Have you ever bought a product on TpT only to find out you have to install fonts to use it? Buying products on TpT isn't always a walk in the park. For teachers who are looking for a quick win, it can feel really frustrating feeling to buy a product from TpT, only to open the directions and find that you have to download and install fonts in order to use it. In fact, I would say font-related questions account for about half of my FAQ's in my TpT store.
In this post, I'm going to teach you:
- How to find any font you'll ever need
- How to download + install fonts
- How to use fonts
Sound good? Let's go!
Where can I find the fonts I need?
Step #1: Identifying Which Fonts You Need
Purchases from TpT usually come zipped as a collection of files. Typically, a seller will indicate which fonts are needed in any supportive documents they include in your download. Make sure to do a thorough check ! For my morning journal products, I create a “Read First” file that includes teacher directions for how to use the product.
You'll want to download the fonts before you open the actual product, since correct formatting will be compromised without the right fonts installed.
Step #2: Downloading Your Fonts
Most times, teacher sellers will provide links (and sometimes even instructions!) for the fonts needed.
If so, proceed to the next step. If not, here are some options:
- Search the font name on TpT first. If it belongs to a TpT seller, chances are they offer it as a free download in their shop. If so, download it.
- If it's not found on TpT, do a Google search for the font name.
- Visit any of the first 2 sites in your results. Sites like FontSpring, FontSpace, Google Fonts, and DaFont are all legitimate places to download free fonts, even if they feel unfamiliar to you.
- Download your font.
Important Note About Fonts in TpT Products:
Fonts needed in a TpT product should always be free for the buyer, unless otherwise noted in the product description. If you feel you've purchased a product that requires paid fonts, please reach out to the TpT seller in their Q+A section of their shop. Sellers are always happy to help!
Step #3: Installing Your Fonts
This is the part that makes people groan, but I'm happy to tell you that installing fonts is actually not hard!
The most important first step in font installation–PC or Mac–is to close out of all programs that use fonts. PowerPoint, Word, Keynote…shut it down.
Installing fonts on a Mac:
Once a font is downloaded to your computer, locate it in the Downloads folder. Fonts are almost always packaged as a zipped file, which is a bundle of files you must unzip. You can double-click on the zipped file or right click on the file, and select “Archive Utility,” which is the default unzip action on a Mac.
A blue folder will appear. Open this folder. Then, open FontBook on your Mac by searching for it in the Finder. At this point, you can either:
- Click the + symbol and locate the font file this way. Select the file ending in .OTF by double-clicking on it (.TTF is okay too, but only choose one). You can also select multiple fonts at once by holding down the shift key as you select the first and last selection in your list of fonts.
- Once you open your programs (PowerPoint, Word, etc.) the font should appear in your drop-down font menu. If it does not, restart your computer.
Installing fonts on a PC:
Once a font is downloaded to your computer, locate it in the Downloads folder. Fonts are almost always packaged as a zipped file, which is a bundle of files you must unzip. You can double-click on the zipped file or right click on the file, and select “Extract All,” which is the default unzip action on a PC.
A blue folder will appear. Open this folder. Select the font files you'd like to install and select “Install.” You can also select multiple fonts at once by holding down the shift key as you select the first and last selection in your list of fonts.
Once you open your programs (PowerPoint, Word, etc.) the font should appear in your drop-down font menu. If it does not, restart your computer.
Because there are so many versions of Windows, the above directions will work for most of you. In the event they don't, more version-specific directions can be found here.
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