Typography: How to Download and Install Fonts on Your Mac
01. Find the right font
You might already have a font in mind that you want to download, but if you’re just browsing, Adobe Fonts, DaFont, Creative Market, and MyFonts are the best places to find a range of typefaces. Access to Adobe Fonts is included with Adobe subscriptions, and all fonts are excellently crafted and cleared for professional use, while DaFont is free and many are only available for personal use. Creative Market and MyFonts feature a range of professional, well-known fonts to buy and download at standard pricing.
02. Download the font
Whatever website you find your font on, there will be a Download button either already or after buying. Click this and a downloading motion graphic will flash across the screen.
03. Open the download
In the top right-hand corner, there will be a Downloads icon. It might now be flashing grey to help you find it. When you click on this, a small panel will appear next to it with a file named after the font you just downloaded. In the example, we’re downloading a font called Lemon Milk, so when we clicked on the Downloads icon, a file named lemon_milk.zip appeared in the panel. Double-click on the file.
04. Expand the zip file
After double-clicking on the file, the Downloads window will pop up in Finder with a zip file already selected. The zip file will be named after your font and will have the extension .zip. This contains the files needed to install the font. Double-click on the zip file. A folder will appear next to it, also named after the font. Open this folder.
05. Open the .otf files
The folder will contain one or more .otf files, and usually a .txt file as well. The .otf files are the font itself. If there are several, each one will install a different weight or variation of the font family. The .txt file will contain information about the licensing and usage of the font. It is important to read this to make sure you use the font within the correct permissions. There might also be .png files in the folder; these are just flat images included as examples of how the font should look once you have downloaded it. To continue installing the font, double-click on the first .otf file to open it.
06. Click on ‘Install’
Opening the .otf file will automatically launch the Fonts app, which is where all the typefaces on your Mac are stored. A pop-up window will already be open in the app showing a preview of the font. Click on Install.
07. Repeat the process
If you have more weights and variations of the font family to install, repeat the same process with each .otf file.
08. Read the licensing document
Remember that .txt file we mentioned earlier? Now is the time to read it. It’s something that should not be overlooked so that you can ensure the font is licensed to be used in the places you intend to use it. Double-click on the .txt file and double-check the license.
09. Get designing!
You’re ready to go! The whole font family is now available to use in all applications and software across your whole Mac. Now go and get designing.
FAQs
Q: Where can I find a range of typefaces?
A: Adobe Fonts, DaFont, Creative Market, and MyFonts are great places to find a range of typefaces.
Q: How do I download a font?
A: Click the Download button on the website you found the font on.
Q: How do I install a font?
A: Follow the steps outlined in this article to install a font on your Mac.
Q: What do I need to do with the .txt file?
A: Read it to ensure the font is licensed to be used in the places you intend to use it.
