Some fonts come with beautiful flourishes, swashes and other cool features. If you want to access these to use in Silhouette Studio, you are in the right place. Here’s your how-to guide to use glyphs and other special characters in Silhouette Studio so you can give all your projects that extra something.
What Are Glyphs and Special Characters?
Glyphs and special characters are simply those extra decorative features you see on the product image of the font. This could be swirls, clearly squashes, tails, alternate letters, ligatures or even icons like stars and hearts.
These features aren’t in every font you will come across and are more common in script fonts that are used for weddings, logos etc. These are great ways to make your designs more unique and interesting. You can use the font without using any extras perfectly fine—these are just additional features. If you’re planning on using any of these glyphs or special characters, opting to install the OTF instead of the TTF is recommended, as the TTF doesn’t support as many features as the OTF.
Mac and Windows vary slightly.
How to Use Glyphs in Silhouette Studio (Windows)
Step 1: Install Your Font
Install your font, ideally in OTF. Then reopen Silhouette Studio. Read the full guide on installing fonts for Silhouette Studio on Windows.
Step 2: Open Character Map
Click the Windows Start button and search for Character Map.
Open the Character Map.
Check the box for “Advanced View.”
In the font dropdown, choose the font you installed.
Scroll to find your glyph (e.g., swashes or alternates).
Select the glyph → click “Select” → click “Copy.”
Step 3: Paste Into Silhouette Studio
Open Silhouette Studio.
Select the Text Tool and click on the canvas.
Paste (CTRL+V) the glyph into your text box.
Resize or style as needed.
How to Use Glyphs in Silhouette Studio (Mac)
Install your font as usual. See how to install a font on Mac for Silhouette Studio here.
Step 1: Open Font Book
Open the Font Book.
Select your font from the list.
Step 2: Show Glyphs
From the top menu, click “View” → “Repertoire” or use Command + Option + T.
Scroll through the list to find your desired glyph or character.
Highlight → Right-click → Copy.
Step 3: Paste Into Silhouette
Open Silhouette Studio.
Use the Text Tool to create a text box.
Paste the glyph using Command + V.
Top Tips for Working with Glyphs
If you want to be able to use the full range of glyphs and special characters that a font has to offer, you are best to install the OTF (OpenType) file format over the TTF version.
Be sure to weld script fonts and any special features before cutting to ensure clean cuts without slices through them.
FAQ
Do I need Silhouette Designer Edition to use glyphs?
Nope! Glyphs and other special characters can be used in the free Basic Edition of Silhouette Studio.
Why don’t I see any glyphs in my font?
Not all fonts include glyphs. Make sure you’re using an OTF version and a font that includes alternate characters, as TTF files can restrict some features.
Can I see glyphs directly in Silhouette Studio?
No, unfortunately Silhouette Studio doesn’t support viewing glyphs through their program. You’ll need to copy and paste from Character Map or Font Book to be able to use any of these features.
Related Posts You Might Like
- How to Install Fonts on Windows
- How to Install Fonts on Mac
- How to Use Custom Fonts in Silhouette Studio (TTF & OTF)