How to Add Custom Fonts on Squarespace 7.1 with CSS
Fonts set the mood for your site. The right typeface can feel elegant, playful, minimal, or bold, shaping how visitors perceive your brand before they’ve read a single sentence.
Squarespace 7.1 includes a library of fonts, but sometimes you want something more personal. The good news is that adding custom fonts to Squarespace with CSS is simple. A few quick steps give you the flexibility to bring your chosen fonts into your website to use across headings, paragraphs, and buttons.
In this post, we’ll walk through how to add your fonts, as well as best practices.
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Why Use Custom Fonts on Squarespace 7.1?
Squarespace offers a wide range of Google and Adobe fonts, but custom fonts allow you to go a step further. They bring:
Brand consistency
If your brand already uses a signature typeface in print or social media, bringing it onto your site keeps the whole experience cohesive.
Distinct identity
Custom fonts are an easy way to avoid the “template” look so your site can stand apart and feel more personal.
Mood and tone
Serif fonts can evoke tradition and refinement, while clean sans-serifs lean toward modern and minimal. A playful display font used sparingly can add energy to headlines. Custom fonts let you choose the tone you want to carry through.
When Does a Custom Font Make Sense?
Not every Squarespace site needs custom fonts and, for many businesses, more than enough. But there are moments when adding your own typefaces is a strategic move:
When your brand already has a signature typeface
If you’ve invested in brand design, chances are your logo, print collateral, or social templates already use a specific font. Bringing that typeface into your website helps close the gap between your offline and online presence.
When you’re looking to differentiate
Squarespace templates are widely used, which makes custom typography an easy way to avoid the “I’ve seen this site before” feeling. A carefully chosen font can instantly set your site apart from others using the same template.
When tone matters
Fonts can feel elegant, playful, grounded, or experimental, and that tone carries into how people perceive your work. If your brand voice is doing the heavy lifting in your copy, your typography can echo it visually.
Step-by-Step Guide: Uploading Custom Fonts to Squarespace 7.1
1. Choose Your Custom Fonts
Before you can use custom fonts on your Squarespace site, you need to acquire the font files. You can find custom fonts from various sources, including premium font marketplaces or custom type designers. Ensure you have the right formats (.woff or .woff2) and the necessary licenses for web usage.
2. Upload Your Custom Fonts to Squarespace
Log in to your Squarespace account and navigate to your website's dashboard. In the dashboard, go to the Design tab and select Custom CSS. This where you will upload and style your fonts.
The Custom CSS panel in Squarespace
3. Add Your CSS
Once your fonts are uploaded, it’s time to define them with CSS. Use this code as your base, replacing 'your-font-name'
with the font’s name and 'your-font-url'
with the file’s URL:
/* Install Font */ @font-face { font-family: 'your-font-name'; src: url('your-font-url.woff2') format('woff2'), url('your-font-url.woff') format('woff'); font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; }
4. Apply Your Custom Fonts with CSS
With your custom fonts uploaded, it's time to apply them to your Squarespace site. You can do this by targeting specific elements or classes with CSS code.
/* Heading Custom Font */ h1, h2, h3, h4 { font-family: 'your-font-name'; }
You can customize this code to target other elements such as paragraphs, buttons, or navigation menus, allowing you to create a cohesive and beautiful typographic experience throughout your website.
5. Save and Preview
After applying your code, hit save and preview your site. You can make any necessary adjustments to font sizes, weights, or styles to ensure a seamless integration with your overall design.
Tips for Using Custom Fonts
A few things to keep in mind when using custom fonts:
Think performance
Large font files can slow your site down. Opt for web-friendly formats like
.woff
or.woff2
and keep file sizes as lean as possible so your pages still load quickly.Plan for fallbacks
Preview your site on multiple devices and browsers to ensure the fonts render properly everywhere. If your custom font doesn’t load for any reason, your site will automatically fall back to another option. To keep things looking intentional, choose a clean system font like Helvetica or Arial in Site Styles.
Check readability
It’s easy to fall in love with a dramatic typeface, but always test. Ask yourself: is this font comfortable to read on both desktop and mobile?
Respect licensing
Make sure the fonts you’re using are licensed for web use.
Balance creativity with consistency
Use custom fonts where they’ll have the most impact — headings, calls-to-action, or hero sections. For body copy, choose something clean and easy to read so visitors don’t tire out.
Concluding Thoughts
Typography is often treated as a design detail, but it shapes how people read and remember your brand. It’s a decision about consistency, tone, and trust.
The technical step is simple. The real work is choosing fonts that serve your audience as well as your aesthetic. Test for readability, keep performance in mind, and use them where they’ll add the most weight—a strategic layer in how your site communicates.
If you have any questions or would like support installing your custom fonts, feel free to reach out to us.
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