Typography is more than just picking a nice font — it’s about how letters interact with each other. One of the easiest ways to elevate your text design is by using font ligatures. These small but powerful features can make your type look more polished, natural, and unique.

If you’re using premium fonts with ligatures, you already have a powerful tool to make your designs stand out.

In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through how to use ligatures in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, explain what they are, why they matter, and share some pro tips to get the most out of them.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned designer, by the end of this guide you’ll be ready to use ligatures like a pro.

What Are Font Ligatures?

Ligatures are special character combinations designed to make text flow more smoothly. Instead of two letters appearing separately, they are connected into one beautiful glyph.

For example, in many script fonts, the letters “th” or “fl” are drawn together to avoid awkward gaps. In display or decorative fonts, ligatures can even add stylish flourishes for a more custom feel — something you’ll find in our signature script fonts collection.

Why use ligatures?

• They improve readability by smoothing awkward letter collisions.
• They add personality and style to your typography.
• They make your text look like it was hand-lettered by a calligrapher.

Step-by-Step: Using Ligatures in Photoshop

Step 1: Open Your Document

Open your Photoshop project or create a new one. Make sure your font supports ligatures (not all fonts do). Many OpenType fonts in our shop include both standard and decorative ligatures.

Step 2: Select the Type Tool

Click the Type Tool (T) from the toolbar and select the text you want to apply ligatures to.

Step 3: Open the Character Panel

Go to the top menu and choose:
Window → Character
This will open the Character Panel, where most typography settings are located.

Step 4: Enable Ligatures

In the Character Panel, click the small menu icon in the top-right corner and make sure “Ligatures” is checked.
Once enabled, Photoshop will automatically replace eligible letter combinations with their ligature forms.

Step 5: Fine-Tune Your Typography

You can combine ligatures with other typography settings like tracking, kerning, or even swashes if your font supports them. Play around until your design feels balanced.

💡 Pro Tip: Some fonts also have discretionary ligatures, which are more decorative. You can access these via the OpenType panel for more stylistic options.

Step-by-Step: Using Ligatures in Illustrator

Illustrator works similarly to Photoshop, but with a few interface differences.

Step 1: Open or Create Your Document

Import your project or create a new artboard. Select the Type Tool (T) and type your text.

Make sure your font supports ligatures (not all fonts do). Many OpenType fonts in our shop include both standard and decorative ligatures.

Step 2: Open the OpenType Panel

Go to:
Window → Type → OpenType

This panel is where Illustrator keeps all advanced font features, including ligatures.

Step 3: Enable Ligatures

In the OpenType panel, click the “Standard Ligatures” icon. Your text will automatically update to show ligatures where available.

Step 4: Explore More Ligature Options

Some fonts include:

• Standard Ligatures → Common combinations like “fi” or “fl”
• Discretionary Ligatures → More decorative and stylistic
• Contextual Alternates → Changes glyphs based on surrounding letters

You can toggle these features on/off to see what works best for your design.

Some fonts include Standard Ligatures and Discretionary Ligatures — you can explore these features in many of our modern calligraphy fonts.

When to Use Ligatures (and When Not To)

Ligatures are wonderful for:

• Logos → Gives a hand-crafted, unique look.
• Headlines & Posters → Adds extra flair to large text.
• Invitations or Branding Materials → Enhances elegance and personality.

Avoid overusing ligatures in:

• Body text at small sizes → Can affect readability.
• Technical documents → Where precision and clarity matter most.

Common Problems & How to Fix Them

1. Ligatures Not Appearing?
   • Make sure your font actually supports ligatures.
   • Check that you’re using OpenType features in the Character or OpenType panel.
2. Weird Letter Spacing?
   • Adjust kerning and tracking manually after enabling ligatures.
3. Missing Decorative Ligatures?
   • Some decorative ligatures are stored as alternate glyphs in the Glyphs Panel. Access them via:
     • Photoshop: Window → Glyphs
     • Illustrator: Window → Type → Glyphs

Pro Designer Tips for Beautiful Ligature Usage

• Pair with the Right Font → Not all fonts have beautiful ligatures. Premium fonts often have more thoughtful designs.
• Combine with Swashes & Alternates → Adds even more personality.
• Test in Context → Always preview your design in its final layout before finalizing.

Why Premium Fonts Make a Difference

While free fonts can be tempting, premium fonts often include more ligatures, better kerning, and cleaner glyph design. They’re created with branding, readability, and versatility in mind.

At Dealita Studio, we craft premium fonts loaded with stunning ligatures, swashes, and alternates — perfect for designers who want their work to stand out.

Catalina Classy Ligature

Catalina is a classy ligature font that is truly unique and stylish because, its unique and stylish ligature appearance makes this font look very elegant and classy. Catalina will make your product design look really extraordinary.

Rusilla Elegant Serif

Rusilla Serif is a elegant serif font that is truly unique and stylish, because its unique and stylish appearance makes this font look very elegant and classy. Rusilla Serif typeface will make your product design look really extraordinary.

Final Thoughts

Ligatures are like the secret handshake of good typography — subtle, stylish, and memorable. With just a few clicks in Photoshop or Illustrator, you can transform ordinary text into something truly professional.

The next time you’re designing a logo, poster, or invitation, take a few seconds to check if your font has ligatures. That tiny detail might just make your design unforgettable.

Ready to Elevate Your Typography?

If you loved this tutorial, why not take the next step and work with fonts that truly shine?
At Dealita Studio, we craft premium fonts loaded with stunning ligatures, swashes, and alternates — perfect for designers who want their work to stand out.

👉 Explore Our Font Collection Here and find the perfect typeface for your next project.

Related Post