Finding and Downloading Fonts

Fonts are glorious things. Choosing the right font can set the mood for your layout just as much as choosing the right color.

Word processing programs usually come with a several fonts already installed. As a matter of fact some of the previously installed fonts are necessary for computers to run correctly. See my list of Do Not Delete Fonts here: http://365-days-of-memories.blogspot.com/2008/05/do-not-delete-fonts.html

Good news is that you can also find many free fonts on the Internet!

After finding a font you want, you must then download it. To download a font, click the download button on the website, and then click "save" to save it to your computer. Then you need to go into your word processing program and install the new fonts.

I use Microsoft Word, so I will give instructions using that program. First, download the font and save it to your Desktop so it will be easy to find. Then, when you download the fonts, they are sometimes zipped, and you must unzip them. Save the unzipped files to your Desktop as well.

Now find your "Fonts" folder by doing a search of your computer's files. I have this file as a shortcut on my desktop for easier access.

• Open the Fonts folder.
• Go to "file" in the top left corner of the window.
• Click "Install New Fonts." When the dialog box comes up, there will be a list of files on the left and you need to find where you put the font.
• Select the fonts you want installed.
• Click on "OK" and your fonts are installed. They will be in your drop-down list in your Word program, ready to use!
• When you are finished you can delete the folders and files of the downloaded fonts from your Desktop.

A short-cut:
If you have a Fonts folder on your Desktop, you can drag and drop the font files you have downloaded onto your desktop directly into the Fonts folder and this installs them immediately (if the file is not corrupted)!