click the file and click “Install Font.” On Windows, right-click the file and select “Install” or “Install for all users.” Once installed, the font will appear in InDesign’s font menu. You can also use Adobe Fonts to sync OpenType fonts directly to your Creative Cloud apps.
Should I use TrueType or OpenType fonts?
For professional design work, OpenType (.otf) fonts are generally the better choice. They support a much wider range of typographic features, including ligatures, stylistic sets, and advanced figure styles. TrueType fonts (.ttf) work fine for basic use, but they lack the extended layout features that OpenType provides. If you want access to the features discussed in this guide, choose OpenType fonts.
Why are some OpenType features grayed out in InDesign?
If an OpenType feature appears grayed out in the Character panel menu, it means the currently selected font does not include that feature. Not all fonts are built with the same feature set. To access a broader range of OpenType features, look for fonts that are specifically marketed as having extensive OpenType support.
Can I use OpenType features in Illustrator too?
Yes. Adobe Illustrator also supports OpenType features through its Character panel and Glyphs panel, similar to InDesign. The workflow is nearly identical, so the skills you learn in InDesign transfer directly.
Wrapping Up
Knowing how to use OpenType features in InDesign is one of those skills that separates good typography from great typography. It does not require any extra plugins or complex workarounds. Everything you need is already built into InDesign and the fonts you use.
Start by exploring the Character panel menu and the Glyphs panel with a feature-rich font. Experiment with ligatures, stylistic sets, and figure styles. Pay attention to how small changes in glyph selection can shift the tone and professionalism of your entire layout.
And if you are looking for quality fonts with rich OpenType feature sets to put these techniques into practice, browse the collection at pixelfonty.com. Every font is designed with professional workflows in mind, so you can make the most of what OpenType has to offer.
