Microsoft brings Michelangelo-inspired font to Microsoft 365

Microsoft is bringing Michelangelus, a typeface inspired by Michelangelo Buonarroti’s handwriting, to Microsoft 365 apps at the end of the year. A manual download is available for users who want to try it sooner, according to TechRadar.

The font was created for the 400th anniversary of the consecration of St. Peter’s Basilica, which took place on November 18. It was designed for digital and printed materials related to the Basilica, as well as signage inside the building, before being shared through Microsoft Office.

The Fabbrica di San Pietro commissioned Italian design agency studiogusto to create the typeface. The agency says it adapted the writing style into a modern tool rather than directly imitating Michelangelo’s handwriting. Its design retains some flourishes, including a dot at the top of the letter “h,” while aiming for clarity and readability.

Some online commenters have questioned how closely the font resembles the artist’s handwriting. One Reddit commenter called it a “very loose interpretation,” while another said the capital “A” and “M” look “wildly different.” The Basilica’s description says the typeface draws on the visual logic, proportions, rhythm and harmony of Michelangelo’s writing, rather than reproducing it.