This article is your complete guide to installing fonts on Windows and Mac OS X operating systems.
Using the same fonts all the time makes life monotonous. The best place to search for new fonts is the Internet. After downloading them, you may have to follow different instructions to install them, depending on the operating system you are using. Here is a brief guide.
On Windows 7
Following are the steps to install fonts on Windows 7.
- Click on the “Start” button and then in the search box, type ‘Fonts’ in it and press enter.
- In the Font window that will be displayed on your screen, drag and drop the font file you have downloaded from the Internet.
- Windows 7 automatically recognizes the fonts files having extension ‘.tty’ (True type font).
- It will install the font for your use. Check it in the list of fonts.
There is another method. After downloading the font file, double click on it. This action prompts Windows 7 into providing you with a box with “Install” button on it. Click it get the font of your choice installed.
On Vista
Following are the steps to install fonts on a Windows Vista system.
- Click on the “Start” button.
- Click on ‘Control Panel’ to access ‘Appearance and Personalization’ option in the window that appears on the screen.
- Click on the option that says ‘Install or Remove a Font‘.
- Clicking on the Install button will bring you File menu. If it is not the case, press ALT button to access it.
- You can select the font you have install in the Add Font dialog box, under Drive option.
- Click on the Drive, then on the Folder option to bring the font file on the screen that you want to install.
- Click to select the font you want installed and then click on ‘Install’.
On a Mac
The following set of instructions will help you install new fonts on a Mac.
- Click to open the system folder named as ‘Fonts’.
- Open or access the drives and folders where you have saved the downloaded font files.
- Select the fonts you want to install and drag and drop them into the fonts folder, that’s contained in the Library folder. With that, you are done.
The new font that you have installed on your computer must be tested for readability, before usage. After installation, you may also find that the font you have installed has compatibility issues with some programs and the information may appear distorted on the screen. It may also happen that it doesn’t print properly. The best solution is to uninstall such fonts and find new ones that may satisfy your requirements.