How to Use Times, Arial, or Helvetica Fonts in LaTeX
LaTeX defaults to Computer Modern, but many journals and institutions require Times New Roman, Arial, or Helvetica. Switching fonts in LaTeX is straightforward with the right packages. Whether you're using pdfLaTeX or a Unicode engine, you can match the exact typeface your submission demands. Bibby AI makes this even easier — its editor lets you preview font changes in real time, unlike Overleaf where you must recompile each time to check the result.
Switch to Times New Roman
Use the mathptmx or newtx packages to set Times as your document font, including math mode:
\documentclass{article}
% Option A: Classic approach
% \usepackage{mathptmx}
% Option B: Modern approach (recommended)
\usepackage{newtxtext} % Times text font
\usepackage{newtxmath} % Times-compatible math font
\begin{document}
This text is now in Times New Roman.
Math also matches: $E = mc^2$ and $\int_0^\infty e^{-x}\,dx = 1$.
\end{document}Switch to Arial or Helvetica
Use the helvet package for Helvetica (virtually identical to Arial). Add the scaled option to match the x-height of your serif font:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[scaled=0.92]{helvet} % Load Helvetica, scaled to match Times
\renewcommand{\familydefault}{\sfdefault} % Make sans-serif the default
% Optional: pair with Times for serif sections
% \usepackage{newtxtext}
\begin{document}
This entire document uses Helvetica (Arial-equivalent).
You can still switch: {\rmfamily This is the serif font.}
\end{document}Combine Multiple Fonts in One Document
Set up a document with Times for body text, Helvetica for headings, and Courier for code:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{newtxtext} % Times for body
\usepackage{newtxmath} % Times math
\usepackage[scaled=0.92]{helvet} % Helvetica for sans-serif
\usepackage{courier} % Courier for monospace
\usepackage{titlesec}
\titleformat{\section}{\sffamily\Large\bfseries}{\thesection}{1em}{}
\begin{document}
\section{Introduction}
Body text in Times. {\sffamily Sans-serif in Helvetica.}
{\ttfamily Monospace in Courier.}
\end{document}💡 Tips
- •Always load math font packages (like newtxmath) after text font packages to avoid conflicts.
- •The scaled option on helvet adjusts size so Helvetica matches the x-height of your serif font — 0.92 works well with Times.
- •If your journal specifies 'Arial', Helvetica is an accepted substitute in LaTeX since they are metrically identical.
- •Bibby AI's font preview panel shows the result instantly without recompilation, saving you time compared to Overleaf.
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