How to choose, preview, and install Arabic fonts
Choose an Arabic typeface by testing the words you will actually use. A beautiful isolated letter is a starting point; a complete phrase shows how a font reads in your design.
Start with the purpose of your text
For a long passage, compare the Arabic reading fonts in the collection, including Amiri and Thmanyah Serif Text. For a headline or poster, explore Arabic display fonts such as Lyon and Lafeef. A contemporary interface or identity may call for Arabic sans serif fonts, while Zeyada Arabic offers a more personal handwritten expression.
Preview a complete Arabic phrase
Open the font library, enter your own text, and adjust the preview size. Include any punctuation, numerals, and diacritics your project needs. Inspect how letters join and how much space the phrase takes. Select Compare on two or three families to see the same words together.
Compare weights at the size you will use
A heavy display style can work well for a short title but feel crowded in a paragraph. Test regular text first, then compare bold styles for emphasis. Leave enough line spacing for Arabic ascenders, descenders, and diacritics, especially when using stacked lines or small text.
Choose between OTF, TTF, and WOFF2
OTF and TTF are desktop font formats used by operating systems and design applications. WOFF2 is a compressed format for fonts on websites. Available formats vary by family. The Thmanyah families include OTF and WOFF2 files, while Amiri in this collection is supplied in TTF format. You do not need to install duplicate formats of the same style.
Download and install on Windows or macOS
- Choose Download family on a font page and extract the ZIP archive.
- On Windows, open an OTF or TTF file and choose Install. You can also use the font file’s context menu.
- On macOS, open the OTF or TTF file in Font Book and choose Install.
- Reopen your design application if the newly installed font does not appear. Select the font and test your Arabic text in its final layout.
Use Arabic fonts on a website
Where the license permits web embedding, host the permitted font file and declare it using CSS @font-face. Prefer a supplied WOFF2 file when available. Mark Arabic content with lang="ar" and use dir="rtl" for right-to-left text. Test mixed Arabic and Latin content, numbers, and line wrapping on mobile screens.
Read the font’s license
A file being downloadable does not by itself establish commercial usage rights. Amiri includes a SIL Open Font License in this collection. Other families do not include a license document here. Confirm the original creator’s terms for desktop use, web embedding, modification, and redistribution as needed.