Fonts and Typefi

What fonts are supported by InDesign and InDesign Server?

Adobe® InDesign® and InDesign Server both support OpenType® (.otf) and TrueType® (.ttf) fonts.

We recommend OpenType fonts. OpenType, jointly developed by Adobe and Microsoft® more than 20 years ago, is the cross-platform successor to legacy TrueType and PostScript® fonts (and it supports much larger character sets with more advanced typographic features). The latest releases of InDesign add support for two new and very exciting font formats:

• Color fonts (also known as OpenType-SVG; 🌈), an OpenType font format that supports colorful emojis, icons and other graphical characters. Color fonts require InDesign CC 2019 (InDesign v14) or later; and
• Variable fonts (also known as OpenType Font Variations), an OpenType font format that enables you to dynamically adjust the weight, width, slant, or other font features. Variable fonts require InDesign 2020 (InDesign v15) or later.

InDesign and InDesign Server also supports font style linking. Font style linking is an optional feature that is very useful when working with a font family with four standard styles: regular, italic, bold, and bold italic. However, for large font families with more weights than regular and bold, font style linking is often limited to toggling between regular ↔︎ italic and bold ↔︎ bold italic. Also, the Create InDesign document and Create InDesign book workflow actions can disable +bold and +italic style linking using the Soft styles option on the Advanced tab.

How do I add my fonts for Typefi Desktop?

Adding fonts is pretty straightforward:

• Windows: Right-click on the font file and select Install.
• macOS: Double-click the font file, and then click Install Font.

But if you are using a font management tool like Extensis® Suitcase Fusion®, FontBase, RightFont, or Typeface, follow their instructions instead:

• Suitcase Fusion (macOS + Windows): Adding and removing fonts
• FontBase (macOS + Windows): Basic Usage
• RightFont (macOS-only): Getting Started
• Typeface (macOS-only): Setting up your font library

If your fonts are zipped in a folder, make sure you unzip them first (fonts cannot be installed if they are zipped).

Also, because Typefi Desktop is a desktop application, you can use a cloud-based font subscription service like Adobe Fonts (Typekit), Monotype Fonts, or Fontstand. For more information, see Can I use Adobe Fonts, Monotype Fonts, or Fontstand with Typefi Desktop below.

How do I add my fonts for Typefi Cloud or Typefi Workgroup?

STOP! Before doing anything, make sure you have the rights and licenses that support server-side installation and cover all named Typefi users in your organisation. When you add a font to Typefi Cloud or Typefi Workgroup, Typefi will not modify it, but we will store the font and make copies for your use in each job you run. Typefi will not distribute or make your font available to any other user outside of your organisation.

First, confirm that your font licenses allow your intended usage. For example, confirm that your license allows you to:

• Embed the font in a PDF or ebook,
• Use the font in a work meant to be distributed for commercial purposes, or
• Copy the fonts for storage or distribution with the InDesign package feature.

Next, confirm that Typefi supports your fonts. Typefi Cloud supports OpenType (.otf) and Windows TrueType (.ttf) fonts.

Then, gather your fonts and upload them like you would any other file. For more information on uploading files, see Working with Files.

One way to collect fonts is to use InDesign's Package command to create a "Document Fonts" folder of all the fonts used in a given document (make sure that both Copy Fonts and Include Fonts and Links from Hidden and Non-Printing Layers are selected). Alternately, third-party font management tools can export individual fonts, font collections, or even an entire font library. For more information, see their respective help sites.

Double-byte fonts (typically Chinese, Japanese, and Korean) and subscription fonts (for example, Adobe Fonts) cannot be packaged due to licensing restrictions. For more information on subscription font limitations, see Can I use Adobe Fonts or Monotype Fonts with Typefi Cloud below.

I've uploaded my fonts. How do I get Typefi to activate them?

While font management utilities like Suitcase Fusion, FontBase, RightFont, or Typeface can auto-activate fonts for InDesign, they don't support InDesign Server. Instead, activating fonts for InDesign Server is done using document installed fonts—that is, fonts in a "Document Fonts" folder located in the same folder as the InDesign template. These "Document Fonts" are temporarily activated whenever the InDesign template is opened and turned off when the InDesign document is closed.

If your organisation uses Extensis Universal Type Server® to organise and distribute your fonts, you can use Extensis FontLink® to automatically identify and match your template fonts using the Gather Fonts action in your Typefi workflow. Contact your IT department to find out if the FontLink integration is available for your Universal Type Server.

Whether you've manually uploaded your fonts or will use FontLink, the next step is adding a Copy Folder action to your Typefi workflow (before any InDesign actions). Use Copy Folder to copy from the folder containing your fonts to a "Document Fonts" folder inside the job folder:

Typefi Server 8.3 or later and the Adobe InDesign plug-in version 18 or later are required to support document installed font ("Document Fonts") activation.

Can I use Adobe PostScript Type 1 fonts with Typefi?

Yes, but… 😐

InDesign and InDesign Server both currently support Adobe PostScript Type 1 fonts; however, it is a deprecated format that OpenType fonts have superseded. Adobe announced they disabled support for authoring with PostScript Type 1 fonts in January 2023. So while you can currently use PostScript Type 1 fonts with Typefi, you will need to replace or convert those fonts to OpenType.

To help users identify which documents will be affected, InDesign 2021 (InDesign v16.1 and later) displays an informational banner when you open a document that uses Type 1 fonts. You can also use Adobe Bridge to search All Metadata for the string “Type1” (with no spaces). For more information, see How to tell which files use Type 1 Postscript fonts.

Again, after January 2023, you will no longer be able to use PostScript Type1 fonts in InDesign (or other Creative Cloud programs, such as Photoshop or Illustrator). PostScript Type 1 fonts will no longer appear in the Fonts menus. Any file that contains a Type 1 font will trigger a "Missing Font" error when opened.

However, certain file formats with embedded PostScript Type 1 data, such as EPS and PDF, will be unaffected by the change, as long as they are being placed for display or printing as a graphic element. In other words, existing PDF documents can be viewed and printed but not edited.

For more information, see PostScript Type1 fonts end of support.

Can I use Google^® Fonts with Typefi?

Yes! 😀

You'll need to download Google Fonts to your computer first. After selecting one or more fonts at Google Fonts, open the selection drawer at the bottom of the screen, then click the Download this selection link at the upper-right corner of the drawer.

Google Fonts are licensed for personal and business use and include embedding in any ebook format such as EPUB®, Kindle® (mobi), and PDF®. For more information, see Google Fonts' Frequently Asked Questions.

Can I use Adobe^® Fonts, Monotype^® Fonts, or Fontstand^® with Typefi Desktop?

Yes! 😀

Fonts synced from Adobe Fonts (Typekit), Monotype Fonts, and Fontstand can be used with any desktop program (such as Typefi Desktop and Adobe InDesign) for both personal and business use. Adobe Fonts (Typekit) and Monotype Fonts fonts are licensed for embedding in any ebook format, which adequately protects the font data such as EPUB, Kindle (mobi), and PDF. But Fontstand does not allow embedding with its subscription license (you'll have to purchase an embedding license directly from the original foundry instead).

Adobe Fonts and Monotype Fonts both allow you to upload third-party fonts into their cloud-based platforms. These fonts may have more restrictive end user license agreements than their respective font libraries. For more information, see Use your own fonts in Creative Cloud apps.

Can I use Adobe Fonts or Monotype Fonts with Typefi Cloud?

No. ☹️

Adobe Fonts (Typekit), Monotype Fonts, and other cloud-based font subscription licenses do not allow you to use the fonts with a hosted InDesign Server. Instead, you'll need to purchase perpetual desktop licenses directly from the foundry or an authorised reseller (for example, Fontspring, Fonts.com, MyFonts, or Phil's Fonts).

Can I use Adobe Fonts or Monotype Fonts with Typefi Workgroup?

Not really. 🙁

Subscription fonts are installed in a secure location on your computer, and the licenses do not allow copying or moving fonts, which would be required to use them with InDesign Server. Although you might think you could install the Creative Cloud Desktop app or the Monotype Fonts app on the same computer as your InDesign Server, it won't really work because InDesign Server doesn't support auto-activation or syncing of fonts from Adobe Fonts (Typekit) or Fonts.com. Instead, you'll need to purchase perpetual desktop licenses directly from the foundry or an authorised reseller (for example, Fontspring, Fonts.com, MyFonts, or Phil's Fonts).

Can I rent fonts from Fontstand for Typefi Cloud or Typefi Workgroup?

Maybe. 😕

Fontstand is different from other cloud-based font subscription services. Instead of paying an ongoing monthly fee, Fontstand fonts are "rent-to-own", and after renting for 12 monthly rental periods, you are "paid in full". So while a rented font will not work with either Typefi Cloud or Typefi Workgroup, after you pay for 12 rental periods (continuous or non-continuous), you can download and install the font as you would a normally licensed font. It all depends on any restrictions in the original foundry user agreement (EULA), which covers usage rights for the font outside the Fontstand environment.

Can I use Adobe^® Font Folio^® with Typefi?

Yes! 😀

Adobe Font Folio 11.1 is a collection of more than 2,400 perpetually licensed OpenType fonts from world-renowned foundries and talented individual designers that are license-compatible with Typefi Desktop, Typefi Cloud, and Typefi Workgroup.

Font Folio can be licensed in 5-, 10, and 20-pack versions. It's worth noting that Font Folio includes several fonts that are not available through Adobe Fonts (Typekit). View the complete list of fonts included in Adobe Font Folio 11.1.

Adobe offers a curated subset of (perpetually licensed) Font Folio fonts for $149 USD to students and educators. For more information, see the Font Folio Education Essentials datasheet.

Can I send fonts from Monotype Fonts to Typefi Cloud?

Nope. ☹️

Sending a font requires the recipient have the SkyFonts Client software installed to accept the font sharing license terms. Typefi Cloud does not support SkyFonts Client, nor is it licensed for use with InDesign Server. Instead, you'll need to purchase perpetual desktop licenses directly from the foundry or an authorised reseller (for example, Fontspring, Fonts.com, MyFonts, or Phil's Fonts).