Curious about font management software?
As a graphic designer and then as a type designer, I've talked to lots of people about fonts over the years. Lots and lots and lots of people. I've been both the asker of questions and the answerer. I've been the complete novice and the expert. And I've noticed that there are certain topics that just make people at all levels of their careers kind of nervous or uncomfortable. Chief among these is font management software.
People who know what font management software is and does feel overwhelmed by it. People who don't know what it is or what it does wonder if it really even helps with anything.
So I thought I'd do a little series here on font management software. Today I'll just hit on what it is and what it can do, but in the coming weeks I'll also tackle what your best options are right now and how you can get the most out of it.
I'll start today with the basics.
What is font management software (FMS)?
While PCs and Macs both come with default ways to install new fonts, the built-in software doesn't give you much control over those fonts. The more fonts you install, the tougher it can be to manage everything using just the built-in software.
In short, dedicated font management software (FMS) helps users organize, install, and preview fonts. It can do things Windows and MacOS can’t.
While each font management software developer will sell you on many more advantages than these, here are my own top five reasons for using (and recommending) font management software:
- Tag your fonts. Use tags to organize by client, style, license type, font source, designer, and more. Some software even lets you rate fonts with stars to keep track of your favorites.
- Track your licenses. I use tags like "free-for-personal-use" and "demo-only" as well as tags for where I purchased each font. Some FMS tools even let you store EULAs, track seat counts, monitor distribution, and more.
- Activate and deactivate fonts. Keep your system running smoothly by only activating fonts you need for the current project. Many FMS apps can auto-activate fonts when a file requires them—huge time saver.
- Preview fonts with clients. Easily show different font options in one place without needing to mock everything up manually.
- Sync fonts between computers. If you use both a desktop and a laptop, FMS can help ensure you're never missing fonts when switching devices.
