Times New Roman has serifs, the small lines at the ends of letters

Yes, Times New Roman is a serif font. The small lines or feet that stick out from the ends of letters like T, A, and M are serifs. Times New Roman was designed in 1931 for the British newspaper The Times and uses serifs on every letter to make printed text easier to read in narrow newspaper columns.

If you look at the letter "T" in Times New Roman, you will see horizontal lines at the bottom. If you look at the same letter in Arial or Helvetica, the lines are gone — those are sans-serif fonts, meaning "without serifs." The difference is visible even at normal reading size, and it matters when you are choosing fonts for your own documents.

Serifs were originally practical: they helped guide the reader's eye along a line of text and made letters distinct from one another when printed at small sizes on paper. Times New Roman kept that design even as computers became the main way people read text, which is why it remains one of the most common fonts in business documents, academic papers, and formal writing.

Key Takeaways

  • Times New Roman is a serif font because it has small lines at the ends of letters, visible on characters like T, A, and M.
  • Serifs were designed to make text easier to read in print, especially in narrow columns or at small sizes.
  • Sans-serif fonts like Arial and Helvetica have no serifs and look cleaner and more modern on screens.
  • Times New Roman uses more disk space and rendering power than simpler fonts because the serifs require more detail in the font file.

How serifs affect what your document looks like on screen versus in print

Times New Roman looks different depending on whether you are reading it on a screen or on paper. On paper, the serifs help your eye move smoothly from letter to letter and make the text feel formal and established. On a screen, especially at small sizes, serifs can make text look fuzzy or harder to read because pixels do not always line up perfectly with the thin serif lines.

This is why many websites use sans-serif fonts like Arial, Verdana, or system fonts instead of Times New Roman. The serifs do not render as cleanly on screens, and readers expect a different look online than they do in a printed letter or book. If you are writing a document that will be printed, Times New Roman is a solid choice. If it will only be read on a screen, a sans-serif font often works better.

Modern operating systems have gotten better at rendering serifs on screens, so the difference is less dramatic than it was ten years ago. But the principle remains: serifs were made for paper, and sans-serifs were made for screens. Knowing which you are using helps you choose the right font for where your reader will actually see it.

Why Times New Roman is still common in formal documents

Times New Roman became the default font in Microsoft Word and many other office programs, which is the main reason it is still everywhere. It was chosen because it was already familiar to people who had used typewriters and printed newspapers, and because it was readable at the small sizes that fit on a page. Once a font becomes the default, it stays the default because changing it means every document looks different.

Many organizations, schools, and government agencies still require Times New Roman for official documents. Academic papers, job applications, and legal documents often specify it by name. This is partly tradition and partly because serif fonts are still considered more formal and trustworthy in professional writing. If you are writing something that needs to feel official, Times New Roman signals that when ready.

The downside is that Times New Roman is now so common it can feel dated or generic. Many designers and writers have moved to other serif fonts like Georgia or Garamond, which have serifs but feel fresher. But if you need to follow a style guide or match what your organization expects, Times New Roman is the safe choice.

How serif and sans-serif fonts affect file size and system performance

Times New Roman is a relatively straightforward font file, so it does not slow down your computer noticeably. The serifs do add complexity compared to a font like Arial, but the difference is measured in kilobytes, not megabytes. If you have hundreds of fonts installed, the total storage adds up, but Times New Roman alone is not the problem.

The real performance cost comes when your computer has to render the font on screen or in print. Serif fonts require more calculation because the serifs are extra lines that have to be drawn at the right angle and size. Sans-serif fonts are simpler: just straight lines and curves. On modern computers this difference is invisible, but on older machines or when you are working with very large documents, you might notice serif fonts take slightly longer to display.

If you are trying to reduce the number of fonts on your system to improve performance, removing Times New Roman will have almost no effect. The real gains come from deleting fonts you never use, disabling font services you do not need, and avoiding installing hundreds of decorative fonts. Times New Roman is so lightweight that it is not worth removing.

Serif fonts versus sans-serif fonts: when to use each one

The choice between serif and sans-serif usually comes down to where the text will be read and what feeling you want it to have. Serif fonts like Times New Roman, Georgia, and Garamond feel formal, traditional, and trustworthy. They work well for printed documents, books, long articles, and anything that needs to feel established or official. Sans-serif fonts like Arial, Helvetica, and Verdana feel modern, clean, and straightforward. They work well on websites, presentations, and documents that need to feel current.

For body text — the main paragraphs people read — serif fonts are still considered easier to read in print because the serifs guide the eye. For headlines and short text on screens, sans-serif fonts are usually better because they are cleaner and do not have rendering issues. Many documents use both: a serif font for the body and a sans-serif font for headings.

The most important rule is consistency. Pick one serif font and one sans-serif font for your document and stick with them. Mixing five different fonts makes a document look unprofessional, regardless of whether they are serif or sans-serif. Times New Roman is a safe choice for the serif slot because it is installed on almost every computer and will display the same way on any device.

How to identify serif fonts in your font menu

When you open your font menu in Word, Google Docs, or any other program, serif fonts are usually grouped together or labeled. In Windows, you can often see the difference just by looking at the preview: serif fonts have visible feet on the letters, and sans-serif fonts do not. In macOS, the font menu sometimes shows a small icon indicating whether a font is serif or sans-serif.

If you are unsure, type a capital "T" in the font and look at the bottom. If there are horizontal lines sticking out on both sides, it is a serif font. If the bottom is just a straight vertical line, it is sans-serif. Common serif fonts you will see in most programs include Times New Roman, Georgia, Garamond, Palatino, and Courier New. Common sans-serif fonts include Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, and Calibri.

Once you know the difference, you can make intentional choices about which font to use instead of just picking whatever is already selected. Times New Roman will always be there as an option, and now you know exactly what it is and why it looks the way it does.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Times New Roman on a website?

You can, but most websites do not because serifs do not render as cleanly on screens. If you use Times New Roman on a website, specify a sans-serif fallback font in case the user's browser does not have it installed. Most web designers choose Georgia or a system font instead because they work better on screens.

Is Times New Roman the same as Times?

Times New Roman is a digital version of the original Times font, which was designed for The Times newspaper in 1931. Times New Roman was created later for computers and is slightly different, but they are the same font family. Times New Roman is what you will find on your computer.

Do all serif fonts look the same?

No. Serif fonts vary widely in how thick the serifs are, how tall the letters are, and how much space they take up. Georgia has thick serifs and is straightforward to read on screens. Garamond has thin serifs and looks elegant in print. Courier New has serifs and looks like a typewriter. They are all serif fonts but feel very different.

Will removing Times New Roman speed up my computer?

No. Times New Roman is so small that removing it will not noticeably improve performance. If you want to speed up your system, focus on removing fonts you actually never use, disabling unnecessary startup programs, and clearing temporary files instead.

What font should I use instead of Times New Roman?

For printed documents, Georgia or Garamond are good alternatives that feel less generic. For screens, Arial or Verdana work better. For modern documents that need to feel current, try Calibri or a system font. The choice depends on where the document will be read and what feeling you want.