For Beginners
FAQ: Downloading and Installing Fonts
By Shelleyrae Cusbert 2005
Jul 10, 2005, 03:40

DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING FONTS

Firstly you should ensure that you are downloading the right font for your computer. Fonts are generally provided as two files. One for PC machines, and one for Apple Mac’s. Fonts work differently in each system so you need to ensure that you download the correct file type.

Fonts are generally provided in an archive file called a *.zip file. The *.zip file contains the font file and a “read me” file which contains information about the font, including Terms of Use.

To download the file whether it is a *.zip file (PC) or *.sit or *.hqx (MAC) or other, simply click on the link as indicated at the website. If you are running windows the download dialogue box will launch. Choose Save …

You can then determine where you wish to download the file to. You can set up a folder to store fonts in or save them to My Documents. When you have selected the location to Save. The file will save to that location.

If the file is a *.zip file, open your browser and find the file. You must unzip the file to be able to use it. For Windows versions 2000 and later you can right click on the file and choose Extract All.

The unzip wizard will launch. Follow the steps to unzip the file. If you do not have this option you will need a program such as Winzip.  Mac users need a program such as StuffIt Expander.

PC

To install on a PC ( Windows 95 and later)

1. Open the Windows Control Panel

(» START » SETTINGS » CONTROL PANEL)

2. Double click on the "Fonts" icon in the Control Panel

(a new window should open and you should see all the installed fonts on your system)

3. Click on the "File" menu and select "Install New Fonts"

(a new window should openup

4. Locate the folder on your harddrive containing the extracted fonts

5. Double Click on the font file you wish to install and click on the "OK"  button

MAC

To install on MAC (System 7 or higher)

1. Locate the extracted font file(s)

2. Drag the font file(s) into your System Folder.

You may have to reboot the computer or restart any open programs before the font will be recognized.

On rare occasions the files do not download properly or is in another way corrupted, with characters missing for example. You can try to download the file again or it may simply be the file itself.

You should also be aware that Windows versions 2000 and before can only install about 800 fonts before problems arise. XP does not have this limitation.

You can use a font manager that helps you overcome this limitation as well as offering other benefits. The Font thing is probably the most commonly used as it’s a free software. To learn more visit http://members.ozemail.com.au/~scef/tft.html  There are also others available.

When you are viewing font sites they show a sample of the font. After you have downloaded a font you can view all of the font characters in two ways.

1. Open the Windows Control Panel

(» START » SETTINGS » CONTROL PANEL)

2. Double click on the "Fonts" icon in the Control Panel

(a new window should open and you should see all the installed fonts on your system)

3. Double click on any font to view the characters and any copyright information. You can print this for your records if desired.

Alternatively you can view the character map.

1. Choose Start > Program Files> Accessories> System Tools> Character Map

2. You can then choose the font you with to view from the drop down menu.

Once your fonts are installed they will show up in the font menu for your program. Most font menus display a sample of the font as the font name which makes choosing a font easier.

You may delete fonts you do not use from your system however at risk of system errors do not delete the following fonts:
Arial (TrueType)
Arial Bold (TrueType)
Arial Bold Italic (TrueType)
Arial Italic (TrueType)
Courier 10,12,15 (VGA res)
Courier New (TrueType)
Courier New Bold (TrueType)
Courier New Bold Italic (TrueType)
Courier New Italic (TrueType)
Marlett (Windows 95/98)*
Modern (Plotter)
MS Sans Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24 (VGA res)
MS Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24 (VGA res)
Roman (Plotter)
Script (Plotter)
Small fonts (VGA res)
Symbol (TrueType)
Symbol 8,10,12,14,18,24 (VGA res)
Times New Roman (TrueType) -
Times New Roman Bold (TrueType)
Times New Roman Bold Italic (TrueType)
Times New Roman Italic (TrueType)
Wingdings (TrueType)
Any font with a red A for its icon.
Any font that begins with the letters MS.

*Marlett is a hidden system file and it will not show up in a search, however, it may show up in your program font lists.

Additionally, some programs have fonts that are required for that program to display properly. Those fonts that are not listed above are listed here along with the program:

CorelDRAW
Avant Garde Book BT (TrueType)
Avant Garde Oblique BT (TrueType)
Avant Garde Medium BT (TrueType)
Avant Garde Medium Oblique BT (TrueType)
CommonBullets (TrueType)
FuturaMedcondBT (Corel's # TT0201M.TTF)

Print Artist
Palisade

Windows Draw
Swiss921 BT
(Also see page 4 of the manual for Windows Draw 6 Print Studio, and page 27 of the manual for Complete Publisher '99 for a list of fonts that must be installed for the text styles and templates to appear properly.)

Create-a-card
Swiss721 BT
(Create-a-card also has fonts that begin with CAC - these can be removed, however, some of the included projects may not display correctly.)

Internet Web Browsers
Webdings

Office 97 (including Outlook 98)
Tahoma

Quickbooks
Four fonts that all start with "Quicktype"

MS Bookshelf
Three fonts called Bookshelf Symbols 1-3

Picture It
Comic Sans and Comic BD