Squish Lab Pro
Squish Lab Pro
VARIABLE FONT ENGINEERING & CALIBRATION

Precision-tuning weight, width, and optical axes with font grading tool

Enterprise-grade compression and optical optimization. Calibrate perceptual weight, compensate for irradiation, and achieve perfect visual parity across all modes. Compare variable fonts, test font rendering, use the variable font weight animator for smooth transitions, and master typography QA with our professional font grading tool.

Drop your variable font

.woff2, .ttf, .otf · fvar parsing

axes detected

VARIABLE FONT WEIGHT ANIMATOR · REAL-TIME TRANSITIONS
Engineering Load:
Calibration Status:
Optical Consistency:
OPTICAL AXIS OPTIMIZATION APCA Lc driven
Axis Range
Light Lc
Dark Lc
Base Grade
Irradiation Factor
Perceptual Multiplier
Suggested Δ

Light/Dark Optical Test

Perceptual Difference
(%)

Perceptual Scaling Array

Phone
Tablet
Laptop
Monitor
Optical Size (opsz)
Light Mode Lc
Dark Mode Lc
PERCEPTUAL PERFORMANCE SCORE
Glyph
Paragraph
Overlay
Blink
Hologram

Light Mode

Ag

Dark Mode

Ag

Light Mode

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Compare variable fonts and test font rendering with our professional typography QA tools. The variable font weight animator creates smooth transitions between weights. Variable fonts allow fluid transitions between weights and optical sizes. This paragraph demonstrates how text appears in light mode with your current settings.

Dark Mode

Perceptual weight achieves optical harmony. APCA contrast: Lc. The irradiation effect is compensated for optimal readability using our font grading tool. The variable font weight animator helps visualize weight transitions. This is variable font engineering at its finest.
Ag
Ag

← Drag to compare →

Base
Comp
Δ
opsz:
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog

Share Perceptual State

Dark Mode CSS
/* Perceptual weight compensation CSS for dark mode typography */
:root { --font-grade: ; }
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
  :root { --font-grade: ; }
}
body { font-variation-settings: ; }
CSS
JSON
Tailwind
Figma

How to Use Squish Lab Pro

1

Upload Font

Drop any .woff2, .ttf, or .otf variable font file

No font loaded
2

Adjust Axes

Fine-tune weight, width, optical size, and grade axis. Watch the variable font weight animator create smooth transitions.

wght:
3

Optical Axis Optimization

AI suggests optimal dark mode grade using font grading tool

Suggested:
4

Light/Dark Optical Test

Adjust until text stops pulsating for perfect irradiation correction

Δ
5

Scale

Simulate different screen sizes for perceptual scaling

" | opsz:
6

Export

Copy CSS, JSON, Tailwind, or Figma tokens

FontCalibratedExport

Font Grading: The Secret to Perfect Dark Mode Typography

Font grading is the subtle adjustment of a typeface's weight and contrast to maintain optical harmony across different backgrounds and screen conditions. Unlike standard weight adjustment, grading fine-tunes the perceived thickness without changing the font's core design. The variable font weight animator helps visualize these adjustments in real-time, making it easier to find the perfect balance. This is why professional font engineers rely on font grading tools for dark mode optimization.

Current Grade Axis: Range:
Light Mode Grade
Dark Mode Grade
Perceptual Difference
Why It's Critical for Modern Design:
  • Dark Mode Optimization — Text often appears heavier on dark backgrounds due to irradiation; font grading compensates for this optical illusion.
  • APCA Contrast Compliance — Achieve WCAG accessibility standards with precise grade axis control using our APCA contrast tool.
  • Variable Font Weight Animator — See real-time weight transitions to find the perfect optical balance between light and dark modes.
  • Brand Consistency — Maintain visual identity across light and dark themes without redesign.
Pro Tip: Use the Light/Dark Optical Test tool above to find the perfect dark mode grade. When the text stops pulsating, you've achieved optical harmony! For high-contrast displays, you may need to reduce weight further to compensate for light bleed. The variable font weight animator makes it easy to see the difference in real-time. This is the essence of professional perceptual weight compensation and font grading.

Variable Font Axes Preview & Animator

Variable fonts are one of the most powerful tools in modern web typography — a single font file that contains an entire family of weights, widths and optical sizes. The Squish Lab lets you explore every axis of any variable Google Font interactively.

Drag the weight axis from Thin to Black. Compress or expand the width. Adjust optical size for display vs body use. See all changes instantly rendered at any text size. No CSS knowledge required — just drag and explore.

What Are Variable Font Axes?

Variable fonts use axes — continuous ranges of variation — instead of fixed weights. Common axes include weight (wght), width (wdth), optical size (opsz), slant (slnt) and italic (ital). Some fonts have custom axes unique to their design.

The Squish Lab exposes all available axes for each font, so you can discover what's possible and find the exact expression that fits your design — then copy the CSS font-variation-settings value directly into your code.

Professional Variable Fonts
Access 150,000+ Fonts Including Premium Variable Families
Explored variable font axes? Get the full professionally licensed variable font families on Monotype — including exclusive typefaces unavailable on Google Fonts.
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