Tinker How to use
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Guide

Proof and annotate your fonts

Tinker runs entirely in your browser — the fonts you upload never leave your machine. Load a font, then explore the four views. This guide walks through each tool. Tap a tab to jump in.

Getting started

The controls in the top bar are shared across every view. Load your fonts first, then choose which styles to work with.

Upload fonts

Click Upload fonts, or drag files anywhere onto the window. Load several at once. Accepts .otf, .ttf, .woff and .woff2.

Fonts menu

Open Fonts to tick which loaded styles to display. Use All styles to toggle everything. Waterfall and Strings show only the checked styles.

Share session

Export a standalone HTML report of all your Issues and Notation comments. Fonts are embedded as outlines, so the report opens anywhere — no font files needed.

Four views

Switch between Waterfall, Strings, Notation and Issues with the tabs. Your setup and marks in each view are kept as you move around.

Private

Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to a server — your fonts stay on your machine.

Waterfall

A column of random dictionary words, all matched to the same visual width, so you can read a typeface's texture and rhythm. Each checked style gets its own column with the same words for side‑by‑side comparison.

Dictionary

Choose English or Spanish, or upload your own .txt (one word per line).

Size

Type or step the point size. Because widths are matched independently, the fit holds at any size.

Length

Slide from short to long words. Every word shown stays the same visual width, so the column reads evenly.

Words

Set how many words appear at once.

Aa

Case

Render the words lowercase, UPPERCASE or Sentence case.

Shuffle

Roll the dice to draw a fresh set of words at the same length.

Strings

A bento grid of sample strings — one box per checked style, each configured on its own. Great for comparing how different weights handle the same text.

String type

Pick what each box shows:

Paragraph — body copy Alphabet — letters, digits, punctuation Pangram — every-letter sentences Custom — type your own

Browse options

Use the ‹ › arrows to step through the choices within a type — different paragraphs, pangrams and alphabet sets.

Aa

Case

Set lowercase, UPPERCASE or Sentence case — per box.

Size

Each box has its own size stepper for fine comparison.

Columns

Choose how many columns the grid uses, from one up to four. They resize to fill the space.

Global controls

The toolbar's type, option, case and size apply to every box at once — a box's own controls override just that one.

Notation

Mark up a single glyph in detail. Choose a font and a character, drop marks on the pad, and jot a note for each. Glyphs you've annotated are highlighted in the character map.

Character map

Click any glyph to select it, or step with the ‹ › arrows. Annotated glyphs get an accent mark.

Circle

Drop a translucent circle over a detail. Drag to move; drag the corner handle to resize.

Horizontal line

A guide spanning the full width — for baselines, x‑height, overshoot. Drag up and down.

Vertical line

A guide spanning the full height — for stems and sidebearings. Drag left and right.

Arrow

Point at a detail. Drag the tip to scale and rotate it in one motion.

Color

Pick a mark color from the palette or a custom value. Changing it recolors the selected mark.

Comments

Every mark gets a numbered note. Type straight into the list on the right — no edit button needed.

Save & Load notes

Save all your annotations to a JSON file, and load it back later to pick up where you left off.

Issues

Flag problem pairs — the spacing and joins you spot between letters, rather than single glyphs. Works while you're in Waterfall or Strings.

Flag a pair

  1. Step 1

    In Waterfall or Strings, click the flag toggle in the toolbar to enter selection mode.

  2. Step 2

    Drag across two or more letters. On release, the text and the exact font style it came from are captured to the Issues list automatically.

Review the list

Each flagged pair appears in its own font, with its style and where it came from. Delete individually, or Clear all. Click empty space to leave Select mode.

Tip

Flagged pairs and Notation comments are both included when you use Share session — a single report of everything you found.