How To Use Famous Fonts

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How To Use Famous Fonts

Thanks for visiting Famous Fonts! We’ve tried to make this site as easy to use as possible and everything should be self-explanatory, but if you need some help, this is the right place to be.

Looking for something specific? Can’t remember where you saw that one font? Use the Famous Fonts search located at the top of any page for quick and easy results.

What even is a font and what does it do?!

A font is a computer file that contains the instructions for displaying or printing text in a specific style (known as a typeface — the “design” of the letters), weight (like bold or italic), and size. It tells your device exactly how each letter, number, and symbol should look. Fonts come in different file formats, like .TTF or .OTF, and are what you actually install and use on a computer.

In simple terms, the typeface is the creative design, and the font is the tool that brings that design to life on your screen or paper. The two terms are often mixed up, but understanding the difference helps when talking about text design!

About fonts offered here

The purpose of this site is to identify typefaces you see in every day life — logos on the magazines you read and shows you watch — and give you the font files to install on your computer so you can recreate and experiment with type that looks similar. With a little practice and creativity, you can make some pretty cool stuff including memes and projects.

All of the fonts on this site are free to use. However, not all fonts are allowed to be used for commercial purposes or to be given out for free. This is something decided by the people that made the fonts. We don’t make fonts — we just identify places they’ve been used. Check out the readme file in the downloaded font file for clarification on usage rights (don’t contact us; we can’t help you). If the readme file is not clear or there is no readme file, try consulting the author’s website.

Please also note that sometimes logos have to be modified or obscured to avoid trademark issues.

Each font page contains tags that categorize it and link it with other fonts of the same subject or by the same author. Click on an author tag to visit the author’s website.

It is possible that there are new versions of the fonts presented here. With so many fonts to catalog, it is impossible to keep up on updated versions for all of them. If you know of an updated version of a font presented here, please let us know.

Many of these fonts are created by fans attempting to replicate a typeface. In many cases, the typefaces are custom designs. Because of that, you will find that some fonts here are not exact matches for what they are trying to replicate. But they are close. if they’re not close enough and you feel like you want to give it a go, please do share your result with us.

Also, please remember that many of these fonts are quite old, dating back to the mid-1990s when the font-crafting hobby was really starting to take off. You may run into installation errors (particularly on Macs, which seem to be more strict about compatibility) or come across problems recreating certain characters.

Fonts you don’t see here

Please do not email us asking for a specific font, to look for a specific font, or the name of a font. All fonts available are presented here and the ones we know of but can’t find are listed at the bottom of each section.

If you know of a font that belongs here please let us know! Click on the “Contact Us” link in the menu at the top of any page.

Also, please do not send us copyrighted fonts that are not to be freely distributed, expecting them to be made available for download. If you send a such a font, please include the URL of the font’s manufacturer. It is not fair to the font manufacturers to take their work that they are trying to sell and make it free for the public!

Installing fonts

All font files are zipped (.zip format). Any modern OS will be able to unzip the files. Really old operating systems may need some help — search the web for a utility to extract zip files.

Installing fonts is easy! Windows users: Right-click on the font file and select ‘Install New Font’. Mac OS X users: Open the font file and select “Install Font”. Fonts cannot currently be installed on iOS devices (iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad).

Please remember that since many of these fonts are older, you may run into installation errors (particularly on Macs, which seem to be more strict about compatibility) or come across problems recreating certain characters.

Fonts that can’t be downloaded

Some fonts are copyrighted and not permitted to be distributed freely. In this event, we have still displayed the font in RED along with what it’s famous for, but are not offering it for download. When possible, we provide a link to the manufacturer or somewhere else you can purchase the font in question.

Support font creators!

These fonts have been gathered from the around the Internet and are presented as freeware or shareware. If you download a shareware font, please register. We encourage you contact us to submit any fonts you don’t see here (preferably with a sample telling what the font is used on, i.e. what TV show or product). We would also appreciate any fonts which are better or more exact versions than those posted.

Submit your font!

Font makers — we invite you to send your creations to us along with a note on what they are replicating. Please note that we only accept fonts based on famous logos and typefaces. Your fonts will not be redistributed in any way if you specify so. If you are uncomfortable sending the font file, you may submit a sample along with the relevant information. Samples should be vector based files (EPS is best!). The color of the font should be set to red: 255, green:0, blue: 0 (hex #FF0000).

We are not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with this or any other company or organization. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.