I have always been a fonts hoarder. I have over 1000 fonts on my computer, and I add more each week! I love the way that choosing just the right font can completely change the feeling of the text, and really drive your point across.
I work on computers all day; between my “day job” and my graphic design business, I spend hours upon hours looking at fonts, downloading and installing them each week. I love sharing my favorites with you, but I realized that you probably don’t spend your life at a computer like I do, and maybe you don’t know how to download those fonts once I share them with you!
I promise, it’s not hard to do!
First you need to choose your fonts. My favorite site for free fonts is dafont.com. There are so many fonts to choose from, it can get overwhelming, but they have lots of categories to help you narrow it down.
Once you’ve selected your font, click the DOWNLOAD button.
Depending on your computer (I have Windows 7), you will need to find the folder the font downloaded to, whatever your default download folder is. Mine will automatically pop up once the file has been downloaded.
Because the files are large, they are downloaded in “zipped” (or compressed) files, and the font file needs to be extracted. (Sounds painful but I assure you it is not!)
In Windows 7, you will see a button at the top of the folder that says “Extract all files.” Alternately, you can right click on the file and select “Extract all.”
Once extracted, another file folder will pop up. At this point, you’re almost finished!
Right click on the font and select “Install.”
And you’re done! You can now use your free fonts to pretty up your pictures, flyers, and more.
Another method would be to “drag and drop” once the files are extracted. You would need to find your fonts folder, by opening up the control panel (start menu > control panel > fonts). Once both folders are open you can drag the font file to the font folder.
Have a MAC? Beth from home Stories A2Z showed us how to install fonts on your MAC here.
Do you know if this would be a similar process for a Mac? I seem to always ‘lose’ my downloaded fonts! Not sure where they go, but I can never use them, but this is such a great tutorial for PC users! Pinning now 🙂
Ahhh never mind…just read the rest! Heading to Homestories now! Thanks Kristin! XO
This was a helpful post – thanks! I have a feeling I’m going to be spending some time looking at fonts now…
I’m wondering if you have a system for remembering what fonts you have and what they are called. I have a lot of fonts also and sometimes have trouble finding the one I want to use.
Unfortunately, I don’t! I would love to put together a notebook so I can easily reference them, but I just haven’t gotten around to that yet.
Do you have advice on how others can see those fonts…especially if they don’t have them on their computer?
I’m not sure what you mean…could you expand a little more?
OMG I am SO glad you posted on this. I have never figured out how to get them to load on my computer! (yes, I know, I’m a dork) but anyways, this was good information. Thank you!
Jennifer @ Decorated Chaos
Marcy, you might try Nexus Font Manager. Here’s the link: http://www.xiles.net/nexusfont/
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I could never figure out how to do this ~ love the fonts!
Hi could you help me.. I would like to know how I desinstall a font from my computer…
tks in advance
Thanks for posting this. Though I’ve known how to install my own fonts for years (sadly a decade probably) I needed a tutorial for my blog. I’m going to add your link to my favorite fonts that I have listed on my blog. Thanks again!
Abbi @ Seasons of a Homemaker
Is there a way to import these fonts into word or publisher?
Thank you so much for the explinaton on how to download! I was so sad that it wasnt working. I never had to “extract all files” before so thank you thank you thank you! Your work and ideas are amazing!!
Thanks you for sharing this. I want to download fonts but I’m soooooooo nervous about doing it as I had a really bad experience a few months back – I downloaded a font and my computer got the most horrible virus!!! It was out of action for three weeks and took so much time and effort to get rid of it 🙁 Any advice on avoiding this in this future?
Thank you!!
Thank you so much!! I just found your font combos and instantly fell in love, and this post made downloading them super quick & easy. Major props!
I am so excited about using these fonts! I’d like to use one of them on my blog but i’m having a hard time. How do I upload fonts from my computer onto blogger?? Do you know? Any help would be awesome. Thank you!
Charli
Thank you so much for your information on downloading fonts. I went to a site you mentioned and used some for home made mother’s day cards. I never knew how to find all these great fonts. Thanks for taking the time from your busy life to share all your fun information with the rest of us!
Christine
Could you tell me if I can then delete the “zip file” once I have installed the font? Or should I get an external drive and just save it to that? Or does it need to stay on the computer in order to use the font. I am sorry – a little technologically deprived!
Yes you can delete the zip file. Once it’s installed you don’t need both.
After I select the downloaded font it doesn’t show an option to extract the zipped file. What now? I have Windows Vista…maybe that’s the problem?
I followed the directions to download and install the fonts, but they are not showing up in Microsoft office. They show up in Microsoft Publisher. Any way to get them in office?
I followed the directions to download and install the fonts, but I’m unable to extract. I see the extract tab on top but it won’t allow to select. BTW, I have windows 8.
Hi Teresa, sorry you’re having trouble. I also have Windows 8. When I download the font, I open the folder and the extract tab is there and I can click it. I haven’t had any trouble with this. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Can these only be used in publisher? I don’t have that on my computer and wanted to use them in a Word document, but I can’t find the font to use anywhere. Help! Thank you!
Once the fonts are properly installed on your computer you can use any publishing program, like Publisher, Word or Photoshop.
What about all the decorative elements are they used only in a certain program ( swooshes, swirls etc)?
Those are typically fonts as well. Sometimes graphics, but usually fonts.
Thank’s so much for sharing, I just love the fonts you share and this how to is great!
I have Windows 8. When I press the Install button I am not finding where to retrieve the installation. Maybe I am not waiting long enough? Or misunderstanding how to apply these fonts to Google Docs, etc.?
I assumed once I pressed install the fonts would save directly into the folder I created where I extracted the font files. I hope this makes sense.
I have downloaded them but don’t understand how to get to the to use them.