Can Windows fonts be used on the Mac?

Americain · Americain #1 (**permalink**)

03-23-2006, 06:19 PM

There are some Windows fonts I'd like to use on my Mac. Can I just drop them into the fonts folder on the Mac? Thanks in advance.

Kar98 · Kar98 #2 (**permalink**)

03-23-2006, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Americain

There are some Windows fonts I'd like to use on my Mac. Can I just drop them into the fonts folder on the Mac? Thanks in advance.

I just copied a font called yesternight.ttf from a Windows PC to the Mac and it seems it can be done. Another font gave me an error message though.

lil · lil #3 (**permalink**)

03-23-2006, 07:32 PM

More or less—yes. Mac OS X supports pretty much any font thrown at it compared to Windows. It will support most Truetype (.ttf) and Opentype fonts commonly used on Windows systems.

You should be able to just select them all and open them and be able to click Install Font on the window that pops up; or double click each one individually and then Install Font.

Generally any errors are due to a corrupted font or a font that is deficient in some way than incompatibilities.

Vicky

Americain · Americain #4 (**permalink**)

03-23-2006, 07:49 PM

Soundws good so far. The font I'm interested in is indeed True Type. I wanted to just drop it into the proper folder, where is the font folder on the Mac in OS X ?

lil · lil #5 (**permalink**)

03-23-2006, 07:54 PM

You don't need to find the folder.

Just get the font to the Mac and double click it. A preview window pops up with an Install Font button. Click it. Ta-da.

If you insist on manual installation:

/Library/Fonts for all users of your Mac to be able to access it
~/Library/Fonts for only your user account to have access to the font

/ is usually Macintosh HD

~/ is usually Macintosh HD, then Users, and your user account's name; in that you will find a Library folder.

Vicky

Americain · Americain #6 (**permalink**)

03-23-2006, 08:36 PM

That's funny, there's absolutely nothing in the Library folder. Am I drilling down from the correct folder? Hmmm...

Kar98 · Kar98 #7 (**permalink**)

03-23-2006, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Americain

That's funny, there's absolutely nothing in the Library folder. Am I drilling down from the correct folder? Hmmm...

Copy to the font you want from your Windows PC, save it to your Mac, desktop or documents or some equally easy to find place. Double-click on the font and the FontBook will pop up. That will show a preview and some info about the font, and there's also going to be a button marked [Install Font]. Click it. Done.

Americain · Americain #8 (**permalink**)

03-23-2006, 10:18 PM

Cool, I'll do it the easy way then. I was just curious to see the folder where the fonts were kept. Thanks to all.

cdnphotog · cdnphotog #9 (**permalink**)

10-24-2007, 11:19 PM

I am glad to hear this! I have just over 1100 fonts (of which I regularly use a little over 1/3 of them) that I would like to switch over. If I indeed go Mac

Aqua · Aqua #10 (**permalink**)

10-24-2007, 11:37 PM

Cool me too! I have over 900 and thought I would have to pick the ones I wanted to find the mac versions for...

louishen · louishen #11 (**permalink**)

10-25-2007, 06:08 AM

If you have a lot of fonts to install try and avoid the OS X font book if you can .

A better alternative to manage fonts is Linotype's font explorer.

Just create a fonts folder in your documents folder, drag all your fonts in.

Font Explorer is free, has a cool itunes like interface and doesn't tell Linotype about which fonts you have in your library.

Aqua #10 (permalink)
Member Since: Sep 05, 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 452 Mac Specs: Macbook Pro, 2.4GHz Core2 Duo 10.6.8, MacMini	10-24-2007, 11:37 PM Cool me too! I have over 900 and thought I would have to pick the ones I wanted to find the mac versions for... “invincible ignorance” is an example of ignorance that can not be removed by any amount of evidence. It's now a widespread form of pollution. (Revised quote) An apple a day, keeps the psychiatrist away.. If you play a Windows install CD backwards it has satanic verses
	QUOTE Thanks

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Americain #1 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	03-23-2006, 06:19 PM There are some Windows fonts I'd like to use on my Mac. Can I just drop them into the fonts folder on the Mac? Thanks in advance.
	QUOTE Thanks

Americain #4 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	03-23-2006, 07:49 PM Soundws good so far. The font I'm interested in is indeed True Type. I wanted to just drop it into the proper folder, where is the font folder on the Mac in OS X ?
	QUOTE Thanks

lil #5 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	03-23-2006, 07:54 PM You don't need to find the folder. Just get the font to the Mac and double click it. A preview window pops up with an Install Font button. Click it. Ta-da. If you insist on manual installation: /Library/Fonts for all users of your Mac to be able to access it ~/Library/Fonts for only your user account to have access to the font / is usually Macintosh HD ~/ is usually Macintosh HD, then Users, and your user account's name; in that you will find a Library folder. Vicky
	QUOTE Thanks

Americain #6 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	03-23-2006, 08:36 PM That's funny, there's absolutely nothing in the Library folder. Am I drilling down from the correct folder? Hmmm...
	QUOTE Thanks

Americain #8 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	03-23-2006, 10:18 PM Cool, I'll do it the easy way then. I was just curious to see the folder where the fonts were kept. Thanks to all.
	QUOTE Thanks

cdnphotog #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 24, 2007 Location: Some where in Canada Posts: 66 Mac Specs: iMac, iTouch, iPad, iPhone 3GS..waiting for iPhone5 or 6?	10-24-2007, 11:19 PM I am glad to hear this! I have just over 1100 fonts (of which I regularly use a little over 1/3 of them) that I would like to switch over. If I indeed go Mac
	QUOTE Thanks

louishen #11 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 22, 2007 Location: London Posts: 8,957 Mac Specs: Mac Mini Core i7 2012 \| White 2009 MacBook 2 Ghz \| 733 Mhz G4 Quicksilver	10-25-2007, 06:08 AM If you have a lot of fonts to install try and avoid the OS X font book if you can . A better alternative to manage fonts is Linotype's font explorer. Just create a fonts folder in your documents folder, drag all your fonts in. Font Explorer is free, has a cool itunes like interface and doesn't tell Linotype about which fonts you have in your library.
	QUOTE Thanks

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