Install Font on iPad or iPhone

Since version 13.1, both iOS and iPadOS offer a ‘hidden’ feature that allows you to install additional fonts. This can be especially useful on the iPad. We explain how installing a new font on iPad (or iPhone) works.

Although iOS and iPadOS come with a nice collection of professional fonts, you might run into a job that makes you want to use a different font. In that case, there are several roads that lead to Rome when it comes to adding additional fonts to Apple’s mentioned mobile operating systems. For example, if you are looking for the ‘classic’ Windows and Office fonts from Microsoft, then it is sufficient to install the mobile Office app.

Start a Word document and you will see all known Office fonts in the Fonts menu. If there is a cloud with an arrow behind it, you must first click on it to download it. It is then available within Office. Therein lies the limitation, because these fonts are really only available within the app.

Beware of shadowy font apps

If you want to go the official way of adding fonts to iOS and iPadOS, you’ll need at least iOS 13.1. From that version it is possible to install fonts from the App Store, Apple promised.

That’s fine, but no fonts or font packs have really appeared in that store until now. Are you looking for something like fonts or Fonts, then a mountain of partly questionable apps that offer a font keyboard appear. Or apps that do have fonts on board, but only work within that app. We are not waiting for that.

However, there are a handful of apps that have installable fonts on board. a beautiful one iFont, which you can get started right away. We advise you to spend the only €1.99 (no subscription!) for the premium version with which you unlock all options.

Install Font with iFont

Start the app and tap – if necessary – on the button bar at the bottom of the screen on Installer† Then tap Featured Fonts† You will now see a large collection of included fonts, in our version 224 total. Installing is a breeze: tap the button install with the desired font. Then tap Install and finished.

The added fonts are available from the vast majority of apps that can handle fonts. Also inside Microsoft Office (or one of the separate apps for that). But you have to scroll down a bit in the font menu until the heading iOS Fonts† Below you will also find your newly installed font.

By the way, only install those fonts you really need. Installing dozens or even hundreds of fonts that you never have to worry about again takes up storage space and doesn’t improve the speed of your device either. And certainly not the clarity of your font menus.

The old trick via a certificate

If you can’t quite find what you’re looking for, then tap – still in the Installer screen – on Find Fonts to Install† Now iFonts pulls out another much older trick. This is based on the fact that fonts under iOS and iPadOS were and can also be added via a certificate. This more technical story is greatly simplified by iFont.

For example, tap Google Fonts and then on get with one of the fonts available below. Then tap again Installer bottom of the picture. The downloaded font is ready to be installed.

Tap behind its preview install† Then tap to answer the question This website is trying to download a configuration profile. Do you want to allow this? on Allow†

Then tap Open Settings and in the app opened on it Institutions at the top left, directly below your account name on Profile downloaded† In the panel that opens you will see an unsigned certificate. Normally some cause for concern, in this case it is allowed. Then click on Installenter your device passcode and tap again Install and then on again Install†

Tap on Ready and your added font this way is ready to use as well.

Installing individual fonts manually

Similarly, you can also download font files from any font site, or copy them from your PC. Transfer them to your iPad or iPhone (if necessary via an email or – better yet – via a network share and the app Files) and use Find Fonts to Install (or Font Finderthat button leads to the same part) and Open Files†

Tap on < Browse and you can open folders of font files on your iPad itself or from any of the other available storage locations. In fact, the window you see now is just from the Files system component, so that’s self-explanatory.

Compare fonts

iFont also has the option to compare installed fonts, which is useful if you are comparing fonts that are somewhat similar to each other in finesse, for example. There is the button for that Compare† Select several fonts from the list on the left and they will all be previewed on the right.

Remove Fonts from iPad

Remains to manage installed fonts. If you have installed one or more of the fonts present in the app, you will find them in the app Institutions below General and Fonts† To remove such a font, swipe left on the font name. Or tap the unwanted font and then Delete†

The certificate fonts can also be found in iFont. For example, to remove our newly installed Google font, tap on the panel Installer on (to be precise: tap on the gray Installed behind the preview). Then tap on the right Delete from iFont (the red trash can) and then Delete†

To also remove the font profile, open the Settings app. Tap in it General on VPN and Device Managementtap the font to be deleted there and then Delete profile†

Finally, note: if you uninstall the iFont app, all fonts installed with it will also be removed. So something to keep in mind!

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