diff --git a/Adafruit_GFX.cpp b/Adafruit_GFX.cpp
index af989002..ceefa7bb 100644
--- a/Adafruit_GFX.cpp
+++ b/Adafruit_GFX.cpp
@@ -1147,20 +1147,34 @@ void Adafruit_GFX::drawChar(int16_t x, int16_t y, unsigned char c,
       c++; // Handle 'classic' charset behavior
 
     startWrite();
-    for (int8_t i = 0; i < 5; i++) { // Char bitmap = 5 columns
+    int8_t rp, rb; // Count sequential FG and BG pixels in column
+    for (int8_t i = 0; i < 5; i++, rp = 0, rb = 0) { // Char bitmap = 5 columns
       uint8_t line = pgm_read_byte(&font[c * 5 + i]);
       for (int8_t j = 0; j < 8; j++, line >>= 1) {
         if (line & 1) {
-          if (size_x == 1 && size_y == 1)
-            writePixel(x + i, y + j, color);
-          else
-            writeFillRect(x + i * size_x, y + j * size_y, size_x, size_y,
-                          color);
+          rp++;
+          if (!(1 & (line >> 1)) ||
+              j == 7) { // write sequential pixels with writeFillRect
+            if (rp == 1 && size_x == 1 && size_y == 1) {
+              writePixel(x + i, y + j, color);
+            } else if (rp > 0) {
+              writeFillRect(x + i * size_x, y + (j - (rp - 1)) * size_y, size_x,
+                            size_y * rp, color);
+            }
+            rp = 0;
+          }
         } else if (bg != color) {
-          if (size_x == 1 && size_y == 1)
-            writePixel(x + i, y + j, bg);
-          else
-            writeFillRect(x + i * size_x, y + j * size_y, size_x, size_y, bg);
+          rb++;
+          if (1 & (line >> 1) ||
+              j == 7) { // write sequential pixels with writeFillRect
+            if (rb == 1 && size_x == 1 && size_y == 1) {
+              writePixel(x + i, y + j, bg);
+            } else if (rb > 0) {
+              writeFillRect(x + i * size_x, y + (j - (rb - 1)) * size_y, size_x,
+                            size_y * rb, bg);
+            }
+            rb = 0;
+          }
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/Adafruit_GFX.h b/Adafruit_GFX.h
index 63c6ab68..30ec03ba 100644
--- a/Adafruit_GFX.h
+++ b/Adafruit_GFX.h
@@ -294,16 +294,21 @@ class Adafruit_GFX_Button {
   /**********************************************************************/
   bool isPressed(void) { return currstate; };
 
-private:
-  Adafruit_GFX *_gfx;
-  int16_t _x1, _y1; // Coordinates of top-left corner
-  uint16_t _w, _h;
-  uint8_t _textsize_x;
-  uint8_t _textsize_y;
-  uint16_t _outlinecolor, _fillcolor, _textcolor;
-  char _label[10];
-
-  bool currstate, laststate;
+protected:
+  Adafruit_GFX *_gfx;     ///< gfx display pointer
+  int16_t _x1;            ///< x Coordinate of top-left corner
+  int16_t _y1;            ///< y Coordinate of top-left corner
+  uint16_t _w;            ///< width of button
+  uint16_t _h;            ///< height of button
+  uint8_t _textsize_x;    ///< width of text character in pixels
+  uint8_t _textsize_y;    ///< height of text character in pixels
+  uint16_t _outlinecolor; ///< button outline color
+  uint16_t _fillcolor;    ///< button fill color
+  uint16_t _textcolor;    ///< text color
+  char _label[10];        ///< text label on button
+
+  bool currstate; ///< current pressed state
+  bool laststate; ///< previous pressed state
 };
 
 /// A GFX 1-bit canvas context for graphics