---
title: Load fonts natively at build time
impact: LOW
impactDescription: fonts available at launch, no async loading
tags: fonts, expo, performance, config-plugin
---

## Use Expo Config Plugin for Font Loading

Use the `expo-font` config plugin to embed fonts at build time instead of
`useFonts` or `Font.loadAsync`. Embedded fonts are more efficient.

**Incorrect (async font loading):**

```tsx
import { useFonts } from 'expo-font'
import { Text, View } from 'react-native'

function App() {
  const [fontsLoaded] = useFonts({
    'Geist-Bold': require('./assets/fonts/Geist-Bold.otf'),
  })

  if (!fontsLoaded) {
    return null
  }

  return (
    <View>
      <Text style={{ fontFamily: 'Geist-Bold' }}>Hello</Text>
    </View>
  )
}
```

**Correct (config plugin, fonts embedded at build):**

```json
// app.json
{
  "expo": {
    "plugins": [
      [
        "expo-font",
        {
          "fonts": ["./assets/fonts/Geist-Bold.otf"]
        }
      ]
    ]
  }
}
```

```tsx
import { Text, View } from 'react-native'

function App() {
  // No loading state needed—font is already available
  return (
    <View>
      <Text style={{ fontFamily: 'Geist-Bold' }}>Hello</Text>
    </View>
  )
}
```

After adding fonts to the config plugin, run `npx expo prebuild` and rebuild the
native app.

Reference:
[Expo Font Documentation](https://docs.expo.dev/versions/latest/sdk/font/)