Microsoft fonts - ArchWiki

# Microsoft fonts

Related articles

- Fonts
- Font configuration
- Infinality
- Java Runtime Environment Fonts

This article explains how to install TrueType Microsoft fonts and emulate Windows' font rendering.

## Installation

### Using fonts from a Windows partition

If there is a Windows partition mounted, its fonts can be used by linking to them.

For example, if the Windows C:\ partition is mounted at `/windows`:

    # ln -s /windows/Windows/Fonts /usr/share/fonts/WindowsFonts

Then regenerate the fontconfig cache:

    # fc-cache

Alternatively, copy the Windows fonts to `/usr/share/fonts`:

    # mkdir /usr/share/fonts/WindowsFonts
    # cp /windows/Windows/Fonts/* /usr/share/fonts/WindowsFonts
    # chmod 755 /usr/share/fonts/WindowsFonts/*

Then regenerate the fontconfig cache:

    # fc-cache

### Current packages

Note: These packages do require access to a Windows 7/8 and/or a Office 2007 setup or installation media, consult corresponding PKGBUILD for details.

Available in the AUR:

- ttf-win7-fonts — Windows 7 fonts
- ttf-office-2007-fonts — Microsoft Office 2007 fonts
- ttf-ms-win8 — Windows 8.1 fonts

### Legacy packages

Note: The fonts provided by these packages are out-of-date and are missing modern hinting instructions and the full character sets. It is recommended to use the above packages.

ttf-ms-fonts is available in the AUR.

According to original Microsoft's End User License Agreement, there are some legal limitations when using the fonts.

The package includes:

- Andalé Mono
- Arial
- Arial Black
- Comic Sans
- Courier New
- Georgia
- Impact
- Lucida Sans
- Lucida Console
- Microsoft Sans Serif
- Symbol
- Times New Roman
- Trebuchet
- Verdana
- Webdings
- Wingdings

You can also obtain ttf-tahoma from the AUR, which as you might expect contains Tahoma.

ttf-vista-fonts is also available in the AUR and includes:

- Calibri
- Cambria
- Candara
- Consolas
- Constantia
- Corbel

## Fontconfig rules useful for MS Fonts

Often websites specify the fonts using generic names (helvetica, courier, times or times new roman) a rule in fontconfig replaces this fonts with (ugly) free fonts:

    /etc/fonts/conf.d/30-metric-aliases.conf

to make full use of the MS fonts it is necessary to create a rule mapping those generic names to MS specific fonts contained in the various packages above:

    <?xml version="1.0"?>
    <!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
    <fontconfig>
           <alias binding="same">
             <family>Helvetica</family>
             <accept>
             <family>Arial</family>
             </accept>
           </alias>
           <alias binding="same">
             <family>Times</family>
             <accept>
             <family>Times New Roman</family>
             </accept>
           </alias>
           <alias binding="same">
             <family>Courier</family>
             <accept>
             <family>Courier New</family>
             </accept>
           </alias>
    </fontconfig>

It is also useful to associate serif,sans-serif,monospace fonts in your favourite browser to MS fonts.

## Windows XP

A complete guide on how to make the MS Fonts look as in Windows XP is found at http://www.sharpfonts.co.cc/ (site down, try sharpfonts in the AUR). In short, install the fonts as described above and use the author's modified XML files.

## Windows 7

Use Infinality's patched freetype2 package, and use the Windows 7 profile in the provided `local.conf`.

## Windows 8

The ttf-ms-win8 split package is intended as a more up-to-date replacement for the ttf-ms-fonts, ttf-vista-fonts and ttf-win7-fonts AUR packages.

Although it provides newer versions of the fonts, it cannot automatically download the fonts due to license issues .

Note: usage of Microsoft fonts outside running Windows system is prohibited by EULA (although in certain countries EULA is invalid). Please consult Microsoft license before using fonts.

You can acquire fonts from an installed and fully updated Windows 8.1 system. Any edition of Windows 8.1 build Windows 8.1 6.3.9600.17238 will work.

On the installed Windows 8.1 system fonts are usually located in `%WINDIR%\Fonts` and license file is `%SYSTEM32%\license.rtf`.

You need the files listed in the `source=()` array. Place them in the same directory as this PKGBUILD file, then run makepkg.

`makepkg --pkg ttf-ms-win8` will make just the Windows 8.1 core fonts package which should cover even more than ttf-ms-fonts.

Fonts are best viewed with Infinality. Infinality offers great font rendering and customization.

Categories:

- Fonts
- Graphics and desktop publishing