How to Install Fonts on Windows and Mac

Installing a font takes less than a minute. Here is how to do it on each system, and what to check if the font does not show up.

Before you start

Most downloads arrive as a ZIP archive, so extract it first. Inside you will find one or more font files ending in .ttf or .otf. Both work on Windows and Mac. WOFF and WOFF2 files are for websites and cannot be installed on your computer.

Windows 10 and 11

1. Right-click the font file.
2. Choose Install to add it for your account, or Install for all users if you have admin rights.
3. Reopen any app that was already running.

You can also drag files to Settings > Personalization > Fonts.

macOS

1. Double-click the font file to open Font Book.
2. Click Install.
3. Restart the app you want to use it in.

If the font does not appear

• Close and reopen the app. Many apps only read the font list when they start.
• Look under the family name. The name inside the font can differ from its file name.
• Install every style. Bold and italic are often separate files.
• Check for duplicates. Remove old versions of the same font, which can conflict.

Using a font on a website

Use the WOFF2 file with a CSS @font-face rule. Check the license first, since not all free fonts allow embedding. Fonts under the Open Font License do.