How to install fonts on Windows, macOS and Linux

Before installation

Confirm the source, licence, file type and font name. Extract ZIP archives before installation and avoid executable installers when a normal TTF or OTF file is expected. Keep the licence with the downloaded package.

Install by operating system

On Windows, select the extracted font file and choose Install or Install for all users. On macOS, open it in Font Book and choose Install Font. On most Linux desktops, opening the file offers an Install action; system-wide installation may require administrator permission.

• Close and reopen applications that were already running.
• Remove older conflicting versions when the family name is identical.
• Do not install web-only packages unless they include an authorised desktop file.

When the font does not appear

Restart the application, confirm that the correct style was installed and check for duplicate family names. Some applications group styles inside one family menu rather than listing every file separately.

Use a clean, reversible installation

Download from the recorded official source, scan the archive and extract it before opening the font. Read the licence and install only the styles needed for the project. Keeping the original package in a project archive makes it easier to identify the version later without filling the operating system with duplicate families.

Close design applications before installation, then reopen them so they rebuild their font menus. If a family already exists, remove or deactivate the older copy before adding the new one. Installing two files with the same internal family and style names can create unpredictable selection and output.

• Windows: right-click the TTF or OTF and choose Install, or use Font settings.
• macOS: open the file in Font Book, validate it and choose Install.
• Linux: use the desktop font viewer or place user fonts in ~/.local/share/fonts, then refresh the cache.
• Restart the target application after changing installed fonts.

Diagnose duplicates and missing menus

Search by the internal family name, which may differ from the download filename. Some applications group weights under one menu while others show separate families. Variable fonts may appear as one entry with an axis panel instead of many static styles.

When the font still does not appear, validate the file in another application, clear only the relevant font cache using the operating system’s supported method, and confirm that the application accepts that format. Do not repeatedly rename or convert the file; doing so can hide the actual metadata problem and may breach the licence.