Where Does Font Book Install Fonts on Mac?
Where Font Book installs user and computer fonts on Mac, what stays in System, and the default location setting.
Last updated
Font Book installs fonts into two visible homes: your own Library for personal fonts and the system Library for fonts shared with every account. A Settings default picks which one new installs use. System-protected families live deeper and stay out of reach.
User installs need no password, which makes them the default for good reason. Computer installs need admin rights and suit shared machines. Custom libraries keep fonts in place wherever they already sit, for designers with managed collections.
Where Font Book stores this, by platform
~/Library/Fonts
Default personal install location needing no admin rights. Reveal the hidden home Library through the Option-key Go menu. Computer-wide installs instead land in /Library/Fonts with a password. System families stay protected in /System/Library/Fonts.
Frequently asked questions
how do I change where fonts install
Open Font Book Settings and change the default install location between user, computer, or a custom library. Per-install choices also appear in the add dialog. User installs need no password; computer installs need admin rights.
font displays wrong, how to check
Select the font and use Validate Selection to list problems, then remove offenders. Duplicates across user and computer collections confuse apps the most. The button lives in the File menu, not in Settings.
can I delete system fonts
Leave /System/Library/Fonts alone: those are protected macOS families that reinstalls restore. Remove only from user or computer collections. Font Book can restore standard fonts without touching your additions.
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