Windows stores fonts in one central location, and adding new ones takes less than a minute

When you read a font file or receive one from a designer, Windows does not automatically know about it. You have to place the font file in the Fonts folder so that design programs — Photoshop, Figma, Canva, or anything else — can see it and let you use it. The process is the same whether you are running Windows 10 or Windows 11: find the font file, open it, and click Install.

Most fonts come as a compressed folder (a .zip file). Before you can install them, you need to extract the files inside. Once extracted, you will see individual font files — usually with names ending in .ttf or .otf. These are the files Windows actually installs.

Key Takeaways

  • Font files must be extracted from their compressed folder before Windows can install them.
  • You install fonts by opening the font file and clicking the Install button that appears in the preview window.
  • After installation, restart your design program so it can see the new fonts in its font menu.
  • Windows stores all installed fonts in a single Fonts folder that design programs check automatically.
  • You can install multiple fonts at once by selecting them all, right-clicking, and choosing Install.

Extract the font files from their compressed folder

Most fonts arrive as a .zip file — a compressed folder that holds one or more font files inside. Windows can open .zip files without any extra software. Right-click the .zip file and select Extract All. Windows will ask you where to put the extracted files. Choose your Downloads folder or Desktop so you can find them easily.

After extraction, open the new folder that appears. Inside you will see the actual font files. These usually have names like "Arial-Bold.ttf" or "Montserrat-Regular.otf". The .ttf and .otf extensions tell you these are font files that Windows recognizes. Some folders contain many fonts — a font family might include Regular, Bold, Italic, and Bold Italic versions all in one read.

Install a single font by opening and clicking Install

Double-click any font file to open a preview window. At the top of the window, you will see an Install button. Click it. Windows will copy the font to its Fonts folder automatically — you do not need to navigate anywhere or move files yourself. The preview window will close, and the font is now installed.

The font will not appear in your design program when ready. You need to close and reopen the program so it refreshes its font list. If you have the program open while installing, it will not see the new font until you restart it.

Install multiple fonts at once

If you extracted a folder with many fonts and want to install them all, you can select them together. Click the first font file, then hold Ctrl and click each additional font file you want to install. All of them will highlight. Right-click the selection and choose Install. Windows will install all of them in one action.

This is faster than opening and installing each font one at a time, especially if you downloaded a large font family with ten or more variations.

Restart your design program to see the new fonts

After installation, your design program does not automatically know about the new fonts. You must close the program completely and open it again. When it starts, it will scan the Fonts folder and add the new fonts to its menu.

If you are working in a web-based tool like Figma or Canva, you may need to refresh the page instead of restarting an process. Look for a refresh button in your browser or press Ctrl+R to reload the page.

Find your installed fonts in the design program

Once the program has restarted, open the font menu. In most design programs, this is a dropdown list near the top of the screen or in a panel on the right side. Scroll through the list to find your new font — fonts are listed alphabetically by their name. If you installed "Montserrat-Regular", look for it under M.

Some design programs organize fonts into categories like Serif, Sans-Serif, or Display. Your new font might appear in one of these sections instead of the main alphabetical list. If you cannot find it by scrolling, try typing the first few letters of the font name into the search box that many programs include in their font menu.

Uninstall a font if you no longer need it

If you install a font and later decide you do not want it, you can remove it. Open the Fonts folder by typing "Fonts" into the Windows search bar at the bottom left of your screen. Find the font file you want to remove, right-click it, and select Delete. Windows will remove it from the Fonts folder, and design programs will no longer show it in their font menus.

You do not need to restart your program to see the font disappear — most programs check the Fonts folder each time you open the font menu. If a program still shows the deleted font, close and reopen that program.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between .ttf and .otf fonts?

.ttf (TrueType) and .otf (OpenType) are two different font file formats. Both work in Windows and design programs the same way. .otf is slightly newer and can hold more advanced features, but for most design work, they are interchangeable. Install them the same way — there is no difference in the process.

Can I install fonts from websites like Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts?

Yes. Google Fonts and Adobe Fonts let you read font files to your computer. Once downloaded, follow the same extraction and installation steps described here. Some design programs like Figma also connect directly to Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts, so you can use fonts from those services without downloading them at all — check your program's font menu for a link to browse online libraries.

Why does my design program not show the font I just installed?

The most common reason is that you did not restart the program after installation. Close it completely and open it again. If that does not work, make sure the font file was actually installed — open the Fonts folder and search for the font name to confirm it is there. If the file is missing, the installation may have failed; try extracting and installing again.

Can I install fonts on a shared computer so everyone can use them?

Yes. When you install a font using the method described here, it installs for all user accounts on that computer. Anyone who logs in will see the font in their design programs. If you want a font for only your account, you can place font files in your user folder instead, but the standard installation method makes fonts available to everyone.

What if the font file is corrupted or will not install?

Try downloading the font again from the original source. Font files can become corrupted during read. If it still will not install, the file itself may be damaged. Contact the designer or website where you got the font and ask for a fresh copy. Some very old or unusual font formats may not work in modern Windows — if the designer cannot help, you may need to find a different version of that font.