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FAQs

Choosing and buying fonts

1. What’s the difference between Std and Pro?

2. What is the difference between the file-ending otf and ttf?

3. I bought an OpenType font, but the file I downloaded was TrueType!

4. Payment Options

5. I’m a german customer – where do I enter my VAT number?

6. The shop doesn’t accept my VAT number but I know it’s valid!

7. Why do I have to go through the purchase process if I'm only downloading Free fonts?

8. When I buy a typeface do I get all the point sizes?

9. Do you offer an educational discount?

Licensing fonts

1. I want to create a logo – which license do I need?

2. I want to use the font in a video – which license do I need?

3. I purchased a license for the wrong version of a font. Can I change it?

4. If I license a font, can I modify it for my own use or for resale?

5. Can I legally embed fonts into my PowerPoint, Word document, web page, or PDF file?

6. Terms and Conditions of Business

7. Terms and Conditions of Use

8. Privacy Policy

App, e-book and server licensing

1. How can I extend my app license?

2. Do I need an app license to use a font in a free app?

3. Do I need additional licenses for each mobile platform that my mobile app supports?

4. Does my app license cover the release of a free update to my app?

Downloading and installing desktop fonts

1. How do I install my fonts?

2. Font Validation errors

3. I installed several styles of my font but only one font shows up in the font menu. Where did all the other fonts go?

4. My document still says the font is missing. Did I buy the wrong font?

5. How do I access the alternate glyphs in my OpenType font?

Working with Web Fonts

1. GDPR compliance

2. Will using Web Fonts increase the size of my web page?

3. I bought a font for print design, can I use it for web design?

General Questions

1. How can I sign up for your Newsletter?

Choosing and buying fonts

What's the difference between Std and Pro?

OpenType Pro fonts share the same technical specifications as OpenType Standard fonts, but support a broader range of languages.

Standard OT fonts contain support for Western languages, while Pro fonts include Central European, and often Greek and/or Cyrillic and Extended Cyrillic.

What is the difference between the file-ending otf and ttf?

OpenType (.otf) fonts typically have additional features that can only be accessed by programs that support them. OpenType works best in software like Adobe® Illustrator® and Adobe® InDesign®.

Although Microsoft Word 2010 supports some OpenType features, not all characters can be accessed if the font has a massive amount of alternates.

If you'll be using Microsoft Office programs heavily, we suggest you select a TrueType (.ttf) font when possible. While OpenType fonts will have basic functionality in Microsoft Office programs, they do not embed well in Powerpoint.

I bought an OpenType font, but the file I downloaded was TrueType!

Don't worry. The font that you purchased is an OpenType font.

Some OpenType fonts are created with PostScript metrics and others are created with TrueType metrics. PostScript flavored OpenType fonts have .otf endings and TrueType flavored OpenType fonts have .ttf endings.

Payment Options

FontShop accepts American Express, MasterCard and Visa credit cards. You also have the option of using PayPal to checkout.

FontShop lists prices in different currencies, depending on your region. We offer purchasing by invoice for most European countries if the total amount is less than 2000 Euro.

I’m a german customer – where do I enter my VAT number?

We cannot offer any tax excemption for german customers, this is why the field for the VAT number does not appear when you are logged in as german customer.

The shop doesn’t accept my VAT number but I know it’s valid!

We are connected to an EU service that compares the address data in your user account and your VAT registration in order to verify the VAT number.

So both addresses have to match exactly, otherwise your VAT number will not be accepted.

Why do I have to go through the purchase process if I'm only downloading Free fonts?

In order to obtain the font file, you will need to agree to the End User License.

Once you agree to the terms of the EULA, the font file will be released.

When I buy a typeface do I get all the point sizes?

Yes. A digital typeface scales to all point sizes, even fractional point sizes, like 7.3 points. You can specify the point size in the application in which you are using your fonts.

Do you offer an educational discount?

We offer a 20% discount for students or educators for all purchases.

You need to create a FontShop account and send us an email - please also send your student ID or other document along that proves you are educator. We will assign the discount to that particular account then.

Licensing fonts

I want to create a logo – which license do I need?

You create the logo in a desktop application for which you need the desktop font – thus you have to purchase the desktop license.

As the font software will be converted to an image in the logo (e.g. gif/jpg/png) and you distribute the image of the font, not the font software itself, no additional licensing is required.

For further details, please read the End User License Agreement of the font you want to use for your logo.

Please note not all foundries allow the creation/distribution of a logo with the desktop license but require a special license for this usage.

I want to use the font in a video – which license do I need?

You create the video in a desktop application for which you need the desktop font – thus you have to purchase the desktop license.

As the font software will be converted to an image in the video and you distribute the image of the font, not the font software itself, no additional licensing is required.

For further details, please read the End User License Agreement of the font you want to use for your logo.

Please note not all foundries allow the creation/distribution of a logo with the standard desktop license but require a special license for this usage.

I purchased a license for the wrong version of a font. Can I change it?

Orders that are placed on FontShop.com cannot be modified.

Please send an email and include your invoice number so that we can determine if we can cancel your wrong purchase, then you can license the correct version.

[email protected]

If I license a font, can I modify it for my own use or for resale?

You cannot resell a font that you have licensed, and you cannot resell a font that you have licensed and modified. In most cases, modification is restricted. See the End User License Agreement that came with the font software for specific information about modifications.

Can I legally embed fonts into my PowerPoint, Word document, web page, or PDF file?

Different manufacturers have different policies regarding font embedding. Most fonts can be embedded for print and preview purposes only. You can refer to the End User License Agreement (EULA) that came with the font software for specific information about embedding.

If you are planning on embedding a font, you may wish to familiarize yourself with the policies surrounding that particular font.

The EULA for every font is linked at the bottom of the font's family page.

Terms and Conditions of Business

Terms and Conditions of Use

Privacy Policy

App, e-book and server licensing

How can I extend my app license?

If you licensed a font with an app license for a certain number of installations, you can simply buy an additional license to extend these.

If you licensed a font with an app license that is valid for a year, you can simply purchase a new app license after the period expired.

Do I need an app license to use a font in a free app?

Yes. If you are embedding the font into an application then you will need a license.

Do I need additional licenses for each mobile platform that my mobile app supports?

No. The license will support any mobile platform that your app is available on. This includes iOS, Android, and Windows mobile devices.

Does my app license cover the release of a free update to my app?

Yes. If you licensed an app and did not charge your customers for the update then you do not need another license.

Downloading and installing desktop fonts

How do I install my fonts?

Installing your fonts on a Mac system

System requirements:

Mac OS 10M

We at Fontshop recommend using the OpenType font format. Among the major advantages of this format is that it provides for compatibility between Mac and Windows and allows up to 65,000 characters per font to be embedded.
Please note that our Fontshop downloads only support users of the most recent operating systems and application versions. If you are using an older system, you will probably need to install additional software, such as FontExplorer® X Pro, or you will not be able to access all font features.

1. Locate and extract your font file
All font files that you download from Fontshop will be in compressed form. Before installing them, you will need to unzip them. For this purpose, just double-click on the .zip file.
We recommend that you save the extracted font file to your Desktop. If you have difficulties extracting your file, you will need (free) utility software, such as wie WinZip® and StuffItExpander®, to help you unzip your file.

Start your font management program

You can locate your font management program in Finder under “Programs”. Double-click on the name or icon to start the program.

Add the new font to your font manager

Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the font management window. Select the option “Add fonts”. This opens another pop-up window. Locate your unzipped font file and then click on “Open”.

Your new font will now be available to your system.

Fontshop recommends use of FontExplorer® X Pro – the professional and easy-to-use font management software.

Installing your fonts to Windows systems

System requirements:

Windows 2000

Please note that our Fontshop downloads only support users of the most recent operating systems and application versions. If you are using an older system, you will probably need to install additional software, such as FontExplorer® X Pro, or you will not be able to access all font features.

Locate and extract your font file

All font files that you download from Fontshop will be in compressed form. Before installing them, you will need to unzip them. For this purpose, just double-click on the .zip file. If this does not work, click on “Unzip all files” on the right hand side of the menu.

We recommend that you save the extracted font file to your Desktop. If you have difficulties extracting your file, you will need (free) utility software, such as wie z.B. WinZip® and StuffItExpander®, to help you unzip your file.

Add the new font to your font collection

Use copy and paste to add your unzipped font file to your fonts. First, locate your unzipped font file, mark and copy it.
Click on this to open it. Now click on “Edit” and “Paste” from the top bar to add the copied file to your font collection.
Your new font will now be available to your system.

Do you want to manage, activate and organise your fonts professionally, but simply?

Then we recommend FontExplorer X Pro, either for Mac or Windows.

Font Validation errors

If you work on a Mac, you’re probably familiar with the default font management application, FontBook. Sometimes, a “Font Validation” window will pop-up when trying to install your newly licensed font — don’t panic. There is nothing actually wrong with your font file even if you find errors listed such as issues with “kern table structure and contents”.

Our suggestion? Go ahead and select the font when the Font Validation window pops up and install the font; your font will still work properly within the programs you intend to use them in. The software is just acting overly cautious with the font files — the same font files will install successfully on Windows without a validation error as Windows does not have a default font management application like FontBook. If you’re still unsure about it, you can send our Sales & Support team an email [email protected]@myfonts.com and we can install and test the fonts from your order for you before you commit to ignoring the Font Validation window.

Most likely the fonts are there, but they have been style-linked by the manufacturer. To access the other styles, you will need to use the program’s type modification controls to bold and italicize the fonts (usually the “B” and “I” buttons on a text formatting toolbar). Instead of just stroking or obliquing the font to fake a bold or italic effect, the program will use the true bold, italic, or bold italic typeface.

My document still says the font is missing. Did I buy the wrong font?

Many fonts are available from various foundries. In many cases the design of the typeface is identical, but the naming conventions are different, which will trigger the "missing font" error.

One such common case of this is with Helvetica. A document may call for "Helvetica-Bold". You then purchase Helvetica Bold, install it, and open up the document, only to be alerted to a missing font. This is because Fontshop's version of Helvetica will actually have the name "HelveticaLT-Bold", to signify that it is a Fontshop font. A version without the LT in the name is likely from Adobe, which sub-licensed Helvetica for distribution long ago.

Many applications have a Find/Replace function for fonts. You should be able to replace Helvetica-Bold with HelveticaLT-Bold and not encounter any issues with your layout.

How do I access the alternate glyphs in my OpenType font?

Many OpenType fonts have advanced features and alternate glyphs that lend to greater typographic usability. The way in which these features and glyphs are accessed depends upon the application that you are using.

Most professional design applications, such as those in Adobe Creative Suite, have OpenType menus that allow the user to activate the features relevant to the selected font.

Some applications do not yet have full support for OpenType fonts. While they will work on a basic level in almost any application on both Mac OS X and Windows, many of the features and alternate glyphs may not be accessible. Microsoft Office is the most notable of these. In a font like Bickham Script Pro, for example, you will not be able to access the swashes, ligatures, and contextual alternates that are included in the font.

Working with Web Fonts

Our Web Font Services are compliant with GDPR.

When you or your clients access a web site which contains our Web Font tracking script or similar technology we will collect the web font project identification number (anonymized) and the URL of the licensed Web Site which is linked to a Customer ID to allow us to identify the licensee and the licensed Web Fonts.

When you access a web site which contains our Web Font tracking script or similar technology, we do not transmit the requesting IP address but only the anonymous IP 0.0.0.0 to our third party service provider. Thus, no personal data of the web site user is collected or processed.

You can find our privacy policy here.

Will using Web Fonts increase the size of my web page?

Yes. Similar to adding a photo, you site will increase in size and because of this we normally recommend keeping your web font selection on the conservative side.

You typically don’t need an entire super family.

When creating the webkit, you have the possibility to minimise the file size by choosing different languages and/or OT Features.

I bought a font for print design, can I use it for web design?

If you originally purchased a font for print materials, you must purchase web licensing separately in order to use the font on your website. For example, if you use FF DIN for your business cards and want the text on your website to match, you will need to purchase FF DIN Web.

However, if you are embedding a font into an image and using that image as content for your website (i.e. the font is only seen as a graphic representation in a picture or image such as in a banner or advertisement), then you do not have to buy a separate web license under most foundries' eula.

Webfonts are optimized for on-screen use and come in special font formats (WOFF and WOFF2) to be used specifically in and for web design. Converting an OTF, TTF, or any other font format design for print to work with your website is not allowed.

General Questions

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