How to Install Figma Fonts in Your Figma File (2026 Guide)

One of the most common frustrations for new Figma users is opening a design file and seeing fonts replaced by defaults — or trying to use a custom font and finding it simply isn’t available. The good news is that Figma has a clear, free solution: the Figma Font Helper (also called the Figma Font Installer). In this guide, you will learn exactly how to install it, how to use your own fonts in Figma, and how to fix the most common font-related errors.

---

What Is the Figma Font Helper?

The Figma Font Helper is a small desktop utility that bridges Figma (which runs in your browser or as a desktop app) and the fonts installed on your computer. Without it, Figma can only access its built-in web fonts. With it, every font installed on your system — including custom fonts you’ve purchased or downloaded — becomes available inside any Figma file.

There are two ways to use fonts in Figma:

• Figma Desktop App — automatically accesses local fonts without any extra setup
• Figma in a browser — requires the Font Helper to be installed and running

If you’re using the desktop app, you may not need the Font Helper at all. If you use Figma in Chrome, Firefox, or another browser, the Font Helper is essential.

---

How to Install the Figma Font Helper on Windows

Step 1: Download the Font Helper

1. Open Figma in your browser at figma.com
2. Open any file — create a blank one if needed
3. Click on a text layer, or press T to create a text element
4. In the font picker dropdown, click Get more fonts
5. Figma will display a prompt to download the Font Helper — click Download

Alternatively, visit figma.com/downloads and scroll to the Font Installer section at the bottom of the page.

Step 2: Run the Installer

1. Open the downloaded .exe file (it may be called FigmaFontHelper-Installer.exe or similar)
2. If Windows shows a security warning (“Windows protected your PC”), click More info → Run anyway
3. Follow the installation prompts and click Install
4. The Font Helper will install as a background service — you’ll see a small Figma icon in your system tray (bottom-right of your taskbar)

Step 3: Verify It’s Running

1. Refresh your Figma browser tab
2. Click on a text layer and open the font picker
3. You should now see your local fonts listed under a Local fonts section, separate from Figma’s web fonts

Tip: The Font Helper runs automatically at startup after installation. You don’t need to open it manually every time.

---

How to Install the Figma Font Helper on Mac

Step 1: Download for Mac

1. Go to figma.com/downloads
2. Under the Font Installer section, click Download for Mac
3. You’ll get a .dmg file

Step 2: Install

1. Open the .dmg file
2. Drag the Figma Font Helper app into your Applications folder
3. Open the app from your Applications folder or Launchpad
4. macOS may ask you to confirm the app is safe to open — go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway

Step 3: Confirm Installation

1. After opening, the Font Helper icon will appear in your Mac menu bar (top right)
2. Refresh Figma in your browser
3. Open any text layer — your local Mac fonts should now appear in the font picker

---

How to Install Custom Fonts in Figma

Once the Font Helper is running, making any custom font available in Figma is straightforward — you just need to install the font on your operating system first.

On Windows:

1. Download the font file (.ttf or .otf format)
2. Right-click the font file → Install (or Install for all users if you want it system-wide)
3. Restart the Figma Font Helper (right-click the tray icon → Restart)
4. Refresh Figma — the font should now appear in the local fonts list

On Mac:

1. Download the font file (.ttf, .otf, or .ttc)
2. Double-click the file → click Install Font in Font Book
3. Restart the Figma Font Helper (click the menu bar icon → Restart)
4. Refresh Figma in your browser

---

Using Fonts in the Figma Desktop App

If you use the Figma Desktop App (available for Windows and Mac), you don’t need the Font Helper. The desktop app reads your system fonts automatically.

1. Download the Figma desktop app from figma.com/downloads
2. Sign in to your Figma account
3. Open any file — all fonts installed on your computer will be available immediately
4. Press T to add a text layer, then click the font picker to browse or search your fonts

---

Fixing Common Figma Font Problems

”Missing fonts” warning when opening a file

This happens when a file uses a font that isn’t installed on your computer.

Fix:

1. Click Review in the missing fonts notification
2. Figma will list all missing fonts
3. Install those fonts on your system (you may need to purchase or download them)
4. Restart the Font Helper and refresh Figma

If you don’t want to install the font, you can select all text using that font and replace it with one you have.

Local fonts not showing up in Figma

Fix checklist:

• Confirm the Font Helper is running (check your system tray / menu bar for the Figma icon)
• Restart the Font Helper
• Refresh your browser tab (don’t just reload the page — do a hard refresh with Ctrl+Shift+R on Windows or Cmd+Shift+R on Mac)
• Make sure the fonts are fully installed at the OS level, not just downloaded

Font Helper won’t install on Windows

• Try right-clicking the installer → Run as administrator
• Temporarily disable antivirus software during installation
• Check that you have enough disk space (the installer needs ~50MB)

Figma shows a font as “bold” or “italic” when it shouldn’t

This usually means Figma can’t find the specific weight/style of the font. Fix: Make sure you’ve installed all the weights and styles of the font family — not just the regular weight.

---

Using Google Fonts in Figma

Figma has Google Fonts built in — you don’t need to install them via the Font Helper. To access them:

1. Click a text layer
2. Open the font picker
3. Browse or search by name — Google Fonts appear in the main list alongside Figma’s other web fonts

If you specifically want a Google Font’s local version (for performance in your design system), download it from fonts.google.com and install it on your system like any other font.

---

Figma Font Helper vs. Figma Desktop App: Which Should You Use?

	Figma in Browser + Font Helper	Figma Desktop App
Local fonts	✅ With Font Helper running	✅ Automatic
Setup required	Moderate	Minimal
Performance	Depends on browser	Generally faster
Offline access	Limited	Better
Best for	Teams using shared machines	Individual designers

For most solo designers, the Figma Desktop App is the simpler choice. For team environments where Figma runs in a browser, the Font Helper is the way to go.

---

Summary

Installing fonts in Figma comes down to two things: making sure the right utility is running (Font Helper for browser, nothing needed for desktop app), and making sure the font is installed at the OS level. Once both are true, any font on your computer becomes available in Figma — including custom brand fonts, purchased typefaces, and every weight of every family.

If fonts still aren’t showing up after following this guide, the most reliable fix is to restart the Font Helper, do a hard browser refresh, and confirm the font is properly installed via your system’s font manager.