ATS-Friendly Resume Fonts, Margins and File Names: A Simple Guide

Nm7 Team · 16 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

Quick answer: Use a common font such as Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, Georgia or Times New Roman, at 10–12 pt for body text and 14–18 pt for your name. Keep margins between 0.5 and 1 inch (about 1.3–2.5 cm) on all sides. Save the file with a clear name like Rahul_Verma_Accounts_Executive_Resume.pdf, using only letters, numbers and underscores.

Does the font really matter for ATS?

Yes, but not in the way many people think. An ATS does not give you points for a "good" font. It simply tries to pull the text out of your file. Common fonts are built into almost every computer and PDF reader, so the letters come out clean. Unusual or decorative fonts can sometimes turn into wrong characters or blank spaces when the file is read.

The font also matters for the human reader. After the ATS stores your resume, a recruiter opens it, often on a phone. A plain, clear font is easier to read on a small screen. To see the full reading process, read how an ATS reads your resume, step by step.

Which fonts are safe for an ATS-friendly resume?

Sans-serif fonts (clean, modern)

  • Calibri — the default in many versions of Word; neat and compact.
  • Arial — available almost everywhere.
  • Helvetica — similar to Arial, common on Mac.
  • Verdana — very readable, but wide, so it takes more space.

Serif fonts (classic, formal)

  • Times New Roman — formal and familiar; fine for Govt and PSU applications.
  • Georgia — easier to read on screens than Times New Roman.
  • Garamond — elegant, but small, so you may need 11–12 pt.

Pick one font for the whole resume. Use bold for headings and job titles instead of mixing fonts.

Fonts to avoid

  • Script or handwriting fonts
  • Comic Sans and other playful fonts
  • Very thin or light fonts that fade when printed
  • Fancy fonts downloaded from free font websites

What font size should you use?

  • Your name: 14–18 pt, bold.
  • Section headings (Education, Skills, Experience): 12–14 pt, bold.
  • Body text and bullets: 10–12 pt.
  • Contact line: same as body text, or 1 pt smaller.

Do not shrink text to 8 or 9 pt just to fit everything on one page. If the text is too small to read, cut content instead. Our post on one-page vs two-page resumes in India helps you decide what to cut.

What margins are best for a resume?

Keep margins between 0.5 inch and 1 inch (about 1.3 cm to 2.5 cm). Around 0.7–0.75 inch on all sides is a good middle. Very small margins make the page look crowded, and some printers cut off text near the edge. Very large margins waste space a fresher could use for a project.

A few spacing tips:

  • Use line spacing of 1.0 to 1.15.
  • Leave a small gap before each section heading.
  • Keep the same spacing between all bullets.
  • Align everything to the left. Avoid centred body text.

Other formatting choices that help

  • Bullets: use simple round bullets or hyphens. Arrows, stars and emoji can turn into strange symbols.
  • Dates: pick one style and keep it, for example "Jun 2024 – Mar 2025".
  • Headings: use standard words like Experience, Education, Skills, Projects, Certifications.
  • Colour: black text is safest. One dark accent colour for headings is fine.
  • Contact details: put them in the main body at the top, not only in the page header.
  • Layout: one column, no tables, no text boxes, no skill bars.

How should you name your resume file?

A recruiter may download dozens of files in a day. A clear name helps them find yours again and looks careful. Use this pattern:

FirstName_LastName_Role_Resume.pdf

Good file names

  • Rahul_Verma_Accounts_Executive_Resume.pdf
  • Sneha_Iyer_Java_Developer_Resume.docx
  • Arjun_Reddy_Mechanical_Engineer_Fresher_Resume.pdf

Bad file names

  • resume.pdf
  • CV final FINAL (2).pdf
  • myresume@2026#new.docx
  • IMG_20260412.pdf

Avoid spaces and special characters such as @, #, & or brackets. Some upload forms reject them or change them. Keep the name short. You do not need the year or the word "updated".

For the format itself, read PDF or Word resume: which is better for ATS?

Quick checklist before you send

  1. One common font used throughout
  2. Body text 10–12 pt, name 14–18 pt
  3. Margins between 0.5 and 1 inch
  4. Simple round bullets and one date style
  5. Standard section headings, single column
  6. Contact details in the body, not only in the header
  7. File named FirstName_LastName_Role_Resume
  8. Copy-paste test done: text pastes into Notepad in the right order

Skip the formatting work

Getting fonts, sizes and margins right by hand takes time. The nm7.si resume builder uses clean, single-column ATS-friendly templates, so these choices are already made for you. You focus on what to write, with guidance for each section, and then download a PDF or Word file.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best font for an ATS resume?

There is no single best font. Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, Georgia and Times New Roman are all safe because they are common and easy to read.

Is 10 pt font too small for a resume?

10 pt is the lowest you should go, and it works better with fonts like Arial or Calibri. If it feels hard to read, use 11 pt and cut some content.

Can I use colour in my resume?

Yes, a little. One dark accent colour for your name or headings is fine, but keep body text black.

Do margins affect ATS reading?

Not much. Margins matter more for printing and for how easy the page is to read.

Should I write "CV" or "Resume" in the file name?

Either is fine in India. Just be consistent and include your full name and the role.