To install fonts for Microsoft Word, install the font files in Windows or macOS, reopen Word, then choose the font from its font list. Desktop Word uses fonts installed on your computer, so you add downloaded fonts through your operating system first. The Windows steps below use Windows 11 menus.
Word for the web and mobile Word have different options, including Microsoft cloud fonts. Installing a font on your computer does not automatically upload it to browser Word.
The short version
- Windows: Extract the download, right-click the .ttf or .otf file, select Install, then reopen Word.
- Mac: Expand the download, double-click the font file in Finder, select Install, then reopen Word.
- Browser Word: Choose available fonts in the font picker or open the document in desktop Word to use a locally installed font.
- Sharing: Embed eligible fonts in desktop Word to include them with the document.
| Method | Where to start | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Windows installation for your account | Right-click the extracted font file | Select Install, then reopen Word |
| Windows Font Previewer | Double-click the extracted font file | Preview the font, then select Install |
| Windows drag and drop | On Windows 11, open Settings > Personalization > Fonts | Drag extracted files into Add fonts |
| Windows installation for all accounts | Right-click the extracted font file | Install for all users requires administrator authorization |
| Microsoft Store fonts | On Windows 11, open Settings > Personalization > Fonts | Select Get more fonts in Microsoft Store |
| Mac Finder installation | Double-click the extracted font file | Select Install, then reopen Word |
| Mac Font Book menu | File > Add Fonts to Current User | Locate and double-click the font file |
| Mac drag and drop | Font Book window | Drag in the font files |
| Additional Apple fonts | A sidebar category in Font Book | Available downloads depend on your macOS version |
| Microsoft cloud fonts | Word's font list | Internet access is required; premium access depends on your subscription |
| Browser font selection | Home font menu in Word for the web | Choose from fonts available to your account |
| Browser to desktop handoff | Editing > Open in Desktop App | Requires a licensed desktop Word installation |
| iPhone or iPad font installation | Import the font into iFont | Complete its profile installation in Settings |
| Mobile font selection | Font controls on Word's ribbon | Selects available fonts; does not import font files |
| Document font embedding | Desktop Word's Save settings | Includes permitted fonts with a document |
Get the font files ready
Start with a downloaded .ttf or .otf font file. When the download is a ZIP archive, extract it before trying to install the fonts inside. Both Windows and Mac installation methods below work with these file types.
For an official font download, open Microsoft's Aptos Fonts download and select Download. Extract the ZIP, then follow the installation steps for your computer. Local Aptos files override versions supplied by the Office Font Service.
Install fonts on Windows
Right-click the extracted .ttf or .otf file and select Install. If Windows requests permission, select Yes. Close and reopen Word after installation, then choose the installed font from its font list.
To preview a font before installing it, double-click the extracted file to open Font Previewer. Select Install, close the preview, and reopen Word. The installed family becomes available in Word's font list.
For a drag-and-drop option on Windows 11, open Settings > Personalization > Fonts. Drag the extracted font files into Add fonts, then reopen Word.
To make a font available to every account on the computer, right-click its extracted file and select Install for all users. Supply administrator credentials if requested, and select Yes if Windows asks for permission. Reopen Word afterward.
To get fonts through Microsoft Store on Windows 11, open Settings > Personalization > Fonts > Get more fonts in Microsoft Store. Choose a font and select Get or Buy. Installation follows automatically.
Install fonts on a Mac
Expand the downloaded ZIP, then double-click the .ttf or .otf file in Finder. Select Install, close Font Book, and reopen Word. Choose the installed family from Word's font list.
You can also install downloaded files from Font Book. Choose File > Add Fonts to Current User, then locate and double-click the font file. Alternatively, drag font files into the Font Book window.
To choose who can use newly installed fonts, open Font Book > Settings > Installation. Under Default install location, choose Current User or All Users, then install the font. Choosing All Users requires an administrator password.
To download additional Apple fonts, select a sidebar category in Font Book and click a font's download button. You can also select fonts and choose Edit > Download. The downloadable fonts depend on the macOS version installed on your Mac.
Choose the font and set a default in Word
After reopening desktop Word, choose the installed family from its font list. To use that font by default, you can apply a default setting to the current document or to new documents.
On Windows, open Home and select the Font dialog launcher, or press Ctrl + D. Choose the font and size, then select Set As Default. Select All documents based on the Normal template?, then select OK twice. To limit the change to the current file, choose This document only? instead.
On a Mac, open Format > Font > Font, or press Command + D. Choose the font and size, select Default, then select Yes and OK. These shortcuts open font controls; they do not install font files.
For other document formatting, you can double space your Word document or change the margins in Word. If your document also needs numbered pages, add page numbers in Word.
Use cloud fonts and browser Word
To use Microsoft cloud fonts, connect to the internet and choose an available cloud font from Word's font list. Word downloads the required font automatically. Opening a document that uses an available cloud font can also trigger its download, and premium availability depends on your subscription.
In Word for the web, open Home and expand the font menu to choose a family and style. Free accounts receive a smaller selection than eligible Microsoft 365 accounts.
To use a downloaded local font, choose Editing > Open in Desktop App in browser Word. Install the font through Windows or macOS, reopen desktop Word, and apply it there. This route requires a licensed desktop Word installation.
Add fonts on iPhone or iPad
On iPhone and iPad, you can install font files through a compatible font app. Get iFont from the App Store; its developer lists Microsoft Word as a compatible app. Import a .ttf, .otf, .ttc, or ZIP font file into iFont, then tap Install.
Open Settings, tap Profile Downloaded, then tap Install and complete the displayed prompts. Reopen Word afterward, and review installed fonts through Settings > General > Fonts.
To select a font in Word on iPad or an Android tablet, select text with the selection handles, open Home and its Font box, then tap the font. On Android phones, expand the ribbon with the arrow at the bottom right first, then use the Font box. On iPhone, select the text, tap the Edit icon to expand the ribbon, tap the right arrow beside the current font to see the Fonts group, then choose a font. On Android, choose fonts available to Word, including eligible cloud fonts.
Fix a font missing from Word
For a newly installed desktop font, start by closing and reopening Word. If it is still missing, confirm that you extracted the ZIP and installed the font file itself. On Windows, double-click the extracted file and select Install; on Mac, open it in Finder and select Install. Reopen Word after installation.
On a Mac, check whether the font is installed but inactive. Open Font Book, select the inactive font or collection, and choose Edit > Activate. Reopen Word to use it.
If a cloud font is missing, check your internet connection and connected-experience settings. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, open File > Account, then under Account Privacy, select Manage Settings. Enable Optional connected experiences, since disabling that setting also disables cloud fonts. Your administrator may control availability on a managed device.
Keep custom fonts with a shared document
Installing a font locally does not install it on another person's device. In Word for Microsoft 365, you can embed eligible fonts so they travel with the document. Embedding includes fonts with that file without installing them throughout the recipient's system.
On Windows, open File > Options > Save. Under Preserve fidelity when sharing this document, check Embed fonts in the file. For more editing flexibility, uncheck Embed only the characters used in the document (best for reducing file size), then select OK and save.
On Mac, open Word > Preferences > Save, check Embed fonts in the file, and save the document. The font must permit embedding for this to work. Word for the web can display document-embedded fonts, but it cannot embed them itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you uninstall a font from Windows?
On Windows 11, open Settings > Personalization > Fonts. On the font's entry, select Options, then Uninstall.
Can you temporarily disable a Mac font without deleting it?
Yes, select the font in Font Book and choose Edit > Deactivate, then click Deactivate Font. For multiple selected fonts, click Deactivate Fonts. System fonts cannot be deactivated or removed.
How do you add fonts for another language without changing the Windows display language?
On Windows 11, open Settings > System > Optional features and select View features beside Add an optional feature. Choose a package such as Japanese Supplemental Fonts, select Next, then Add. Internet access is required. On some Windows 11 builds, the path is Settings > Apps > Optional features.
Can you remove embedded fonts from a Word document?
Yes, on Windows, open File > Options > Save; on Mac, open Word > Preferences > Save. Uncheck Embed fonts in the file, then save, close, and reopen the document. Recipients may see substituted fonts afterward.
How do you remove a font installed through an iFont profile?
Open Settings > General > VPN & Device Management and select the profile associated with the font. Tap Remove Profile. Removal affects all fonts supplied by that profile.