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Blender only shows TFF fonts, on all versions I've tried (Windows 10).

The problem: When you add text (add>text), and you go to the font modifier tab, attempt to change font, and navigate to system fonts, only TFF fonts show up (even if filter disabled). OTF fonts do not show up. All fonts are installed properly and show up in other programs (Maya, Photoshop, Illustrator, Absolutely Everything Else).

My personal workaround: I've been using maya for any text, and then exporting it as OBJ into blender.

Anyone know how to make blender support OTF fonts? Seems strange that maya supports this and blender doesn't.

Thank you.

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5 Answers 5

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I found this on the blendernation site:

Blender supports all the major fonts supported by the freetype library, including PostScript Type1 and Type3, TrueType, and OpenType. However fancy OpenType features such as automatic ligatures aren't supported and it seems Blender doesn't even support things like built-in kerning metrics either.

So, you may find an .OTF that works. But if you're pressed for time, convert it to .TTF, or one of the other abovementioned, with e.g. http://www.freefontconverter.com

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  • $\begingroup$ ...it says automatic ligatures and maybe kerning metrics are not supported, but to me it doesn't naturally sound like the characters of the fonts are not supported. $\endgroup$
    – Gordon Brinkmann
    Commented Jul 22, 2021 at 12:28
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It appears windows only links files to the Font directory and hence Blender does not 'see' them. Try open the same font in another directory and Blender will see it.

Information from here: https://developer.blender.org/T61398

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  • $\begingroup$ For me that worked! Thanks Patdog! $\endgroup$
    – Dirk Schiller
    Commented Feb 7 at 12:12
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I don't know if there are "special" OTF fonts that Blender can't handle, but I have fonts in other directories than the system font directory as well.

So when I go to the Text Properties and click on Open Font, Blender opens the default Windows > Fonts directory with the installed fonts. Then I simply change to a different directory just like I would do with any other load/save dialogue when I want something in a specific location.

I navigate to the folder where I have my other fonts and there all OTF fonts show up and I can use them for the text object.

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I too had the same problem. see, when you are in blender font selection. just put the directory of the font you want. it'll appear :)

enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ Hello, your solution doesn't seem to highlight .otf fonts, which is the topic of the question. Are you sure you're really answering the question ? $\endgroup$
    – Gorgious
    Commented Jul 22, 2021 at 10:58
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As of Blender 4.1.1, the two .OTF fonts I tried worked, but Blender does not respect any font's built-in kerning per character information. I don't suppose this would be too difficult to implement, but who knows what variables the devs are dealing with. Blender also does not allow you to choose from multiple families embedded inside a single font file. When I tried a specific version of Open Sans (which contains 5+ styles, like light, italic, normal, bold etc) Blender took the default and you can't change it.

I found the alternate font directory on Windows 10 by looking at the properties of some of the fonts in my C:\Windows\Fonts folder. For me it was "C:\Users\YourUserName Here\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Fonts". You can only assign one font directory in Blender, not add multiple folders, but using windows explorer you CAN create a shortcut folder of C:\Windows\Fonts and add that to your local fonts folder. I find it convenient and separate from Blender "bookmarks" folders.

An import workaround to avoid Maya might be to use Inkscape, Affinity Designer, or Adobe Illustrator to place your text and font with proper auto kerning, export as .svg and import to Blender.

Alternatively, you can manually kern your font (per character, not just globally) in Blender when in text edit mode, Alt + Left or Right arrow keys. Alt + Shift + arrow keys for finer kerning. You can also shift select multiple characters and then kern.

Finally, here's what auto kerning looks like with Nexa Bold Regular (in Blue, top) vs without auto kerning in Blender (in grey, bottom). Even Inkscape respects auto kerning data if included in the font file, so Blender will hopefully follow along soon. enter image description here

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