Answers to most questions can be found on this page. If you don't find what you're looking for, please contact our friendly technical support. We read every message and will respond within 24 hours — usually sooner.
If you are a foundry, member of the press, or looking for sponsorship information, please go to our contact page.
Updated on November 12th, 2019.
To easily utilize every aspect of MyFonts, create a MyFonts account. A MyFonts account is required to place an order — even for free fonts.
Details that can be updated on the Account settings page include:
To update any of these, sign in, view the Account settings page, select the ‘edit’ option for a detail, enter the appropriate information, then select to save. Updates would be applied for future orders.
Font family overview pages have a ‘Sample text’ field where you can enter and preview alternate text in place of the default [Pangrams]. By clicking the blue triangle icon, there are other various pangrams — even different languages — to choose from and preview. Our pangrams are quirky sentences that contain all the letters of the alphabet.
Scale of the sample text can be adjusted by moving the slider left or right.
To fit the sample text within the preview area width, check the ‘Fit to width’ box.
To change the font or background to another color, choose them using the color picker.
Font features can be previewed by selecting the ‘ff’ icon, and checking any listed features (when available). Once purchased, to apply font features within a document, the application would need to similarly offer controls for applying font features. See our documentation for an overview on OpenType & font features.
Word wrap options are within the gear icon. Preview more sample text by checking the ‘Wrap sample text’ listed option.
For more detailed testing, or for comparing fonts concurrently, try using an Album.
Store fonts that are being considered within an album. Albums can be shared with clients, colleagues, or friends. Sign in to create an album.
Click the triangle in the or button beside the font, enter the new album name into the ‘Create new album’ field, then press the button. The new album will become listed below.
Click the triangle in the or button beside the font, then click each album name the font should be added to. As you do this, the album name will change in appearance as confirmation that the font has successfully been added.
Sign in and select your name at the top of the page. In the navigation menu that appears, select ‘Albums’. The Albums page displays a thumbnail preview of each album. To view a specific album, click its thumbnail preview.
An album name can be updated. To edit an album name, view the Albums page, select the ‘edit’ option beneath the thumbnail preview, update the name, and then press the button to save the change.
When viewing a specific album, select the button atop the right column. A window will appear where the addressee contacts and personalized message can be entered, and a URL thats direct to the album can be copy/pasted.
Select a font license based on your needs. We sell desktop, webfont, mobile app, server and Electronic Doc licenses. This makes it easy to extend your brand and designs across platforms.
We offer a 50% license combo discount when both Webfonts and Desktop packages are purchased together in the same order for most fonts.
To overcome indigestible legal writing, each font family page features a ‘Licensing’ tab. The Licensing tab offers use cases, laymen descriptors, and a hyperlink to the EULA.
Where is the logo license? — Minimally a Desktop license would be required to use a font in a logo, so that the font can be installed onto a workstation, and the design be created within a desktop application. Please be sure to review the listing foundry’s Desktop EULA as some restrictions may apply. To view any EULA, select the ‘Licensing’ tab, and click the hyperlink below the descriptor for the EULA.
The Desktop EULA may not specifically say,
Do not fear — Desktop EULAs that typically permit usage within a logo contain a term along the lines of,
Foundries will typically not allow for the use of an individual glyph as a logo (dingbat character or otherwise) in its entirety, but sometimes allow for the use of words, or a phrase.
Be sure to enter your clients name or their company name into the 'License Owner' field during the checkout process. This will set the License Owner, and will appear on the receipt/invoice. When left blank, the purchaser is the License Owner. If you’ve made a typo, contact technical support within 7 days of the purchase for assistance.
Once a package is added to the cart, the smallest quantity license is added by default. The license quantity can be updated on the cart page by selecting the ‘update quantity’ option for each item, and following the prompts in the window that appears.
Desktop licenses are based on the number of users of the fonts. Desktop packages will work on both Mac OS X and Windows systems.
Desktop licenses are for the most common uses, both personal and professional, for use in desktop applications with a font menu. For example:
Be aware that Webfont TTFs are for the web — not for Desktop use.
Desktop licenses are cumulative. If you require the desktop license cover additional users after purchase, place a new purchase for the same Desktop package but for the number of additional users.
Webfonts allow you to embed the font into a webpage using the @font-face rule, so paragraphs and headings of text can be styled as the webfont. You will be serving the webfont kit for your own site and linking it in the CSS.
Webfonts can be used on a single domain. Agencies responsible for multiple websites, for example web design agencies or hosting providers, may not share a single webfont license across multiple websites.
Every time the webpage using the webfont kit is loaded (i.e, the webfont kit CSS which holds the @font-face rule is called) the counting system counts a single pageview for each webfont within the webfont kit.
If the font file itself won't be embedded in the website (for example, when the font is used in a static graphic image such as a logo) you should purchase a Desktop license instead.
MyFonts offers three types of webfont licenses: Annual, Pay Once, and Pay As You Go. Only one of these three would be available for a given webfont.
You can see which applies on the cart page, once the webfont is added to the cart. The licensing works as follows:
You get a total number of pageviews that can be used per month. This means that you will pay for a number of monthly pageviews, then you'll have to come back to purchase more after your site has been viewed that number of times in a single month. For example, if you purchase 250,000 pageviews per month, when your webpages using the webfonts have been viewed 250,000 times in a single month, you will need to buy the webfont package again for a higher tier of pageviews per month.
You get a monthly pageview allowance for your webfonts. As long as the allotted pageviews are not exceeded, this license does not need to be renewed. For example, if you purchase a license that covers 10,000 monthly pageviews, you will remain within your license as long as you do not get more than 10,000 views per month. If the website starts getting more traffic, simply place a new purchase for the additional monthly pageviews you require, as Pay Once webfont purchases are cumulative.
You get a total number of prepaid pageviews that can be used over time. This means that you will pre-pay for a number of pageviews, then you'll have to come back to purchase more after your site has been viewed that number of times. For example, if you purchase 250,000 page views, when your webpages using the webfonts have been viewed 250,000 times, you will need to buy the webfont package again for an additional number of prepaid pageviews. Pageviews are valid for 4 years.
Select this license type when you are developing an app for iOS or Android and you will be embedding the font file in your mobile application’s code.
If the font file itself won’t be embedded in the mobile application (for example, when the font is used in a static graphic image such as a logo) you should purchase a Desktop license instead.
You can use an Electronic Doc license to embed the font in an electronic publication such as an eBook, eMagazine, eNewspaper, or interactive PDF.
An Electronic Doc license is based on the number of publications in which the font is used. Each issue counts as a separate publication. Regional or format variations don't count as separate publications.
Updated versions of publications that are free to previous customers do not need a new license; otherwise, each new version that is released counts as a separate publication.
If the font file itself won’t be embedded in the publication (for example, when the font is used in a static graphic image such as an eBook cover) you should purchase a Desktop license instead.
For use within the digital magazine, each font would require an Electronic Doc license. Each issue of a digital magazine counts as a separate publication.
A server license is required for sites, web apps, or services that allow a non-licensed user to utilize the font to create a product (for example, personalized t-shirts, PDF receipts, business cards, and pictures with captions, et cetera).
This license is valid for one year and is renewed each year that the font remains in use.
The price is based upon the number of servers on which the font is installed. Development servers do not count toward the limit. A font downloaded with this license cannot be used in SaaS, where the service is the product rather that the item that is created.
The ‘Server’ name can be a bit slippery. Server fonts can be installed on a server and used by remote users or automated processes to create items. These licenses are fairly common for e-commerce websites that allow their customers to interact with the font via the business’ webpage interface, customize a printed hard-good product, and they’d purchase/receive the hard-good product.
This is not to be confused with multiple-user Desktop licenses. Desktop font licenses are based on the number of users of the fonts; in other words, the number of computers in which the font will be installed.
For an official quote, add the packages to the cart, then view the cart page. On the cart page, update each package’s quantity. Once the cart is configured with what you’d like quoted, select the ‘Get an official quote’ link at the bottom of the cart page. Quoted prices are locked in for 30 days from the date on the quote. Quoted special prices remain, even if the special ends sooner. MyFonts does not offer Reseller discounts.
Orders can be placed through the website directly using a credit card. This is the easiest way to place an order, and offers an immediate download of the fonts.
PayPal can be used as a payment option during checkout. Be aware that PayPal e-check purchases can take 7–10 business days to clear, sometimes longer.
If you’ve placed an order using PayPal, review your account’s Order History to confirm if the status is complete.
In the United States, we collect sales tax in states listed below:
We use the billing address of your payment method to determine the sales tax rate, if any. If we don't have your billing address, we use your physical location at the time of purchase based on your IP address.
If you are sales tax exempt, please email an attached copy of your valid tax exemption certificate to technical support. We'll link it to your account, inform you of this, and you can then place the order exempt from tax.
Your account will hold its tax-exempt status for a maximum of one year from the date of submission, or until the certificate's official expiration date, whichever comes sooner. When that date is reached, please send us a new copy of your certificate
In European Union countries, we collect VAT at the local rate of the country you are in when placing the order. We determine your location based on your IP address.
You can download a VAT Invoice after completing an order.
If you have a VAT number, enter it in your Account’s settings page before purchase. Once the number has been verified, you will not be charged VAT on your orders.
Already have an account and need your password reset? Please start here. This tool will message the email address set for the account’s login (hopefully no typos). If you do not receive an email after using this tool, make sure that your spam filter allows emails to be received from @myfonts.com email addresses.
If you’re still waiting for the message after using the password reset tool, try checking your old email address’ inbox. It is quite common these to have previous, multiple, or forwarding email addresses.
Still having trouble logging in? No worries, contact technical support!
Fonts can be manually managed and installed following these steps:
This Microsoft article is also a helpful resource for Windows 7 and Windows 8.
These Microsoft articles are also helpful resources:
for Windows Vista
for Windows XP
This Apple article is also a helpful resource for Mac OS X.
If recently installed fonts do not appear for selection in desktop applications, the first thing to try is restarting the computer. Sometimes this old remedy is the simple solution.
If the issue persists after restarting, confirm that the fonts appear in alternate desktop applications such as TextEdit or WordPad (TextEdit is included in OS X, and WordPad is included in Windows). If the fonts remain unavailable for selection in either of these two applications, then it is likely that the new fonts are not properly installed.
Quite often multiple foundries will offer their own cut of a font. Without being aware of the exact font used to create the original document, it is generally recommended to use the ‘Substitute’ option. The typesetting application should replace the missing font with the alternate foundry’s cut on your system. Please be aware this may change the document’s formatting.
If you are unable to see your webfonts and are seeing a different font instead, it’s likely that the webfont kit files are 404ing, meaning they can not be found by the web browser and therefore were not loaded. Some common causes of a 404 error are:
<head> element.Check that your stylesheet is in the right place by typing in the absolute path to the stylesheet location (the complete URL based on the relative path linked within the HTML <head> element) in the address bar of your browser. If the path is correct, you will see the contents of the stylesheet.
Next, check the path of the webfont files. By default the @font-face rule in the webkit has the relative path: ‘webfonts/font_file’, assuming that the font files are stored in a folder called ‘webfonts’ that is in the same directory as the stylesheet. If you saved the fonts in a different folder or location, make sure that you update the path in the @font-face rule, so that the path matches the new location of the font files.
Also double-check that the font-family name that is assigned throughout your code matches the font-family name that is assigned in the @font-face rule.
Another handy developer tool is the web browser’s Console. The Console reports ongoing errors, warning, or issues.
If you find that the webfonts are displaying with jagged edges, try configuring a new kit download that uses a different Hinting setting. To do so, view the Webfont Kit Builder and check the name of each webfont you would like to include in your kit. You will find additional customization options. Under the ‘Hinting’ section try ‘Smooth’, ‘Native’, or ‘None’ (‘Best’ is the default). It may take a couple of tries depending on the font. Download a new kit and replace the existing webfonts/stylesheet in your server. If you continue having difficulty, please contact technical support with website URL for review.
The default download includes the English and Western European language character sets. If the font includes accented characters, configure your kit download to include the complete character set. This can be done using the Webfont Kit Builder.
Check off the name of each webfont that’ll be incorporated into the kit. As you do so, a sample image appears below. Click on the each sample image, then check off the 'Complete Character Set' option, then the button. Upload the new kit and replace the current files/code, and the accented characters should then display when entered as the styled webfont.
For more information and guidance on HTML5 for digital advertising, please see the International Advertising Bureau (iab.) guide for Ad Designers and Creative Technologists.
Different applications and browsers each interpret fonts uniquely, and offer their own font controls. Understandably it would be upsetting if the product didn’t match what was advertised. Most often, alternate characters that within font are displaying instead of the default characters that are also included. For the default characters to display, font features must be toggled off.
Using OpenType font features requires an application that offers you the controls for toggling the features on/off, or an option for manually inserting alternate characters. Only a handful of applications offer these options. Below is a table covering current and common applications. For your convenience, application manufacturer’s font feature instructions are linked to their names.
| OpenType Compatibility | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CS3 and newer |
CS3 and newer |
CS3 and newer |
2010 and newer |
2010 and newer |
9 and newer |
OS X 10.7 and newer |
X6 and newer |
|
| Ligatures | ||||||||
| contextual | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| discretionary | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| historical | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| standard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alternates | ||||||||
| contextual | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| stylistic | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ |
| titling | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Other features | ||||||||
| historical forms | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ornaments | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ |
| small caps | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| stylistic sets 1-20 |
✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ |
| swash | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Numbers | ||||||||
| denominator | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ |
| fractions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ |
| numerator | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ |
| ordinals | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| lining | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| oldstyle | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| scientific inferiors | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ |
| subscript | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ |
| superscript | ✓ | ✓ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
In Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign, font feature controls are within the Character panel sub-menu:
Checked features are applied/on. Unchecked features are off.
In Adobe Illustrator, font feature controls are within the OpenType panel:
Icons at the bottom of the panel are button controls. Darker ‘pressed’ buttons are applied/on.
In Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator, alternate glyphs can manually be inserted into a text frame using the Glyph panel. The panel can be opened by selecting Window from the menu bar → Type → Glyphs.
The default webfont kit download does not include OpenType font features nor alternate characters. To use these, download a new kit that’s configured to retain the OpenType layout. Configure the kit using the Webfont Kit Builder. Check off the name of each webfont that’ll be incorporated into the kit. As you do so, a sample image appears below. Click on the each sample image, then check off the ‘Keep All OpenType Layout’ option, and download. Web browser support of OpenType font features is continually expanding. Font features may not display in older versions of web browsers.
Upload the newly ‘configured’ web font kit to replace the current files. You will then want to style the text tags where the OpenType variant glyphs are to appear with additional CSS in your stylesheet. A good starting point would be using this CSS:
-moz-font-feature-settings:
-moz-font-feature-settings:
-ms-font-feature-settings:
-o-font-feature-settings:
-webkit-font-feature-settings:
font-feature-settings:
Then define the feature tag you would like to toggle ‘on’ in quotes and assign it the value of ‘1’ for ‘on’. In the follwoing example, we will use oldstyle numbers:
-moz-font-feature-settings:"onum" 1;
-moz-font-feature-settings:"onum=1";
-ms-font-feature-settings:"onum" 1;
-o-font-feature-settings:"onum" 1;
-webkit-font-feature-settings:"onum" 1;
font-feature-settings:"onum" 1;
Order History is account specific. If the Order History page is missing previous purchases, perhaps you have logged-in to an alternate MyFonts account? If orders are not appearing in any of MyFonts accounts, please contact technical support with your order number or emailed receipt.
Curious what font that is? Submit a sample image on the WhatTheFont page to find the closest matches in our database. Submitting a pixelated or poor quality image will not offer you relevant results. For optimized results, submit a sample image with these traits:
If you choose to specify an image URL, be sure to submit the URL that is directly to the image and not an entire website. To do so, right-click the image on the website, and select the ‘Copy image address’ option. This should copy the direct URL of the image to your clipboard which can be pasted into the ‘or specify an image URL’ field, then select the green ‘Continue’ button.
If you find unfavorable results, post the sample image to the WhatTheFont forum.
After running a sample image through the WhatTheFont search tool, you can post it to the WhatTheFont forum. The forum is a human-powered alternative, and full of experts eager to show off their amazing identifying skills. There is a good chance someone will help you identify it.
Here’s how:
No, MyFonts does not create custom fonts. Contact a listing foundry directly and inquire about their design services. Their contact information should be available on their foundry page under the blue ‘more info:’ link, or within their Desktop EULA.
You can search for specific languages starting on this page. It’s possible to apply a few search filters to search for fonts that support multiple languages, for example. Using the buttons on the right, you can add/remove filters for more relevant results.
Also, just above the Sample text area on the font family overview page lists supported character sets. Hover over the blue icons for the descriptor of each.
Each character included in the font will also appear on the font’s Glyphs tab.
Free webfonts do not use a pageview counter.
| Abbreviations | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Com | Commercial OpenType | OpenType font category with extended character set to support virtually all languages that use the latin alphabet | ||||||
| CE | Central European | Supports the Central and Eastern European languages such as Croatian, Czech, Polish, Slovak, Slovenian as well as Hungarian. | ||||||
| Cond | Condensed | The font is narrower than the normal version | ||||||
| CY | Cyrillic | Supports the Cyrillic alphabet used for the Russian language. | ||||||
| D | Display | Font design is optimized for use at heading and display sizes | ||||||
| Exp | Expanded | The font is wider than the normal version | ||||||
| GR | Greek | Supports the Greek alphabet. | ||||||
| LF | Lining Figures | The figures all have the same height and sit on the baseline | ||||||
| OS | Old Style Figures | The figures all have the same height and sit on the baseline | ||||||
| OSF | Old Style Figures | The figures all have the same height and sit on the baseline | ||||||
| PF | Proportional Figures | Font with figures having different widths for optimum spacing in text | ||||||
| Plus | Plus OpenType | This OpenType font includes additional alphabets such as Cyrillic and Greek | ||||||
| Pro | Full-featured OpenType | This font contains OpenType features such as alternate characters and possibly more | ||||||
| SC | Small Caps | The lowercase letters are replaced by small versions of the caps | ||||||
| Std | Standard OpenType | OpenType font category with basic set of characters to provide support Western European languages | ||||||
| TF | Tabular Figures | Font with figures all having equal widths | ||||||
Want your font to be part of the world’s largest collection of fonts? When you sell with us, you get the chance to reach millions of customers. To learn how, please read our Prospectus page.