How to...

How to Install Fonts

Most fonts get placed on your system by some other program, either the operating system, Office, Publisher, Adobe applications, and so on.  That accounts for that prodigious list of fonts you see on the font drop-down menu in any program that uses fonts.  Sometimes you will come across an individual font, either a free one you have found on the Internet or one you have purchased.  In this case, you must install it manually.  Here's how.

The first step is the same regardless of the OS platform you are using.  You must get it onto your computer, either by downloading from the Internet (the usual method) or by copying it from a distribution CD or other media.  Be sure you scan it for viruses before unzipping it or working with it in any other way, unless you have downloaded it from a source that you trust.

Fonts are usually distributed as zip files, so the next thing to do is unzip it.  There are several types of fonts.  It may be an old style true type font, a new style true type font, called an open type font (these two are the most common in the Windows world).  It may also be one of the older style Adobe fonts, a metafont, or a custom-made font from some third party or individual.  See the Wikipedia article on computer fonts for an explanation.  Typography is a very complex topic and we don't have space to go into detail on font types here.

After unzipping, locate the font file.  There is often a readme file included in the zip file explaining certain features or uses of the font(s).  Always read this file.  When you are ready to proceed, do the following, depending on what operating system you are using.

Windows Vista

The quick way to install a font in Windows Vista is to locate it, right-click it, and choose Install from the context sensitive menu.

The long way is to click the Start button, select the control panel (or type "control" into the search box), click on Appearance and Personalization:

and then click on "Install or remove font" under the Fonts label.

A Vista Explorer window will open with a list of all the installed fonts available on your system on the right (the contents of your Fonts folder) and a folder list on the left.  If you do not see the menu bar in this window, press the Alt key and you will.  Now select File > Install New Font...

You will be taken back in time to the pre-history of Windows computing in the next dialog box.  Navigate its Folders view to find the font file you unzipped earlier.  (If you used the new Vista Downloads container, you will find it, in this view, under C:\Users\Username\Downloads\Userfolder\and so on...).

If the "Copy fonts to fonts folder" is checked, as it is in the illustration above, you will find a copy of the font (if you want to give it to someone else, or copy it to another computer) listed among all your other system fonts.  This is a good thing, so leave the box checked.

Now click the Install button in the dialog above and your work is done.  The new font will now appear in all the font drop-down menus for any program on that computer.

Once you learn the right-click shortcut, you will never use the long way again.

Windows XP

On XP it is very similar to the Vista method.  The right-click shortcut is not available on XP, which means you have to take the long way.  First (after downloading and unzipping) open the control panel.

The long way on XP is to open the control panel,.  If you are in "category view," i.e., the control functions are grouped into 10 broad categories with big icons, click the "Appearance and Themes category.

Now click the Fonts folder in the "See Also" area in the upper left of the task pane:

From here things are similar to the Vista install.  You will be shown a folder view of all your fonts.  Click File > Install New Font...  Use the same primitive navigation dialog to find the font you unzipped.  Be sure it is selected in the "List of fonts" field and click the OK button.

It is far easier to use "Classic View" in the XP control panel and to simply double-click on the Fonts folder icon to achieve the process outlined above.

Tip:  The easiest way to install a font in both Windows Vista and XP is to open the fonts folder and open the location of the font simultaneously and drag the font from its download location (after it has been unzipped) to the fonts folder.  The install will happen automatically.

Mac OS X

As with many things, font installation is much easier (but you have less overall control) on Mac OS X.  Zipped files are automatically unzipped and placed in the download location on the Mac (usually the desktop).  To install the font, double-click its icon.  A preview of the font will appear, along with an "Install Font" button.  Click Install Font and that's it.  You will see the font installed in your font book.

As with Windows, you can simply drag the font icon from the download location to the center column (the "Font" column) in the font book and it will be installed.

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