Whether you downloaded a font for a design project or want a specific typeface for your documents, installing it in Windows is straightforward.

Download the font file

Fonts come in .ttf (TrueType) or .otf (OpenType) format. Both work fine on Windows. Free, legitimate fonts are available from Google Fonts (fonts.google.com) and Font Squirrel (fontsquirrel.com). Download the font file and extract it if it comes in a ZIP archive.

Method 1: Right-click and install (easiest)

  1. Locate the .ttf or .otf file in File Explorer.
  2. Right-click it and choose 'Install' to install for your user account only, or 'Install for all users' (requires administrator rights) to make it available to everyone on the PC.

That is all there is to it. The font will now appear in every application that uses system fonts.

Method 2: Through Settings (Windows 11)

  1. Press Win + I and go to Personalization, Fonts.
  2. Drag and drop your font file into the box at the top that says 'Drag and drop to install'.

Method 3: Microsoft Store fonts (Windows 10 and 11)

In Settings, Personalization, Fonts, scroll down and click 'Get more fonts in Microsoft Store'. There is a selection of free and paid fonts available here that install automatically.

The font is not showing up in my app

Most applications need to be restarted before they recognise newly installed fonts. Close Word, Photoshop, or whatever program you are using, reopen it, and the font should appear in the font list.

Installing fonts on a business PC may require administrator rights. If you do not have them, ask your IT department or ask us for guidance.