Frequently asked questions
What comes up most often. Something missing? Write to us.
What does the trial version include?
The whole workshop: drawing, Lab, Preview, Collisions, Poster, opening files and saving as .fontista. Reserved to licences: font export (TTF, OTF, WOFF, WOFF2, variable, UFO), poster export (PDF, SVG, PNG) and command-line tools. A TRIAL badge sits next to the logotype.
How do I get a licence?
On sell.thinkspark.dev: the licence key (it starts with TR1.) is sent to you at purchase. Paste it in Help › Licence…: it is checked on your computer, offline, and sent nowhere. A Mac App Store version is planned.
Which formats does Fontista open and export?
Opens: .fontista (native), .glyphs, .glyphspackage, .ufo, .designspace, .ttf, .otf, .woff, .woff2. Exports (with a licence): TTF (static or variable), OTF (CFF table), WOFF, WOFF2, UFO + designspace sources. A .glyphs import brings masters, axes, instances, outlines, components, anchors, kerning, groups, features and the vendor ID. Not imported: smart components, corner components, colour layers, hinting.
Is there a version for Intel Macs, Linux or mobile?
Not for now. The Mac version is built for Apple Silicon chips (M1 and later); the Windows version for Windows 10 and 11.
macOS says the app is “damaged” or from an unidentified developer.
It is not notarised by Apple yet. Right-click the app, Open, Open. If the message persists: xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Fontista.app in Terminal.
Windows SmartScreen blocks fontista.exe.
The program is not signed yet. Click “More info” then “Run anyway”.
Does Fontista send my fonts anywhere?
No. No account, no server: fonts and settings stay on your machine. Settings live in ~/Library/Application Support/Fontista (Mac) or %APPDATA%\Fontista (Windows).
I am afraid of losing my work.
This is a test version: save often (Ctrl+S) and keep copies. Undo and redo cover 200 levels; Fontista asks for confirmation when quitting with modified fonts.
How do I make a variable font?
You need at least one axis and two masters (Font info › Masters and axes). The quickest way: Automations › Bolder or lighter master… (wght axis), italic (ital axis), condensed (wdth axis), which create the master and the axis. Outlines must have the same structure from master to master; the Font view has a “not interpolable” filter and the Masters panel a counter.
What is the vendor ID for, and how do I get one?
It is a 4-character code stored in the font's OS/2 table (achVendID). Fontista uses NONE by default, which is fine for testing. To publish, the code is obtained free of charge from Microsoft, which keeps the registry: write to them with the code you want, your foundry name, a contact and your website (see the OpenType specification, OS/2 table). Then enter it in Font info › “Vendor ID (4 chars)”.
My Lab drawings are not in the font.
The Modules and Liquid workshops keep your cells and strokes in the glyph. Click Apply to glyph (or Apply to all drawn) to write the outline into the layer. The Lab does not create glyphs: first add the letter in the Font view, or with the Add field of the Glyphs tab.
My liquid font no longer interpolates between two masters.
If you give a master its own matter (Masters panel of the Lab), the outlines can have different node counts, and two outlines with different structures do not interpolate. The status bar says so. Keep the same matter, or rework the outlines by hand.
Is automatic kerning reliable?
It is a starting point, not finished kerning. Measured against the real kerning of three free fonts, it finds about half to two thirds of the hand-kerned pairs, but also proposes some that are not needed. Run it after spacing, keep the pairs you like, and review in the preview and the Collisions tab. Everything undoes in one step.
What is a star node?
A continuous-curvature join between two curves. Select a node between two curves then Path › Star node: Fontista recalculates the length of both handles so that curvature is the same on each side, and keeps it when you move the neighbours. You keep control of the handle directions. A star node is drawn as a star on the canvas.
Is the stylus (Wacom, Apple Pencil) supported?
Yes, for pressure: native reading on macOS (Wacom tablets, Apple Pencil through Sidecar) and Windows Ink on Windows. The brush and Liquid use it. Without a tablet, pressure is derived from gesture speed; the setting is in the brush options.
Do my fonts have hinting?
Static TTFs can get automatic hinting from ttfautohint if it is installed on your machine (Fontista does not install it). OTFs get automatic PostScript hints.
How do I install my font to try it?
Export the TTF, then on Mac double-click › Install (Font Book), on Windows right-click › Install. Restart the app that must use it (Pages, Word, Illustrator…). For the web: export WOFF2 and call it with @font-face.
What language is the interface in?
French and English. The View menu offers “English” or “Français” to switch, as well as “Light / dark theme”.
I found a bug, or I have an idea.
Write to hello@thinkspark.dev with what you were doing, what you expected, and a screenshot if possible. The .fontista file that causes trouble helps a lot.