Installing a Font

If you are using your student laptop, you will only be allowed access to the 3 free font websites you see on the right; DaFont, Fontspace, and 1001 Fonts. These are great resources for different designed fonts to use in any project. Here’s how you install a font you find on any of these sites: 

IMPORTANT: Please be mindful that fonts have licensing which allow them to be used for personal use and/or commercial use.  When working on a school project, just remember to cite font sources and give credit to creators when applicable. Please use the font resources responsibly and appropriately.

Step #1

Step #1. Go to one of the websites and find a font you want. Once you do, click “download.”

Step #2

2. Be aware of where you are downloading your font files. You will need to find and open that file after you download.

Step #3

3. Go to the .zip file and open it. You may get an entire folder of files or just one file. Find the .ttf (or .otf) file ONLY and open it (double click on it or command + o).

Step #4

4. A small window will open, click on “install font.” This will automatically open up the “font book” application on your laptop and install the font.

Step #5

5. You might see this window pop up sometimes when installing a font. Simply click on the little box, “select all fonts” and then click “install checked.”

Step #6

6. Your font should now be installed, as shown in Font Book. You can use this font in all applications on your computer.

Sharing an Adobe file with a Downloaded Font?

Here is an extra step if you are planning on sharing an Adobe file.   If you’re getting an error message claiming that the fonts are not available, you may want to convert your text to a shape.  Here’s how you do it:

  1. Click on your text with the downloaded font.
  2. Go to “object” on the top menu.
  3. Select, “expand” and then just click “ok.”

Your editable text is now converted into a shape. The other way would be to share the .ttf or otf file with the person you’re sharing the file with so they can install the font on their computer also.  

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Not all fonts will work so smoothly. Some fonts have all 26 letters and numbers 0-9. Some only have letters or some only have numbers. This all depends on the person who created the font. If you find fonts that don’t work as you expect, there’s nothing you can do to fix it. I recommend just finding another font and deleting the one that didn’t work.