Issue with Fraunces Variable Font in InDesign

Hi @alessandro_cavallini,

Thanks a lot for sharing all these details. I tested this on InDesign version 20.4.1 and could see the variable font sliders working as expected without switching to another font or causing undo issues.

Could you please confirm the exact version of InDesign 2025 you're using (for example, 20.4.1 or 20.4)? It would also help to know which operating system you're on.

Additionally, let me know if this only happens with your current document or if you see the same behavior when you create a brand new file and try using the Fraunces variable font sliders there as well.

If possible, please share a short screen recording showing the whole issue, from selecting the font, adjusting the sliders, to what happens when the font changes, so I can try to reproduce it on my end and get this checked with the team.

Looking forward to your update!

Abhishek 

 

Hi everyone,

I'm having a strange issue with the Fraunces variable font in InDesign 2025 and wondering if anyone else has encountered this.

The static instances of the font (Thin, Light, Regular, etc.) display correctly. But as soon as I try to use the variable sliders to adjust any axis, the font suddenly switches to a completely different sans serif font. After that, it becomes uneditable, and the ⌘+Z (Undo) command stops working entirely within InDesign until I restart the app.

I’ve tried reinstalling the font and restarting InDesign (and also reinstalling InDesign), but the issue persists.

Same with InDesign 2024.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a workaround or known fix?

Thanks in advance for any help!

By @alessandro_cavallini

Hello @alessandro_cavallini,
Sounds like a bug with InDesign’s handling of variable fonts—possibly a fallback error when the axis data isn’t read correctly. Until Adobe patches this, try disabling GPU acceleration, using a static weight, or testing in Illustrator. Others have flagged similar issues with Fraunces too.

Best Regards,
Julie Batson