Frequently Asked Questions

A typeface is the overall design of lettering — for example, Helvetica or Times New Roman. A font is a specific implementation of that typeface at a particular size, weight, or style — such as Helvetica Bold 12pt. In modern digital usage the terms are often used interchangeably, but technically a typeface is the design family and a font is a specific variant within that family.

The main categories of fonts are: Serif fonts (like Times New Roman) which have small decorative strokes at the ends of letters and are often used for body text in print. Sans-serif fonts (like Arial or Helvetica) which lack these strokes and offer a clean, modern look ideal for screens. Monospace fonts (like Courier) which give every character the same width, commonly used for code. Display fonts which are decorative and designed for headlines. Script and handwriting fonts which mimic cursive or handwritten text.

Serif fonts have small lines or strokes (serifs) attached to the ends of larger strokes in each letter. Examples include Times New Roman, Georgia, and Garamond. Sans-serif fonts do not have these extra strokes, resulting in a cleaner, more minimalist appearance. Examples include Arial, Helvetica, and Roboto. Generally, serif fonts are considered more traditional and easier to read in print, while sans-serif fonts are preferred for digital screens and modern designs.

The most common font file formats are: TrueType (.ttf) — developed by Apple and Microsoft, widely supported across all platforms. OpenType (.otf) — an extension of TrueType co-developed by Microsoft and Adobe, supporting advanced typographic features. Web Open Font Format (.woff/.woff2) — optimized for web use with built-in compression. Variable Fonts — a single file that contains multiple variations (weight, width, slant) of a typeface, reducing file size for web use.

On Windows: Download the font file, right-click it, and select "Install" or "Install for all users." Alternatively, open the font file and click the Install button. On macOS: Double-click the font file to open Font Book, then click "Install Font." On Linux: Copy the font file to ~/.fonts/ or /usr/share/fonts/, then run fc-cache -f -v to update the font cache. After installation, the font will be available in all applications.

You can use FontFlow — a free browser-based font manager that lets you browse all locally installed fonts. Simply open FontFlow in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, grant font access permission, and you can instantly search, preview, and inspect all your installed fonts. On Windows you can also use the Settings app (Fonts section), and on macOS you can use the built-in Font Book application.

There are several ways to identify fonts: Use browser developer tools (right-click, then Inspect Element) to see the font-family CSS property of text on a website. Use font identification tools like WhatTheFont, Font Squirrel Matcherator, or Google Fonts to upload an image of the font. Browser extensions like WhatFont can identify fonts by hovering over text on any webpage.

Web-safe fonts are typefaces that are pre-installed on most operating systems and devices, ensuring consistent display across different platforms without requiring additional font downloads. Common web-safe fonts include Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Georgia, Courier New, and Verdana. Using web-safe fonts as fallbacks in your CSS font stack ensures your text remains readable even if custom fonts fail to load.

Variable fonts are a single font file that can behave like multiple fonts by containing one or more axes of variation — such as weight, width, slant, and optical size. Instead of loading separate files for Regular, Bold, Italic, etc., a variable font lets you access any intermediate value along these axes. This reduces file size, improves web performance, and gives designers fine-grained control over typography.

A common design guideline is to use no more than two to three fonts in a single project. Typically, you would use one font for headings and another for body text, with an optional third for accents or special elements. Using too many fonts can make a design look cluttered and unprofessional. When selecting fonts, choose ones that complement each other — for example, pairing a serif heading font with a sans-serif body font creates visual hierarchy and contrast.

Font licensing determines how you can legally use a font. Most fonts come with specific licenses: free fonts may allow personal and sometimes commercial use; commercial fonts require a purchased license. Some fonts have different licenses for desktop, web, and app usage. Always check the license before using a font in your projects, especially for commercial work. Open-source fonts like those on Google Fonts are free for any use.

FontFlow is a free, browser-based font manager that lets you browse, explore, and manage all the fonts installed on your computer. It provides a beautiful interface to preview fonts, compare styles, view character maps, inspect individual glyphs, and organize favorites — all without installing any software or uploading any data.

FontFlow uses the Local Font Access API, a web standard supported by modern browsers like Chrome and Edge. When you grant permission, the browser provides FontFlow with information about your locally installed fonts. Your font data never leaves your device — everything is processed locally in your browser.

Yes, FontFlow is completely free to use. There are no subscriptions, sign-ups, or hidden costs. Simply open it in a supported browser and start exploring your fonts.

FontFlow requires a browser that supports the Local Font Access API. Currently, this includes Google Chrome (version 103 and later) and Microsoft Edge (version 103 and later). Safari and Firefox do not currently support this API. For the best experience, use the latest version of Chrome or Edge.

Absolutely. FontFlow runs entirely in your browser. Your fonts are never uploaded to any server. All processing, rendering, and storage happens locally on your device. Your preferences (favorites, theme, settings) are saved in your browser's local storage, not on any external server.

FontFlow is designed primarily for desktop browsers because the Local Font Access API, which is needed to browse installed fonts, is only available on desktop versions of Chrome and Edge. Mobile browsers do not currently support this API.

Use the search bar at the top of the sidebar or press the / key to quickly focus it. Type the name of the font you're looking for and the font list will filter in real time. You can also browse fonts by category (Serif, Sans-serif, Monospace, Display, Handwriting) using the sidebar navigation.

The Glyph Inspector is a feature that lets you examine individual characters in detail. When viewing a font, click any character in the Character Map to see a large rendering of its glyph, including the outline path, control points, metric lines (ascender, baseline, descender), and advance width. You can also copy the character to your clipboard with a single click.

Click the heart icon on a font card in the grid view, or click the heart icon in the detail panel when viewing a font. Your favorites are saved locally and persist between sessions. Use the "Favorites" filter in the sidebar to quickly access your favorite fonts.

Yes! FontFlow provides several ways to compare fonts. Use the preview text field to type custom text and see it rendered across all fonts in the grid simultaneously. Adjust the font size with the slider to see how fonts look at different sizes. Switch between Grid, List, and Waterfall views for different comparison perspectives.