Installed Fonts Detector

Detect and preview fonts installed on your system. Search, filter, and export your font list.

Controls

Available Fonts0 fonts

No fonts found

Statistics

Total Detected
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Available
0
Unavailable
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Filtered Results
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How It Works

This tool detects fonts by measuring text width using Canvas API.

If a font is installed, text width will differ from the baseline.

Results may vary based on your operating system and installed fonts.

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About Installed Fonts Detector

An installed fonts detector is a browser-based tool that identifies which fonts are available on your system. Using the Canvas API and text measurement techniques, it tests a comprehensive list of common fonts to determine which ones are installed and accessible. This tool is essential for web developers, designers, and typography enthusiasts who need to know which fonts are available for use in their projects or documents.

How Font Detection Works

The font detection process uses a clever technique based on text measurement. Here's how it works:

  1. Baseline Measurement: First, the tool renders a test string using a baseline font (typically monospace) and measures its width using the Canvas API.
  2. Test Font Measurement: Then, it renders the same test string with the font being tested, falling back to the baseline font if the test font isn't available.
  3. Comparison: If the widths differ, the test font is installed. If they're the same, the browser fell back to the baseline font, indicating the test font is not available.
  4. Verification: The tool tests each font multiple times with different test strings to ensure accuracy.

Font Categories Tested

  • Serif Fonts: Traditional fonts with decorative strokes (serifs) at the ends of letters. Examples: Georgia, Times New Roman, Palatino, Garamond, Baskerville. Best for print, formal documents, and body text in books.
  • Sans-Serif Fonts: Modern, clean fonts without decorative strokes. Examples: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Calibri, Segoe UI. Ideal for web content, presentations, and digital interfaces.
  • Monospace Fonts: Fixed-width fonts where each character occupies the same horizontal space. Examples: Courier New, Consolas, Monaco, Fira Code, JetBrains Mono. Perfect for code editors, terminal windows, and technical documentation.
  • Display/Decorative Fonts: Stylized fonts for headlines and special purposes. Examples: Impact, Comic Sans MS, Papyrus, Brush Script. Use sparingly for emphasis and creative projects.
  • System Fonts: Default fonts provided by operating systems. Examples: San Francisco (macOS/iOS), Segoe UI (Windows), Roboto (Android). Optimized for screen readability and system UI.
  • Web Fonts: Popular fonts from services like Google Fonts. Examples: Roboto, Open Sans, Lato, Montserrat, Inter. Widely used in modern web design.

Common Use Cases

  • Web Development: Determine which fonts are available for fallback font stacks. Test font availability before implementing custom typography. Verify system fonts for cross-platform compatibility.
  • Graphic Design: Check which fonts are installed before starting a project. Ensure font availability when sharing design files. Identify fonts for client presentations.
  • Typography Research: Explore available fonts on different systems. Compare font collections across platforms. Discover new fonts installed by applications.
  • Font Management: Audit installed fonts on your system. Identify duplicate or similar fonts. Clean up unused fonts to improve system performance.
  • Cross-Platform Testing: Verify font availability on different operating systems. Test font rendering across browsers. Ensure consistent typography in web applications.
  • Document Creation: Choose fonts that will display correctly for recipients. Verify font availability before creating PDFs. Select universally available fonts for maximum compatibility.

Features of This Tool

  • Comprehensive Detection: Tests over 100 common fonts across all categories
  • Live Preview: See how each font renders with customizable preview text
  • Adjustable Font Size: Preview fonts at different sizes (12px to 32px)
  • Search Functionality: Quickly find specific fonts by name
  • Sort Options: Sort by name or availability status
  • Copy Font Names: One-click copy of individual font names for CSS
  • Export List: Download complete list of available fonts as text file
  • Statistics: View counts of total, available, and unavailable fonts
  • Real-Time Filtering: See filtered results update as you search

Platform-Specific Fonts

  • macOS/iOS Fonts: San Francisco, SF Pro Display, SF Pro Text, New York, Avenir, Helvetica Neue. Apple's system fonts are optimized for Retina displays and provide excellent readability.
  • Windows Fonts: Segoe UI, Calibri, Cambria, Consolas, Arial. Microsoft's fonts are designed for ClearType rendering and work well on various screen resolutions.
  • Android Fonts: Roboto, Noto Sans, Droid Sans. Google's fonts are optimized for mobile devices and support multiple languages.
  • Linux Fonts: Liberation Sans, DejaVu Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell. Open-source fonts that provide good alternatives to proprietary system fonts.

Font Stack Best Practices

When specifying fonts in CSS, use font stacks to ensure graceful fallbacks:

  • System Font Stack: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif
  • Serif Stack: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif
  • Sans-Serif Stack: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif
  • Monospace Stack: "Courier New", Courier, monospace
  • Modern Web Stack: "Inter", "Roboto", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif

Understanding Font Availability

  • Pre-installed Fonts: Come with operating systems. Vary by platform and version. Generally safe to use for system UI and basic documents.
  • Application Fonts: Installed by software like Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office. May not be available on all systems. Check licensing for distribution.
  • User-Installed Fonts: Manually added by users. Highly variable across systems. Not reliable for web or shared documents.
  • Web Fonts: Loaded from external sources (Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts). Require internet connection. Ensure proper licensing and fallbacks.

Limitations and Considerations

  • Detection Accuracy: Method is not 100% accurate. Some fonts may have identical metrics. Results depend on browser and OS rendering.
  • Font Variations: Tool detects font families, not individual weights or styles. Bold, italic, and other variations not separately identified.
  • Browser Differences: Font rendering varies across browsers. Chrome, Firefox, Safari may show different results. Some fonts may be blocked by browser security.
  • Privacy Concerns: Font fingerprinting can be used for tracking. This tool runs locally and doesn't send data anywhere. Be aware of privacy implications when using fonts for identification.
  • Performance: Testing many fonts can be resource-intensive. May take a few seconds to complete detection. Results are cached for better performance.

Tips for Using Detected Fonts

  • Always provide fallback fonts in your CSS font stack
  • Test font rendering across different browsers and platforms
  • Consider using web fonts for consistent cross-platform appearance
  • Check font licensing before using in commercial projects
  • Use system fonts for better performance and native look
  • Avoid relying on uncommon fonts that may not be widely available
  • Test with actual content, not just preview text
  • Consider accessibility - ensure sufficient contrast and readability

Font File Formats

  • TrueType (.ttf): Widely supported, good for desktop and web. Created by Apple and Microsoft.
  • OpenType (.otf): Advanced features, better for professional typography. Supports more glyphs and languages.
  • WOFF/WOFF2 (.woff, .woff2): Web-optimized formats. Compressed for faster loading. WOFF2 offers better compression.
  • EOT (.eot): Internet Explorer legacy format. Rarely used in modern web development.
  • SVG (.svg): Vector-based fonts. Good for icons and logos. Limited browser support for text.

Typography Terminology

  • Font Family: Group of related typefaces (e.g., Helvetica)
  • Font Weight: Thickness of characters (Light, Regular, Bold, etc.)
  • Font Style: Variations like italic, oblique, normal
  • Kerning: Space between specific character pairs
  • Leading: Vertical space between lines of text
  • Tracking: Overall spacing between all characters
  • X-Height: Height of lowercase letters (excluding ascenders/descenders)
  • Baseline: Imaginary line on which characters sit

Accessibility Considerations

  • Choose fonts with clear, distinguishable characters (avoid confusing l, I, 1)
  • Ensure sufficient size (minimum 16px for body text)
  • Maintain adequate contrast ratios (WCAG guidelines)
  • Avoid overly decorative fonts for body text
  • Test with screen readers and assistive technologies
  • Consider dyslexia-friendly fonts when appropriate
  • Provide options for users to adjust font size

Important Notes

  • Font detection runs entirely in your browser - no data is sent to servers
  • Results are specific to your system and may differ on other devices
  • Some fonts may be installed but not accessible to browsers
  • Font availability can change when applications are installed or removed
  • Always test your designs with actual fonts, not just detection results
  • Consider font licensing restrictions when using detected fonts commercially