If you’re a crafter who loves your Silhouette and wants to add even more personalisation to your designs, then installing custom fonts is one of the easiest ways to upgrade your projects. Whether you’re cutting stickers, HTV, or card, using the perfect font will help you get that professional look. This guide will help you be able to use any TTF or OTF font files in Silhouette Studio.
What Are Custom Fonts?
Custom fonts are extra fonts that are not already pre-installed on your device. They are perfect for crafters and creatives who love to give their work specific looks. Using the correct font for what you are creating is important to match the vibe for what you are creating. For example, you wouldn’t use a blood drip font if you are making a Valentine’s Day card. Buying fonts gives you so much more freedom to explore and give your work the finishing touch.
Step 1: How to Install the Font on Silhouette Studio
To use any additional font in Silhouette Studio you must first install the font on your device.
- Download your font (from sites like DottieDigitals.com).
- Unzip the folder (Right-click → Extract All).
- Open the unzipped folder and locate the .OTF or .TTF file. We recommend installing the OTF version as it usually includes more special features.
- Right-click the font file and click Install.
If you are struggling with installing the font, please view our quick, helpful guides on how to install fonts on your Windows device or your Mac device here. LINK
Step 2: Restart Silhouette Studio
Restart Silhouette Studio if you had it open while installing the font. When you close and reopen, your font list will refresh and add in the new fonts you have installed.
How to Use Custom Fonts in Silhouette Studio
- Open Silhouette Studio.
- Select the Text Tool (A) from the left-hand toolbar.
- Click anywhere on your canvas to start typing.
- Select your text by highlighting or pressing Ctrl + A (on Windows) and go to the Text Style Panel (usually at the top).
- Press the arrow next to ‘Arial’. Scroll or search to find your new font in the list.
Your custom font is now ready to use!
Troubleshooting: Font Not Showing Up?
If your new font doesn’t appear in Silhouette Studio straight away, it could be because you had the program open while installing the font. Once installed, fully close down Silhouette Studio then reopen it. If this doesn’t work, try restarting the whole device.
If your font still isn’t showing up, double-check you have installed the font, not just downloaded it. You can check the fonts you have installed by going to your font library. On Windows, this is in Control Panel > Appearance > Fonts.
Finally, if you have tried all of the above steps, head over to your fonts and uninstall the font completely, then reinstall the font.
Using Glyphs and Special Characters
Some OTF fonts include glyphs and special characters that don’t just appear when you type the normal letters. This can include elements like swashes, hearts, and flourishes. Silhouette Studio doesn’t show these extra features by default, but you can still use them by adding them in with the Character Map (Windows) or Font Book (Mac) and copy/pasting them into your design.
Want a tutorial on using glyphs in Silhouette? [Click here for our full guide].
FAQ
Can I use any font in Silhouette Studio?
Yes! As long as the font is installed on your system, it should work.
Do I need the Designer Edition to use custom fonts?
No. You can use custom fonts with the free Basic Edition of Silhouette Studio as well as the paid-for version.
What’s the best file type to install—OTF or TTF?
We recommend installing the OTF as it may have added features, but both OTF and TTF work with Silhouette Studio.
Related Posts
- How to Install Fonts on Windows (Step-by-Step Guide)
- How to Use Glyphs in Silhouette Studio
- How to Install Fonts on Mac