OpenDyslexic is a free, open-source typeface designed specifically to ease common reading difficulties associated with dyslexia. Released in 2011 by designer Abbie Gonzalez, it was built OpenDyslexic is a free, open-source typeface that eases common reading difficulties linked to dyslexia. Designer Abbie Gonzalez created it in 2011 after noticing that existing dyslexia-friendly fonts cost too much for most people to access — so Gonzalez built one and released it for free under the SIL Open Font License. That means you can use it in personal projects, apps, books, websites, and commercial work without paying a license fee.
The design logic differs from a typical display or branding font: function comes first, every time. Heavier-weighted letter bottoms give each character a visual sense of “gravity,” so your eye can quickly judge which way is down — this reduces the tendency for similar letters (like b/d or p/q) to flip or rotate in the reader’s mind. The font also varies letter shapes to make them more distinct from one another and adds slightly wider spacing than a standard sans-serif, which together cut down letter-swapping and line-tracking errors.
Because of this, people don’t choose OpenDyslexic mainly for aesthetics — reading apps, e-readers, browser extensions, classroom materials, and accessibility tools use it widely. Several dyslexia-support apps include it by default, and a Chrome extension lets you override web page fonts site-wide with it.
Font Family & Styles
OpenDyslexic ships with a full functional set, not just a single weight:
- OpenDyslexic Regular
- OpenDyslexic Bold
- OpenDyslexic Italic
- OpenDyslexic Bold Italic
- OpenDyslexic Mono (monospaced version, useful for code editors and forms)
Does OpenDyslexic Actually Help? A Quick, Honest Note
Research on specialty dyslexia fonts is mixed — some studies show modest reading improvements for some readers, while others find that spacing and size matter more than the specific letterforms. Think of OpenDyslexic as a free, low-risk reading aid worth testing for yourself, not a guaranteed fix. (For the full breakdown of the research, see our [Dyslexia Font Guide].)
How to Install
- Download the ZIP file below
- Unzip it to reveal the five style files (.otf)
- Double-click each file and select Install (Windows/Mac), or drag them into your system Fonts folder
- Restart any open apps (Word, browser, etc.) — OpenDyslexic will now appear in your font list
License
The SIL Open Font License v1.1 covers OpenDyslexic — it’s completely free for personal use, commercial projects, apps, ebooks, and educational materials, and you won’t owe royalties or attribution payments. (You may not resell the font files themselves as a standalone product.)
FAQ
Yes — unlike many “free” fonts with unclear licensing, OpenDyslexic’s SIL OFL license explicitly permits commercial use at no cost.
Yes — it’s supported by several e-reader apps and can be installed as a custom font on iOS and Android in apps that allow font overrides.
Dyslexie (by Christian Boer) uses a different visual approach — varied stick/tail lengths and heavier letter bases — and requires a paid license for institutional use, while OpenDyslexic is free across the board. See our full comparison in the [Dyslexia Font Guide].
Yes — OpenDyslexic Mono is included in the download package.