To add fonts to Word, install the font on your computer, close Word completely, and reopen it. The new font then appears in the font list on the Home tab. Word has no separate “add font” button, because it uses the fonts that Windows or macOS provides, along with cloud fonts included with Microsoft 365. This guide shows how to install fonts for Word on both systems, make one your default, embed fonts so others can see them, and fix the usual problems.
Install a font on Windows for Word
- Download the font and unzip the folder. You need the .ttf or .otf files, not the ZIP.
- Right-click a font file and choose Install. On Windows 11 you may need Show more options first.
- Close all Word windows, then open Word again.
You can also drag font files into Settings > Personalization > Fonts. Microsoft’s guide to managing fonts in Windows covers the options, including installing for all users.
Install a font on Mac for Word
- Unzip the download by double-clicking it.
- Double-click the .ttf or .otf file. Font Book opens with a preview.
- Click Install Font.
- Quit Word (Command+Q) and reopen it.
Apple documents the process in its guide to installing and validating fonts. Font Book checks the file as it installs it, which helps to catch damaged fonts before they appear in your documents.
Choose the font in Word
- Select the text you want to change, or place the cursor where you will start typing.
- On the Home tab, click the font name box.
- Type the family name, such as “Libre Baskerville”, or scroll the list. Fonts you installed appear alphabetically in the same list as the built-in ones.
- Choose it. Use the Bold and Italic buttons to switch styles, which works best if you installed every style in the family.
Make a font the default for new documents
- Open the Font dialog: press Ctrl+D on Windows or Command+D on Mac, or click the small arrow in the corner of the Font group on the Home tab.
- Pick the font, style, and size you want.
- Click Set As Default.
- Choose All documents based on the Normal template and confirm.
New blank documents will start in that font. Documents you already have are not changed. To change Outlook as well, see how to change the default font in Outlook, which uses different settings. For long documents, consider setting the font through styles rather than by selecting text: change Normal and the heading styles once and everything follows.
Cloud fonts in Microsoft 365
If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, Word can use fonts that live online. Microsoft explains that these cloud fonts download automatically when a document needs them, and that they do not appear in the Windows font list. That is why a file using a Microsoft cloud font can open correctly on a PC that never had the font installed. It requires internet access and a subscription. Fonts that you install yourself are a different case and do not travel with the file.
Embed fonts so other people see them
Fonts live on the computer, not in the document. If you send a .docx using a font the recipient lacks, Word substitutes another one. Embedding stores the font inside the file.
| System | Where to turn it on |
|---|---|
| Windows | File > Options > Save > Embed fonts in the file |
| Mac | Word menu > Preferences > Save > Embed fonts in the file (available in current Microsoft 365 versions of Word for Mac) |
Two sub-options appear. Embed only the characters used in the document keeps the file small, but other people cannot properly edit the text in that font, so Microsoft recommends against it for editable files. Do not embed common system fonts skips fonts like Arial that nearly everyone already has, and Microsoft describes it as the best option when others will edit the document.
Embedding has limits, described in Microsoft’s article on embedding custom fonts.
- It works best with TrueType and OpenType fonts. PostScript Type 1 fonts are not suitable.
- The font creator sets the embedding permission. A font marked non-embeddable will not be included.
- Embedding makes files larger, sometimes a lot, since some fonts are big.
- It is a license question as well as a technical one. Read the license to find out whether embedding in shared documents is allowed. Fonts under the SIL Open Font License, such as many Google Fonts, generally permit it.
If the document only needs to be read, save as PDF instead (File > Save As or Export, then choose PDF). PDF export keeps the appearance on any device.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Font missing from the list | Word was open during install | Quit all Office apps and reopen Word |
| Install option missing or font will not open | The file is still zipped, damaged, or a web font | Unzip it, re-download, and use TTF or OTF |
| Font changes to something else on another computer | The font is not installed there | Embed it, install it there, or send a PDF |
| Only one style is available | You installed one file | Install the Bold and Italic files too |
| Fonts do not work in Word for the web | The web version cannot load your installed fonts | Use the desktop app for custom fonts |
Using a font only for one heading
You do not need to change a whole document. Select a title or a pull quote, choose the installed font, and leave the rest in your default. Save the look as a style: format the text, then right-click the matching style in the Styles gallery on the Home tab and choose Update to Match Selection. Every paragraph with that style will change together, and you can adjust it later in one place.
Choose readable fonts
A new font is not always an improvement. For letters, reports, and theses, use a readable face at 11 or 12 points. For fun and display uses such as invitations and posters, browse script fonts or elegant fonts, and keep body text plain. For job applications, check what font a résumé should be before you pick something unusual, since applicant tracking systems and recruiters favor clean, common fonts.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add a font directly inside Word without installing it?
No. Word uses the fonts installed on your computer, plus cloud fonts that Microsoft 365 provides. To add your own font, install it on Windows or macOS first, then reopen Word. Word for the web cannot use fonts you install yourself.
Why doesn’t my new font show up in Word?
Word was probably open when you installed it. Close every Office window and reopen Word. If it is still missing, check that the file was unzipped, that it is a TTF or OTF, and that the font appears in Windows Settings or Font Book.
How do I make my font the default in Word?
Open the Font dialog (Ctrl+D on Windows, Command+D on Mac), choose the font, click Set As Default, and select All documents based on the Normal template. New blank documents then use it.
Will other people see my custom font in a Word file I send?
Only if they have it installed, or if you embed it. Turn on Embed fonts in the file in the Save options. Embedding works only for fonts whose license allows it, and it makes the file larger. Sending a PDF avoids the issue.
What are cloud fonts in Word?
They are fonts Microsoft stores online for Microsoft 365 subscribers. Word downloads them when a document needs them and you are online, so they usually do not need to be installed or embedded.
