How do I install or add fonts (Windows users)?

Before font installlation - uncompressing the zip file

Before you install fonts on your system, make sure that you have uncompressed the file using an appropriate program/utility. Please refer unzipping the font file page for details. FYI, FontMagic.com offers fonts only as compressed zip files.

Note: All downloadable fonts on FontMagic.com are in the True Type Format (TTF). At times, some additional formats may be included in the zip. The TTF format is for the Windows operating system and the instructions below are for installation of fonts on that system. The examples have been worked on Windows XP Home Edition - with a few minor changes, they would apply to Windows Vista and others.

The quick method: Install fonts by copying them to the Fonts directory

The quickest way to install fonts is to copy the .ttf files directly to the Fonts directory found under the Windows directory.

Thus, start Windows Explorer. Click on the C: drive (assuming your operating system is installed under this drive), go to the directory called Windows. You will now see a folder Fonts in the listing - open it. It contains all the fonts installed on your system. To quickly install the fonts, copy them from the directory in which you had unzipped them into this Fonts directory. You can use mouse-right click to copy or paste or simply employ the keyboard shortcuts, CTRL-C (for copy) and CTRL-V (for paste).

Important: The Windows operating system might not immediately show you the contents on the Windows folder - it might display a warning message. If you are not very confident about this or just don't want to fiddle around with system folders and files, there is another way to add fonts on your system. There is always more than one way to skin a cat!

The longer method: Installing fonts by adding them through the Control Panel

This is a slightly longer process to install and add fonts, but it's safer if you are a new user.

Go to Control Panel. You will find it in the list when you click on the Start button (located at the bottom left). If you have difficulty locating the Control Panel link, please refer image below which is a snapshot from Windows XP operating system.

Under the Control Panel, there would be a Fonts icon, which looks like the image below.

Important: If you don't see this icon and the Control Panel asks you to Pick a Category (as in the image below), click on Switch to Classic View found at the top right - again please refer the image below.

The Classic View of the Control Panel would display a whole lot of icons. You need to locate the Fonts icon and once you have done that, double-click on it to open its contents. You are now shown all the fonts installed on your computer.

Click on File - Install New Font.

The Add Fonts dialog box opens. Through this window that you will choose and add fonts that you have downloaded from FontMagic. Refer image below for a snapshot of the Add Fonts window.

In the Folders section, browse to the directory in which you have uncompressed the downloaded font zip file. The List of Fonts section would then display all the fonts the system finds in this folder. Please refer image below.

You can now select all fonts from this directory or choose the ones that you want (hold the Control key and then click on font names for multiple selection). Click on the OK button once you are ready. The image below details this procedure.

The installation process will begin. By the way, if a font is already installed on your computer, you would get a warning window like the one shown below.

Any way, once you have added the fonts, they would be available for to your programs including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, PhotoShop, Pain Shop Pro etc.

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