Webdings vs Wingdings: The Fascinating Story of Symbol Fonts
Have you ever come across Webdings or Wingdings while working on a document and wondered what they’re for? If so, you’re not alone. These quirky, symbol-based fonts have a long history and are still relevant in our modern digital world. In this article, we’ll dig into the origins, differences, and uses of Webdings vs Wingdings while answering the biggest questions: what are they, why do they exist, and how did they become so popular?
What are Webdings and Wingdings?
Wingdings and Webdings are both dingbat fonts. A dingbat is essentially a font made up entirely of symbols instead of letters or numbers. Unlike traditional fonts like Arial or Times New Roman, these fonts use pictorial characters, including arrows, stars, and even smiley faces, which can be used to add flair or function to a document.
At first glance, both Webdings and Wingdings might seem like the same thing – a jumble of random symbols – but they serve slightly different purposes.
The Story of Wingdings
Wingdings was born in 1990 when two designers, Charles Bigelow and Kris Holmes, created a series of pictorial fonts that would later become the famous Wingdings. At the time, people didn’t have the easy access to images or clipart that we do today. So, Wingdings provided a convenient way for users to add scalable, high-quality symbols into their documents without bogging down their computers with large files.
Microsoft was quick to adopt Wingdings, and by bundling it with early versions of Windows, Wingdings quickly became ubiquitous.
In essence, Wingdings is like the emoji of its time, used in a world where graphical elements were hard to come by.
What About Webdings?
Microsoft’s Webdings came along later, in 1997, designed by the same folks who gave us Comic Sans, Vincent Connare being one of the contributors. Webdings was created with the same idea in mind but was a bit more web-friendly, hence the name. It introduced symbols better suited to website development and UI design at a time when the internet was starting to boom.
Why Were These Fonts Created?
In the 90s, the internet wasn’t as image-heavy as it is now. Adding pictures or icons to documents was tricky due to the limitations of early computers and web browsers. This is where Wingdings and Webdings came into play. They allowed people to insert icons easily, giving their documents and websites a visual boost.
How to Use Wingdings and Webdings
If you’ve ever tried typing with Wingdings, you’ll notice that letters correspond to symbols. For example, typing an “A” in Wingdings results in a little hand pointing to the right. Webdings works the same way, but with different symbols.
These fonts can still be useful today, especially if you’re looking to add simple, scalable icons to your project. They’re great for things like arrows, check marks, or stars without the need for images that may slow down a webpage or document.
You can download wingding font here.
| Key | Webdings Symbol | Wingdings Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| A | Right Arrow | Hand pointing right |
| B | House | Flag |
| C | Folder | Phone |
The Key Differences Between Webdings and Wingdings
| Feature | Wingdings | Webdings |
|---|---|---|
| Creation Year | 1990 | 1997 |
| Main Use | General documents, icons | Web development, user interface |
| Design Focus | Focuses on a mix of symbols | Focuses on web-friendly symbols |
| Best for | Office documents, bullet points | Web design, infographics |
Are These Fonts Still Useful?
Yes, absolutely! While it’s true that emojis and modern icons have taken over in many areas, Wingdings and Webdings still have their place in the world of design. Their simplicity and scalability make them easy to use in places where you don’t want to deal with images. If you’re coding or designing websites, you might find yourself using Webdings symbols for basic UI elements like arrows or other navigational aids.
Try Our Wingdings Translator!
Need help figuring out what symbol corresponds to what letter? We’ve got you covered with our Wingdings Translator tool. It’s a quick and easy way to translate Wingdings symbols back into readable text, so you don’t have to guess what your document says!
The Wingdings Controversy
Of course, no conversation about Wingdings is complete without mentioning the conspiracy theories. Shortly after its release, some users noticed that typing certain combinations of letters, like “NYC,” produced what seemed like offensive symbols. Specifically, typing “NYC” in Wingdings resulted in a skull and crossbones, a Star of David, and a thumbs-up sign. This led to claims that the font was intentionally created with hidden messages, though the designers strongly denied this, stating that it was an unintended coincidence.
You can find more information about controversy regarding webding font on Wikipedia.
The Evolution of Symbol Fonts
Over time, Wingdings and Webdings evolved, eventually leading to the creation of other symbol-based fonts, including the beloved emojis we use today. In fact, if you think about it, Wingdings was the precursor to emojis. The idea of using symbols to convey meaning without words has only grown in popularity as digital communication continues to evolve.
Webdings vs. Wingdings: Which Should You Use?
It ultimately depends on what you’re trying to achieve. If you’re working on a website and need quick, web-friendly symbols, Webdings is the way to go. But if you’re working on a document and need a broader range of symbols, Wingdings has you covered.
| Use Case | Recommended Font |
|---|---|
| Website icons | Webdings |
| Office documents | Wingdings |
| Scalable symbols | Both |
Fun Facts About Wingdings and Webdings
- Not Unicode-Compatible: Neither Wingdings nor Webdings are Unicode-compatible, which means the symbols they display aren’t consistent across platforms. That’s why you might see something strange if you try to open a Wingdings-laden document on a non-Windows device.
- Pop Culture: Wingdings has even made its way into pop culture. For instance, in 2011, “W.D. Gaster” from the popular game Undertale was rumored to be named after Wingdings, as the character’s in-game dialogue is written in the font.
- The Zapf Dingbats Connection: Wingdings wasn’t the first symbol font. It was heavily inspired by Zapf Dingbats, another dingbat font created by Hermann Zapf. However, Wingdings had a more diverse selection of symbols and quickly eclipsed its predecessor in popularity.
The End
So, now you know what the deal is with Wingdings and Webdings. These symbol fonts may seem quirky, but they’ve played an important role in the history of digital communication. So, you need arrows, stars, or checkmarks, these fonts can still have you covered.
But remember, if you ever need to translate those mysterious symbols back into text, you can always use our handy Wingdings Converter tool!