Millions of Google Fonts user experience right now, when a font gets updated and suddenly things … shift. This happened with _Inter,_ when it got replaced by a newer version a few weeks ago. In this video and article I’ll tell you what changed, how you can fix it on your website or in your Figma projects, and what you should be aware of to prevent these kinds of problems in the future. ## Inter got updated In a recent post, I talked about the changes that came with the update to version 4 of the popular typeface _Inter_. Along with significant improvements, like optical sizing, _Inter 4.0_ also changed its flavor quite a bit by replacing the slanted italics with true italics. So I assumed that it would not simply be replaced on Google Fonts, because this might result in text reflow at best and in a loss of functionality at worse. **But I was wrong.** It happened. So if you made use of the variable font and the **slant axis,** you won’t be able to access it anymore with the newer version. And you most likely will see a different spacing for smaller size. Now, what happened to millions of websites that use Google Fonts to host _Inter,_ will happen in **Figma projects** as well. At the time of writing this article, it still shows the previous version of _Inter_ , but this could change any moment as Figma irregularly updates the Google Fonts catalog. Then, you most likely will see shifts in your UI or web designs too. ## What can you do about it There are two options: #### 1. Embrace the changes And update your designs when needed. There are quite some improvements when it comes to setting text in larger sizes. #### 2. Go back to the older version You can also download _Inter_ version 3 and **self-host the fonts** for your website. This also brings plenty of advantages when it comes to performance and GDPR compliance. If you want to learn how to do it, there is a great video by Kevin Powell that shows you step by step. ## What to do when it updated in Figma If _Inter_ has already been updated in Figma and you want the previous version, yon need to download and install it locally. This way, it will override the Google Fonts available in Figma and access the local fonts. I tested this with another Google Font that I installed locally. But note that everyone else who works on this project **has to do the same,** or otherwise they will see the current version of it. ## Don’t rely on Google Fonts Because what happened with _Inter_ now, already happened and will happy again to other fonts hosted on Google Fonts. If you want consistency, self-host your fonts. Fonts are software, so oft course they can and should be updated when things change or get improved. But situations like these remind us to be thoughtful about or type choices and how we host them. ### Typographic power to your inbox * **Font Friday:** I recommend one typeface per week, free fonts included. * **Type Tuesdays:** articles & videos that up your design game. * **Join 2900+ typography enthusiasts,** unsubscribe anytime. Your email Your first name Just a sec … Subscribe #### Hooray, typographic glory on its way! Check your inbox (or spam folder) to confirm your subscription. ## Embrace flexible design It also shows that we should not rely on a specific typeface and pixel-perfect typesetting. Digital design has to be flexible for accessibility and many other reasons. Sometimes a font does not load, other times it gets replaced by the user agent, and text size will often be adjusted too. We as designers sure have influence, but on the web, the user should have the control. * * * **How did you experience the update?** Tell me in the comments below!