Arabic Numerals in Fonts: ١٢٣ vs 123 and the Best Fonts
Arabic text uses two sets of digits, and each has its place.
Two sets of digits
| Type | Shape | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Arabic numerals | ٠ ١ ٢ ٣ ٤ ٥ ٦ ٧ ٨ ٩ | Egypt, the Gulf, Iraq and the Levant |
| Western Arabic numerals | 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 | The Maghreb and most of the world |
The digits the world calls "Arabic numerals" are 0123456789; they reached Europe from the Arab world through Andalusia. The digits ١٢٣ are called Arabic numerals in the Middle East and Eastern Arabic numerals in Western sources.
Does every Arabic font include digits?
Most modern Arabic fonts include both sets, but their design varies a lot. Some calligraphic fonts such as Thuluth and Diwani have no digits at all, so the app falls back to another font.
Before choosing a font for numbers: type something like "٢٠٢٧ - 2027" in the preview box of the [font library](/en) to compare both sets in every font.
Fonts with clear, attractive digits
- **[Cairo](/en/font/cairo-regular):** modern, clear digits for designs and infographics.
- **[Tajawal](/en/font/tajawal-regular):** clean digits in many weights for websites and apps.
- **[Almarai](/en/font/almarai):** simple digits that read well on screens.
- **[Noto Kufi Arabic](/en/font/noto-kufi-arabic):** geometric digits for tables and headings.
- **[IBM Plex Sans Arabic](/en/font/ibm-plex-sans-arabic):** even-width digits for tables and prices.
Switch between ١٢٣ and 123 in Word
1. Open File → Options → Advanced.
2. Under Show document content, find Numeral.
3. Choose Hindi for ١٢٣, Arabic for 123, or Context to follow the surrounding text.
Switch in Photoshop
Turn on the Middle Eastern text engine first, as described in [Arabic letters broken in Photoshop](/en/blog/arabic-letters-broken-in-photoshop), then pick the digit type in the Character panel under Digits: Arabic, Hindi or Farsi.
On a phone
Type digits from the Arabic keyboard to get ١٢٣, or from the English one to get 123. To type Arabic on a device without an Arabic keyboard, use the [online Arabic keyboard](/en/arabic-keyboard).
A design tip
Do not mix both sets in one design, and use the set your audience expects: ١٢٣ for the Gulf, Egypt and the Levant, 123 for the Maghreb and for prices and technical figures.