Installing desktop fonts on Mac
If you’ve got an Apple, you are among the lucky ones. Just double click any font you want to install and Mac OS X will take care of the rest. You just gotta love it.
Mac OS X
There are different ways to install your fonts. First quit all applications before installation. Then use one of the options below:
- Double click the font file. Font Book will display a sample of the font. Click ‘Install font’ below the preview window.
- Use Font Book or any other font management software. Open Font Book and click ‘Install new font’ from the File Menu.
- Drag the fonts into Username/Library/Fonts, which makes the fonts available to your account only.
- Drag them into Macintosh HD/Library/Fonts, which makes the fonts available to all accounts.
Third party font manager
If you change your fonts very often, using a third party font manager app can be a good choice. Check these websites for comparison:
Mac OS 7 to 9.2 (Classic OS)
If you are using Mac OS 9 or earlier, you’re the last of your kind. To install PostScript Type1 and OpenType fonts, you must have Adobe Type Manager (ATM) Light version 4.1 or above installed. Download a free version of ATM at Adobe.
Install the ATM control panel and drag the fonts into: System Folder/Fonts.
You can also do it manually if you want. At best you should have three files in your PostScript Type1 font folder;
- Suitcase-file: containing the bitmap and kerning information
- PostScript-file: containing the outline and spacing information
- AFM-file: which repeats kerning information to some applications
Drag the complete folder in its original state (including all three files) onto the closed System Fonts folder.
If you’re not using any other font management software, just drag the fonts in the System Folder/Fonts folder.
Minimum System Requirements
Mac 8.6 with Adobe ATM Light 4.6.
Installation tip
We recommend installing only one format — OpenType, TrueType, or PostScript — of a font. Installing two or more formats of the same font may cause problems when you try to use, view, or print the font.