Occasionally a font installation hits a snag. In many cases of broken fonts, your application, like a word processor like Microsoft Word, does not recognize the font.
Apr 13, 2012 - I tried to add fonts to my Adobe Acrobat Standard X program, but I cannot locate the fonts folder. I was able to locate the fonts folder in other. Fortunately, learning how to install fonts in Windows 10 is easier than you might. For a look at how to install fonts specifically for Adobe Photoshop, we have a.
Some problems can be fixed by deleting and then reinstalling the font, but first make sure you've followed all the steps to obtaining fonts, expanding archives, and installing the fonts as described in the font installation FAQ. If you're still having problems, try the troubleshooting tips below.
Troubleshooting Font Installations
If the font installation appears to go smoothly, but the font is not working or your software application doesn't recognize it, here are some troubleshooting suggestions.
- If you downloaded the font from the web, the file may have become corrupted. Try downloading the file again and reinstalling it. If possible, download the font from a different source.
- Make sure you are installing a font for the correct operating system you're using—there is a difference between Mac and Windows fonts in most cases, unless it is an OpenType font.
- If installing a PostScript Type 1 font, make sure you have both font files.
- If installing a PostScript Type 1 font under Windows 2000 or Windows XP, and you currently have or previously had Adobe Type Manager Deluxe 4.0, 4.1, or 4.1.1 installed, you may need the Adobe Deluxe Updater in order to properly use your Type 1 fonts. This fixes registry problems associated with installing or uninstalling Adobe Type Manager Deluxe with Windows 2000 or XP.
- There is also an ATM Light Updater for ATM Light users. Due to Windows 2000 and XPs built-in support of Type 1 fonts, ATM can interfere or cause registry problems when uninstalled.
- Not all programs can use TrueType, OpenType, and PostScript Type 1 fonts, especially older or DOS-based programs. Some programs use proprietary font formats. Check the documentation for your software to be sure it supports the type of font you are trying to use.
- If the font came from a reputable commercial source such as Adobe, Bitstream, or Monotype, it's rare that the font itself is the problem. However, some freeware and shareware fonts are not of the highest quality and can present problems with some software. Try them in a different program. If the font still gives you problems, you may have to abandon that font.
- Some font problems arise when you have duplicate fonts installed. See the article Locate Font Files for tips on how to find where fonts may be hiding on your system and remove any duplicates.
What Is an OpenType Font?
PostScript Type 1 is a font standard developed by Adobe that is usable by any computer system.
TrueType is a type of font developed in the 1980s between Apple and Microsoft that offered greater control over how fonts would display. It became the most common format for fonts for a time.
OpenType is the successor to TrueType, developed by Adobe and Microsoft. It contains both PostScript and TrueType outlines, and it can be used on both Mac and Windows operating systems without conversion. OpenType can include more font features and languages for a font.
Sometimes the default fonts supplied in the latest version of Windows 10 just don’t cut it, and you want something a little more exciting for your PowerPoint presentation or graphic design project.
Fortunately, there are thousands of fonts you can download (as long they’re just for personal use) and installing them couldn’t be easier. In this guide, we’ll teach you how to install fonts in Windows 10, step by step.
In addition to installing fonts, we also provide instructions on how to remove unwanted, possibly troublesome fonts and restore the default Windows 10 font selection if you need to.
For a look at how to install fonts specifically for Adobe Photoshop, we have a guide for that too.
The easy methods
The easiest method of installing fonts is to go through the Microsoft Store. All it takes is a few simple clicks.
Step 1: You can do so by opening Windows 10 Settings, clicking on Personalization, and then clicking on the Fonts tab.
You’ll then see a link above to Get more fonts in the Microsoft Store. Click that, and then download your font, just as you would an app, to have it automatically install and appear in the settings.
As an alternative, you can also manually download a font from a website of your choosing, and install it. Steps 2 and 3 will discuss more on how to install fonts from outside the Microsoft Store.
Step 2: Once downloaded, the font may or may not be packed into a zip file. If it’s zipped, right-click on the file, select Extract All, and then follow the instructions to put the font into a folder of your choosing.
Step 3: After extraction (or accessing the file at its downloaded destination), right-click on the file and select Install. That’s it!
Drag and drop
If you’d rather do things manually, you can use the old-school drag-and-drop method that requires two open windows.
Step 1: Download your font as in the instructions above and extract it from its zip file if required.
Step 2: Navigate to Cortana’s search field on the taskbar, type Control Panel, and click the corresponding result.
Step 3: With the Control Panel open, navigate to Appearance and Personalization, and click on Fonts in the main window.
Step 4: Once your font library loads, simply drag your new font from the destination location in File Explorer into the font window. A small progress bar will show up as it’s installed. Once complete, the font is ready to use.
How to delete fonts
If you end up installing more fonts than you need or just don’t want some to be available anymore, here’s how to delete them.
Step 1: Search for Control Panel in the Windows 10 search bar and click the corresponding result.
Step 2: Click Appearance and Personalization and then Fonts.
Step 3: Either scroll through the list or use your keyboard to search for a specific font. When found, click it and select Delete from the top-bar menu. Alternatively, right-click and select Delete from the pop-up menu.
Step 4: When asked to confirm, click Yes. The font will then be deleted from your system.
Reset to default fonts
If fonts are causing problems or you deleted an important one, you can always reset your fonts to the Windows 10 defaults. This is far less impactful than resetting or reinstalling Windows 10, and it gets your fonts back to the way they were when the OS was freshly installed.
Step 1: Search for the Control Panel in the Windows 10 search bar and click the corresponding result.
Step 2:Click Appearance and Personalization and then Fonts.
Step 3:Click Font settings from the left-hand menu.
Step 4: Click on the Restore default font settings button. Windows 10 will then restore your font selection to the default Windows 10 options.