How to Add Fonts to Photoshop: A Guide and Recommendations

Graphic designers likely will need a host of fonts to support their endeavors. The original Photoshop does not come with many — at least not many that will not get repetitive. These typefaces are the standard print and cursive varieties that may be eye-catching if one uses them properly, but having nothing else to choose from will get dull for artists and clients. How can graphic designers do more with their resources? Learn how to add fonts to Photoshop.

While there are cheaper alternatives to this program, Photoshop is the ultimate when it comes to photo manipulation, drawing and graphic design. Thousands of artists worldwide rely on the software to do the best for themselves and their patrons. Clients may also be better-versed in Photoshop or request all projects to be Photoshop files. Therefore, knowing how to add more typefaces and which ones to choose can make any workflow exciting again. Read about the process and recommendations here.

How to Add Fonts to Photoshop

Luckily, the steps are relatively easy to follow. Adobe has made this process straightforward, so graphic designers can focus on using the typefaces to create compelling designs. There is also more than one way to do it. Here is how to add fonts to Photoshop.

Using Adobe Fonts

Adobe has a significant library of fonts containing over 20,000 typefaces for its entire Creative Cloud. Additionally, having them verified by Adobe’s team ensures there is no awkward balancing or kerning to deal with. Here are the steps on how to add fonts using Adobe Fonts.

First, navigate to the Creative Cloud and look for the cursive “f” at the top right of the screen. Clicking on it will move the webpage to Adobe Fonts. From there, all that is necessary is to toggle the typefaces that would be a great addition to the next project.

fonts.adobe.com is also an excellent resource for the company’s offerings. Simply navigate to the site, log in if necessary and start browsing for fonts. This site will allow designers to search for typefaces, sort them by their properties and test their text before downloading. It has an additional feature that can scan an inputted image and pull up fonts that resemble the sample.

After going through these steps, the graphic designer is ready to work with their new fonts. If the font does not add to Photoshop, try clicking on the small download icon that should appear next to the typeface’s name. It could be a simple issue of not installing correctly.

Installing Free Fonts

Putting free fonts into Photoshop is a bit more of a process. Because Adobe does not regulate them, it takes more than going to a website and clicking a button. However, the low price of “free” makes that extra effort a bit more compelling — as long as the formatting is still well and good once it is there. Here is how to add fonts to Photoshop, but not from Adobe. This process will be the same on Mac and Windows computers.

First, search for the desired font through Google or a typeface-providing website. The benefit of going the non-Adobe route is, since artists are free to create anything they want, there is no limit to what a graphic designer can find. Just be sure to check for a creative commons license (CC0) on whatever font will work best for the project. Some may not require any attribution, while others will, along with a stipulation that the designer must alter the text in some way to not violate the license.

Then, download the font. If it downloads in a zip file, simply click on the folder to unzip it and reveal the contents. The font should now be somewhere in the Downloads section of the computer. Each typeface will likely have the extension .OTF or .TTF, so look for those if too many downloads are already on the computer.

The How-To

Next, there are two options for installing the font. One is that the designer could drag the file from the Downloads folder into Library/Fonts, which should add it to the computer. Moving it to Users/Library/Fonts will make the file accessible to everyone who uses Photoshop on that device.

Otherwise, the user can double click on the file to open it and a small box with the font should show up. At the bottom right or top will be a button that says “Install Font” — hit that and the typeface will port into Photoshop. If it does not, try the above tactic.

As stated before, remember to check the website or font attributes for a CC0 to ensure there will not be any legal troubles from using the font. The license may state that any graphic design using the typeface must attribute it to the creator, while others might forbid anyone from using the font in a commercial setting. It all depends on the type of CC0. When adding free fonts to Photoshop, checking all possible uses to avoid issues is critical.

The Best Sites to Find Free Fonts

Once a graphic designer learns how to add fonts to Photoshop, they probably want to explore right away. Adobe’s offerings are tempting, but the wonderful world of the internet allows users to find nearly any font their heart desires. Luckily, there are also a few great resources that compile these typefaces and make them easily downloadable.

1. Font Bundles

Font Bundles is a fantastic resource for those looking for great free fonts. While the site does have a premium feature, there is a free account designers can sign up for to access hundreds of typefaces at no cost. Not to mention, it also has a Free Font of the Week page where users can get a premium-only font without having to pay. Check out Font Bundles each week to see what exciting offerings there are.

2. DaFont

DaFont is a classic website fo getting free fonts. It currently hosts over 75,000 different typefaces, which users can sift through using the categories at the top of the page. All fonts are vailable to download for free, but be sure to check out the readme files that should come with them. These should indicate if a typeface is exclusively for personal use or if the creator is okay with someone using their work commercially.

3. Google Fonts

Like Adobe Fonts, Google Fonts also has a test feature so users can test a font against their needs before downloading it. It has nearly 1,500 fonts for graphic designers to choose from, making the ability to sample fonts very attractive. Each typeface also comes in a family that includes several forms of bolding, thinning and italicizing.

4. Font Squirrel

Sick of looking through fonts and hoping they will be available for commerical use? Look no further. As its name implies, Font Squirrel scours the internet and selects the best free commercial typefaces it can find. It also offers a search tool and tags for simplified browsing. Font Squirrel also has a convenient feature that lets users know if a font can go on a website or in an eBook or software.

Learn How to Add Fonts to Photoshop to Step Up Your Designs

Sticking exclusively with the typefaces already in Photoshop will get boring quickly. Use this guide on how to add fonts to Photoshop and check out the websites that offer new and exciting designs. Who knows — the right writing style may be what a project needs to catapult it to success.