How to Install and Find Fonts for Mac OS X?

Caskroom-fonts is a Homebrew Tap which allows you to use the same friendly homebrew-style CLI workflow for the administration of binary font files on your Mac.

Homebrew fonts

$ brew tap homebrew/cask-fonts                  # you only have to do this once!
$ brew cask install font-inconsolata

I'm not getting into the licensing issues here, but if you put fonts in

  • /Library/Fonts/
  • /Users/username/Library/Fonts

and they'll show up. Windows .ttf fonts tend to work.

The first folder installs for all users, the second for that specific user.

I tend to not use free fonts, as they're not built nearly as well, so I don't have a recommendation there.


Yes, you can just copy the fonts into the /library/fonts, or /users/username/library/fonts... But (!!), that doesn't mean the font is safe...

1) Download the font. 2) Open Font Book 3) Select File --> Validate File, and select the font you downloaded.

Did you receive any error messages regarding the font? If so, just forget about it. It's not worth the effort. Font issues can cause lots of issues in the long run.

If there wasn't an error, close the font, and drag the font to Font book. You'll notice in the lower right hand corner of the Font book preview window is "Install font". Click on that button to install the font.